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2 weeks before starting my MBA program at Yale, I hired someone on TaskRabbit to set up my New Haven apartment. 

I was debating whether I should leave him alone with all my stuff so I could join a few classmates on a group hike. He seemed normal enough so I threw on my 49ers shirt and left. The 49ers shirt was a good call because it created an easy conversation starter with my future wife. 

When we got to the top of the hill, Anika sat down on the bench. 

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by your attraction to someone that you fainted? Well, that’s what happened to her. Instinctively practicing for my future role in sickness and in health, I immediately called 911. Fortunately, she was fine. 

I came back to see my apartment coming together perfectly. Little did I know that apartment, which Anika nicknamed Sparky, is where we would build the foundation of our relationship. 

A pivotal moment in that apartment was our first movie night. I made a move on her and she said “I’m intrigued but not yet” I took that as a polite rejection. So I played it cool and mentally moved on. 

When she invited me to hang out again, I realized she may be the rare person who actually means what they say.  

After a few more hangouts, Anika went on a girls trip for her best friend Anusha’s birthday. During that trip, she sent me a text

“How about another movie night?”