Advertisement
La Crosse.
Brooke, 23, and Jeff, 22, fell in love after meeting at the front desk of a UW-L residence hall.
Brooke worked at the White Hall front desk, and Jeff would come down from the third floor to order pepperoni pizza “more often than he needed to,” said Brooke.
It wasn’t long before their conversations over the hum of the pizza oven became a friendship that lasted a year and a half.
“Everything seemed to line up,” said Jeff. “We came from the same type of families, had similar goals, and I really liked her.”
“I knew there was something special about him,” said Brooke.
Brooke knew they would be more than friends when the two shared a goodbye hug before heading home for Christmas break in December 2005.
Brooke later ran down the stairs screaming excitedly to her family when Jeff sent her a “Merry Christmas” text message over the holiday break.
Friendship became dating and a fast track to their wedding day in July 2007.
Despite their different majors — Jeff will receive degrees in computer science and math, Brooke in exercise and sports science fitness and a minor in business — the two have found ways to spend as much time together as possible in college. They coordinate class schedules so they can eat and study together, as well as set aside a little “BJCT” — Brooke and Jeff Cuddle Time.
Football season always was the hardest to coordinate, said Brooke. Since she was a cheerleader and he was a football player, you’d think they saw a lot of each other during that time. But practice times were different, and cheerleaders didn’t travel to away games. Plus, the 10 feet of distance between them at home games seemed like miles when they couldn’t hug, said Brooke.
They agreed the companionship has been wonderful.
“It’s nice to have a sense of family at college, because it can be a lonely place,” said Brooke.
Moreover, they’ve drawn support from one another. About a month ago, Brooke walked into their apartment disappointed about an error on a calculus exam. Jeff hugged her and reminded her it was only one problem.
Friends and families say the two are “completely inseparable,” said Brooke.
Now they’re planning their after-college lives. Brooke is willing to move wherever Jeff gets his first job.
But they have one more milestone to share first.
UW-L commencement today
What: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse mid-year commencement ceremonies. A total of 741 students are eligible to participate, including 516 receiving undergraduate degrees and 225 receiving graduate degrees.
Where: UW-L Mitchell Hall gymnasium
When: Three ceremonies are planned today:
undergraduate and graduate students. Speaker will be Jessica Tormey, class of ’95, UW System employee
Watch it: To see live, streaming video of the mid-year commencement ceremonies, go online to www.uwlax.edu/edtech/graduation.
homer wrote on Dec 15, 2008 12:49 PM: