In February 2017, I was in the heat of student elections. My partner and I were visiting various student groups to self-promote. Around Valentine’s day we were invited to speak at the Asian American Student Association. It was a particularly tough year, with lots of aggressive and cunning strategy from the competitors.

After giving our spiel, I saw they were planning on doing origami that day so I figured I’d stick around and hang out a bit taking a seat at one of the center tables. Shortly after, a girl approaches me with a casual smile looking at me. As soon as I see her, a shot of adrenaline goes through me and my mind starts racing.

Is she a spy? Why is she approaching me like this? Maybe she is with one of the other political parties. I ought to be careful…

“Is anyone sitting here?” She casually asks with a calm and confident energy that immediately confirmed my fears that she had an agenda.

Removing my backpack from the chair I say as casually as I can “no no, please have a seat”.

After a few moments, we strike up a conversation that is surprisingly pleasant.

“She is good” I think to myself. “Too good. I need to be extra careful around this one.”

About a week later, while tabling on the Library plaza, I see someone walking towards our table. It was the same girl from before.

“Hi” she says with the same casual confident smile. This lady was dangerous.

“I can take this one” I say to my partner.

“Hello again.” I reply.

“Would you like to go get some dinner sometime?”

Stunned, I just stare at her. She wants to go on a DATE with me?

After a few moments I say “uhhh.. ya sure when and where are you thinking?”

We set up a time and she says goodbye.

My partner Liz turns toward me, beaming. “Looks like you got yourself a date!”

Still dumbfounded by what just happened I try to process it.

This girl has some of the most calm, confident energy I’ve ever seen. Something about her… I am scared.

We go on the first date and I try to keep it cool. I ask lots of questions to keep her from learning too much about me. But as the night goes on, I realize I am becoming more and more intrigued by her. What is it that this lady wants?

A week later we run into each other again at a mutual hangout. Simultaneously cautious and intrigued, this time I ask her on a second date. I take her on one of my favorite hikes and she tells me about how she dances in the Cambodian community.

I start to get a mental picture of her. Kind, calm, and caring but passionate and determined. There is a slow burning fire in her eyes - the kind that doesn’t seem like it can easily be extinguished. Suddenly, I realize how much I want her to succeed. The feelings of skepticism melt away and are replaced with a fluttering feeling in my stomach.

After that day, our relationship flourished. She visited my apartment almost every day. She showed me how to make Khmer food and I showed her how to make Japanese food. She showed me her favorite songs and I told her why mine were better. That summer we stayed out late, played volleyball, and watched movies in the evening.

In August we skipped class and road tripped to Idaho to catch the total Solar Eclipse. And on the way home, she was sleeping in the passenger seat. I looked at her and felt a stinging in my eyes. My heart felt so full.

Four years later, on December 20th, 2021 I proposed to her in Saint Augustine on the beach with both our families. It was not the picturesque proposal I envisioned (a hurricane level storm had blown in and temperatures were pushing freezing) but was all the more memorable because of it.

It all started with a brochure mailed to me from the University of Utah back in 2016. I was considering several schools at the time and received lots of mail from universities. One day, I picked up a brochure and was intrigued by the handsome human on the cover. Little did I know, he would be my future husband. I promptly recycled it along with the other mail.

Fast forward to 2017, I just started spring semester at the University of Utah and wanted to join a student group. So, I started attending meetings with the Asian American Student Association (AASA). One day, I walked into the room and saw “that guy from the brochure” and thought “Oh wow, he’s actually a student here!” Overcome with butterflies, I decided to avoid him and just admire from afar.

Many meetings passed by and I kept seeing him around. I was quite content with not saying a word to him, but the universe had other plans…

At AASA’s Annual Valentine’s Day meeting, all the seats were taken except for the one right next to “that guy.” Well, I guess that was my sign. I nervously asked to sit next to him and introduced myself. He introduced himself and gestured for me to sit. “Nice to meet you, Taylor.” :)

We chatted and made some jokes while making origami paper hearts. He spoke with so much confidence and made sure others at the table felt included in the conversations. Seeing his kindness, bright smile, sweet eyes, witty humor, and fun energy made my heart race.

I shared this small crush with my friend, Stephany, and asked if she knew him. Luckily, she did! After sharing some kind words about him, she casually suggested that I ask him out. I freaked out and laughed, not even considering that as an option. But the thought lingered “What if…”

One sunny day in late February, I saw Taylor at Library Plaza and walked over to chat. I wasn’t planning to ask him out that day, but I had a good feeling.

“Do you want to hangout and get dinner together sometime?” Taylor looked stunned and took a second to reply. After a nod from his friend nearby, he agreed. So, we exchanged our numbers and planned our first date.

Taylor and I talked through the night, missing our movie showtime twice to see La La Land. We eventually wandered to Hatch’s to get some hot chocolate and share songs together in the car.

Seven years later, I think back to those days and see how much we’ve grown together. So many things have changed, but some things never do.

My heart still races when I’m with Taylor. I still admire his kindness, curiosity, and sense of adventure. And we’ll still talk for hours… and sometimes miss our movie showtimes.

Photo of Emily and Taylor on the day they first met at AASA's Valentine's Day event.

(Emily stumbled across this photo in the AASA yearbook a few years later.)