Our story didn’t begin with a typical college romance. Though we both attended undergrad in St. Louis and frequented many of the same local hangouts, fate kept us just out of each other’s orbit. It wasn’t until years later, through the unpredictability of the National Residency Matching Program, that our paths finally crossed. The stars aligned, and we both matched for general surgery residency at UIC in Chicago.

We met for the first time at the new intern meet-and-greet. As everyone mingled and made small talk, Julia unintentionally stole the show by accidentally buying an entire bucket of beers instead of just one. That little mishap turned into the perfect icebreaker, and as we bonded over those drinks, we discovered that we’d be starting the same rotation in just a few days.

Over time, we quickly became good friends and started spending more time together—so much time that our friends began to notice (and ask questions). At the time, we both insisted we were just friends—Julia even helped John update his Hinge account—but things were destined to take a turn.

The turning point came when we went to see Elton John on his farewell tour. What was supposed to be a group outing with mutual friends turned into an impromptu solo adventure when everyone else backed out. That night, we danced, sang, and had so much fun that we ended up continuing the evening at a Rod Tuffcurls & The Bench Press show, a Chicago-based cover band we’ve since made a tradition of dragging friends to see with us. By the end of that night, it was undeniable—we were more than just friends. A few weeks later, we officially started dating.

Since then, life together has been an adventure. We’ve seen Elton John twice more on his farewell tour and danced through countless Chicago summer street festivals. We’ve explored several national parks, and last August, during a trip to Banff in Canada, we got engaged! Next up on our list: a trip to China and Japan.

It’s incredible to think that the randomness of the residency match led us to find each other. We’re so excited for this next chapter filled with love, adventure, and, of course, more Rod Tuffcurls concerts. We can’t wait to celebrate with you all this November!