My story is so different you might not believe that it’s true.
It all started in the fall of 2010. I came to Ashland University as an Integrated Language Arts Education major and a member of the AU cheerleading squad. It was my first time being away from home, and I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I was happy to be trying something new, but it felt lonely having no friends or family within miles of this small town in Ohio. Since I was all alone, I decided that it would be a good idea for me to branch out and get involved in as much as possible. I was willing to go on adventures around campus and explore the offered activities and organizations. In this exploration process, I happened to stumble upon the Geology Club. It was definitely not one of the larger organizations on campus, but I decided to give it a go. Little did I know that being a part of this group would soon change my life forever.
In the fall of 2011, the Geology Club decided to take a trip to explore the formations at Hocking Hills. Even though I wasn’t interested rocks, I was interested in going on a fun trip with the group—especially knowing that Andrew would be there. He was a geology major and a member of the AU soccer team. The first time I saw him, on the ninth floor of Clayton, I was stunned by his looks and charm. I kept this crush to myself, though, because I figured that there was no way a guy like that would want to be with a girl like me. Either way, I was excited to get to spend time with him and everyone else at Hocking Hills. It was guaranteed to be a great day.
On the trip to Hocking Hills, everything seemed to be going well. Dr. Brush and Dr. Hudson, or “Doc” as we called him, walked us through the park and explained how the rock formations came to be. We climbed to different heights and took pictures of our victories after finally getting to the top. It was daring, but we figured we could handle it. At one point, my friend Mitch (the president of Geology Club), Andrew and I decided to explore further away from the designated trail. We figured it would be fine as long as we eventually made it back to the group. Besides, it was becoming almost a game to make it to the next level. We finally hit the end of our game when we came across the ledge. The three of us stood there looking down, wondering how we were supposed to get down to the trail, knowing that going back the way we came would be nearly impossible. Andrew and I stayed back a bit seeing the sheer height of the drop, but, before we could strategize about what to do, Mitch was already going for it. He figured he could slide down the hill to the trail below, but as I watched him from the ledge, his body began to tumble. It was the worst sight I have ever seen in my life. He eventually crashed at the bottom, hitting his head on a rock. I remember yelling his name and hoping that he would respond, but there was nothing. He just laid there.
I did not know what to do. Poor Mitch was helpless and unconscious at the bottom of this cliff, and, meanwhile, Andrew and I still had to find a way back to the trail. We continued looking over the edge and yelling for help, and it just so happened that a group of volunteer EMTs was out hiking that day. Soon, they were there taking their sweatshirts off to wrap him up and cover his head wound. They were truly a blessing in disguise.
Once we saw that Mitch was in good hands, it was time for us to figure out how we would get back to safety. At that point I was curled into a ball, thinking that we were definitely trapped on this ledge for good. I was too short to go back the way we came, and there was no option of moving forward, so I figured that was it.
Then, all of a sudden Andrew reached out to me and said that we had to find a way out of there. It took some convincing, but he got me to go back to the boulder where we had jumped down onto the ledge. I stared up at it knowing that I would not be able to climb this on my own, but Andrew had a plan.<
He quickly jumped onto the side of the boulder and grabbed what he could to pull himself up. Once at the top, he turned around and put his hand out for me. I was scared I would pull him down with me, but he found the strength to get me to the top.
That was our first time working together to overcome the odds.
After that experience with Mitch, Andrew and I continued going to the hospital together to check in on our friend. In total, Mitch was unconscious for almost two weeks. There was even a service held in the AU chapel to pray for Mitch’s recovery. During that time, it seemed like everyone who had been on the Hocking Hills trip became much closer. We felt like we had experienced something that others could not comprehend. Andrew and I definitely felt that sense of closeness, since we had been there on the ledge to witness the whole scene. Even though this had been a tragic event, it helped me to get closer to the man who I now have the privilege of calling my husband.
Andrew and I have been overcoming obstacles together ever since that day at Hocking Hills. We continued our relationship through three more years at Ashland. Being a geology major, after graduation he was set to work out on an oil rig in North Dakota. At the same time, I was bound for South Carolina to do my student teaching through the Southern Internship Program. These opportunities would put us on completely different sides of the country, but we knew we could make it since this was not our first time overcoming the odds. I enjoyed the chance to teach in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Ashland gave me this experience, and it was just another instance in which I was able to find a home away from home.
That is what Ashland does for people. It has a way of making people feel like they belong.
Five years later, in 2016, Andrew and I returned to campus for what I thought was a meeting with Doc. We walked together through the snow in the quad, but instead of going into Kettering he took me over to the education building. No one was around. He said we should go have a seat in the right wing of the building where I used to hide out and type papers. In that moment, I felt so nostalgic reminiscing about our times at AU. Then, all of a sudden, Andrew took out a piece of paper from his pocket and began to read. The hand-written note was a page in length. I was listening to Andrew as he carefully read about our experiences and how our relationship has helped him grow as a person. He made it through the whole letter, and at the end, there was a pause. Putting the letter off to the side, he reached into his pocket again, only this time he took out a box. Through everything that was happening, I heard the question, “Will you marry me?” as he opened the box to show me a ring. It was beautiful, and, just like that, I said, “Yes!” to my college sweetheart.
Just think, it all started on the ninth floor of Clayton. Then, five years later, there I was, in the education building of all places, being proposed to by the love of my life.
It seems too good to be true, but this is my story. This is my experience of Ashland University. Finding home and love all in one place.
