Describe the first time you met
Taylor: So it’s actually kind of ironic how we met. I had a broken foot freshman year, I was on crutches and it was super miserable. But Mark was in my Spanish class and would always say hi to me. So the night that I got my cast off and was cleared to walk, ATO was having a fundraiser party for their philanthropy and I really didn’t want to go because I was still in pain. But my friends convinced me to go and while I was getting ready I remember saying “there’s this really cute guy named Mark in my Spanish class but I’m way too nervous to talk to him.” When we went to the party and hour or so later, he walked right over and gave me a huge hug and we just kind of hit it off after that.
What’s your favorite thing about each other?
Taylor: My favorite thing about Mark is his sense of humor and his drive. He can make me (and pretty much anyone else) laugh at anything. He also works so hard in school and wrestling, and is committed to achieving his goals. He gives his all to everything that he does, and I think that’s really admirable.
Mark: How cute and sweet she is. She’s selfless and does a lot for me and for other people. She puts others before herself.
How did you guys start officially dating?
Mark: We met before the year ended and ended up seeing each other a lot over the summer. We always had a good time together. By the end of the summer we were dating.
If you could travel anywhere in the world together, where would you want to go and why?
Taylor: We both love the beach, and Mark is such a warm weather person, so I’d love to go somewhere warm with him. The wrestling team is going to Florida over New Year’s, and my aunt and uncle live an hour away from where they’re staying, so hopefully I’ll be able to go down there and we can get some beach time in.
Mark: If I go anywhere with her, it would be where she would want to go. Probably somewhere in Europe with good food, or the beach.
What’s the funniest thing about your significant other?
Taylor: Everything about Mark is funny. There is never a day that goes by that he doesn’t make me laugh. His sense of humor is awesome.
Mark: It doesn’t matter what a dog looks like, she still gets emotional over any dog she sees and thinks it’s the cutest thing ever.
Do you feel like the fact that you’re in a relationship affects you wanting to go out on the weekends?
Taylor: I don’t necessarily think that being in a relationship stops me from going out, because Mark is very supportive and encourages me to go out with my friends any time that I want. I do the same for him, but sometimes it’s really nice to just throw on a pair of sweats and spend a night in, watching movies.
Mark: Dating her doesn’t stop me from going out, it actually makes me go out more than I normally would.
Do you know each others’ favorite food of all time?
Taylor: His guilty pleasure is definitely ice cream. We go to Wegman’s pretty much every week to get Halo Top.
Mark: Her favorite food is anything with buffalo chicken and blue cheese. She also loves banana ice cream.
How do you feel the Muhlenberg community views relationships in general? Are they stigmatized? Are they encouraged?
Taylor: I think since Muhlenberg is so small, your friends get to know the person you’re dating, and can become pretty supportive of your relationship. I think as a whole, people are encouraged here to do what makes them happy, whether that means being in a relationship of not. I’ve definitely felt supported throughout my whole relationship by all of my friends.