It’s not every day you meet the love of your life, and it’s even more rare that you stay together throughout college. Megan Martinez and Peter Glockenmeier met each other on the first day of Welcome Week their freshman year, and instantly knew they liked each other. Fast forward to today: they’ve been dating for almost four years, and have set the date for their July wedding!
Since these two lovebirds are also both graduating this May, I asked Megan what it’s like to plan a wedding while simultaneously preparing for finals and graduation. Lucky for her, she’s only taking electives this semester (hello, Wine Tasting!), so it’s not too stressful. “But if I wasn’t, I think I’d be dying. Especially since our wedding is out of state.” She makes sure that Peter is involved in the wedding decisions, too, but since he’s finishing a five-year Mechanical Engineering program in only four years, he has more school to think about each day than Megan does.
Societial views of college typically see it as the prime time to date as many people as you want, and try as many new things as you can, and “find yourself.” But Megan and Peter never got bored in their relationship, or felt like they were in a rut. “It was like hanging out with my best friend all the time. He was always there to call, or go on an adventure with.” When I asked her what it was like to date only one person for all of her college career, she said, “It was awesome. I loved it. I honestly think about it all the time and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
They also helped each other grow, in lots of different ways. Something that Megan credits to their relationship’s success. “Both of us encouraged the other one to try new things in college, and get new experiences.” I also asked her opinion on college engagements. Obviously she’s a fan of them (Peter’s proposal was extrememly thoughtful and cute), but she thinks that some girls might get engaged too soon and for the wrong reasons. “Sometimes women get really involved with trying to get engaged before they graduate, but I think if you’re in it for all the right reasons, then it’s a wonderful thing. I think I’m very fortunate to have found the man I want to do life with so young in my life.”
And even better, their parents love their future mates as well! Megan remembers when her parents first met Peter. “They instantly loved him more than they ever loved me,” she says laughing. “He’s quiet, so they worried that he didn’t like them, but they loved him.” Megan also told me a funny story about when she met Peter’s parents over Thanksgiving break, and the curry that his sister made was so spicy, she was sweating like crazy at the dinner table! “Luckily all of them are so sweet and kind and quiet so no one said anything!”
So what are these two drunk-in-love goofball’s plans after graduation? Colorado, Oregon and Texas are the three states to move to at the top of their list, but it really just depends where they both can find jobs. Knowing that that would frighten me immensely, I asked Megan how she felt about it. “I’m not scared to move away, because I get to do it with my best friend!”
The cynic in me threw up a little at that line. But the friend in me, is so happy for these two amazing people.