Romance is not my thing. Some people like it, some don't. I am in the latter category. Sure, flowers are nice, chocolate is better, but I'd rather have a six pack of Spotted Cow and a slice of Ian's any day.
I guess I'm just too cynical for most ""typical"" date-night activities like horse-drawn carriage rides. All I would think about is how much shit is coming out of that giant mammal with each step it takes. How romantic.
This weekend however, even I felt my heartstrings tugging. At the football game Saturday, a tuba player in the band proposed to his girlfriend and fellow band mate. I've only seen two other proposals before in my life; one in a restaurant in Chicago and one at the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Seeing two people get engaged provokes weird emotions in me: half envy and half sympathy at knowing that they're stuck with each other forever—or at least until they save up enough money to pay their wedding debts off and file for divorce.
Saturday was already an emotion-filled day for me. I've had football tickets every season since my freshman year and this was my last game as a Badger. As excited as I am about graduating and moving to a city where it never snows, there are some things I'm really going to miss about Wisconsin, and football is definitely one of them.
Where else can you see members of the marching band spell out ""Marry Me, Kayla?"" and then hear thousands of student fans start cheering, ""She said yes! She said yes!"" It was a magical moment in a magical city.
And it got me thinking... if someone were to propose to me, what would I want? And where? Tubas are great, but I'm not in the band and the football season is over, so clearly, that's not even an option. But the idea behind Mr. Tuba Player's proposal was fantastic. Find something your significant other loves and then somehow incorporate a diamond ring into it. Genius!
So what could one of my many suitors do to impress me and secure my hand in my first marriage? I think the most obvious answer is take me to a Justin Beiber concert... actually, it would be much better if he were Justin Beiber and he proposed on stage. But not all dreams come true and not all 15-year-old pop stars are ready for marriage.
Back to the point: I love to travel, so a surprise proposal in a foreign land would be perfect as long as it isn't cliché. My hubby-to-be had better stay away from the Eiffel Tower on Valentine's Day because at least 15 other couples get engaged there on Feb. 14 and I'm way too selfish to share my moment with anyone.
I want something really out there. Like popping the question on a camel ride in Egypt. Or having my husband wrestle a hippopotamus on a safari and emerge victorious with a giant diamond ring in hand. Then again, maybe receiving a diamond in Africa isn't really appropriate. Actually, scratch those last two.
My absolute favorite city in the world is London; I studied abroad there last semester and, after completing my two years with Teach For America, I plan on going back for graduate school. Or to marry Prince Harry. Whichever comes first. It would be really amazing to have some hottie pop the question over a pint of Guinness. Or on the London Eye—in between my fear-of-height-induced panic attacks.
I recognize that none of these scenarios are all that realistic considering I'm single, too broke to afford a plane ticket to Europe any time in the next five years, and don't actually want to get married any time in the near future— if ever. But, I think most girls would be lying if they haven't at least thought about getting married and sporting a rock that forces them to drag their left hand near the ground in an ape-like stance.
Either way, congrats to you Mr. Tuba Player and Kayla. I'm sure you band geeks will have wonderfully happy lives together. And if not, at least you know that you made memorable proposal history at Camp Randall. That is way more impressive than 50 years of marriage.
Have a really exciting idea for proposing to your significant other? Tell Jillian at jlevy2@wisc.edu. She promises to keep it a secret.
