Editor’s note: Students come to UMBC to get an education, but they end up getting so much more. Catherine ’12, English, and Josh Kruder ’11, computer science, happened to fall in love. Lucky for us, they were generous enough to share their story.
“My husband and I just celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary, after meeting and falling in love at UMBC in 2009. Now, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill Retriever love story. There was no eying each other in Chemistry 101; and there was no relating to common interests at a Resident Student Association movie night.
You see, my mom had been taking classes at the university and when I got there in 2008, I was still living at home and we were carpooling to school. In February 2009, she came home one night gushing about this “really cute” boy in her class with “these adorable blue eyes and blonde hair!” She said, “You come see me tomorrow and I will introduce you”… you know with that all-assuring “I got this” smirk on her face. Needless to say, children aren’t really that fond of their parents’ advice, and certainly not when it comes to dating! Did I mention that my mom was taking Computer Science classes? “Oh no,” I thought. “Geek alert!” But I decided to go anyway, just for the fun of it.
The next day, I walked into her classroom and see her talking to, well, a really cute, blonde-haired, blue-eyed guy! Go figure. She introduces us, we make small talk about my major and how hard their professor was, and when it’s time for class to start, I go to leave. I barely get out the door before I hear my mom’s voice trickle off, “I know I don’t look old enough to have a daughter, Josh. Isn’t she beautiful?” This would have been what they call a “face-palm” moment. Forget the subtleties, that boy was definitely scared off!
That night is one I’ll never forget. My mom came home with her goofy smile that reeked of accomplishment and pride.
Mom: “So, how are we going to do this? I could give him your phone number. Or… you could email him!”
Me: “Mom, I don’t want to be some creeper, weirdo. What if he already has a girlfriend?”
Mom: “All is fair in love and war.”
Me: “Why don’t I just Facebook him.”
Mom: “Oh, you can do that? Yes, do that.”
The next day, I got my friend request confirmed and an unread message from that really cute boy in my mom’s class. And three days later, we had our first date and we’ve been inseparable ever since. We were married on September 22, 2012.
Looking back, I joke with my husband, “You know you were set up, right?” He smiles and nods his head, “I know… and I’m okay with that.” And then there’s the always hilarious disclaimer, “You can never complain about my family… you knew the crazy before ever meeting me!”
I tell you this because the details matter. I wouldn’t have found my soul mate at UMBC if it hadn’t been for my mom. I got my fairytale… even if it was sort of picked out for me.”
If you met your sweetheart at UMBC, send your pictures and story to retrievernet@umbc.edu and you could be featured here, too!
Tags: retriever love
