Despite still being in college, some UP students are now engaged or married
(Photo courtesy of Alex Downey)
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Last spring, then sophomore biology major Alex Downey (formerly Lake) faced two challenges: first, mastering organic chemistry, second, planning her wedding.
Since 1960, the median age of first marriage has steadily increased, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's online site. Today, it has reached its oldest age for both men and women in the history of the U.S. Census – 28 and 26 respectively.
Even with the challenges of being in college, some UP students defied the national trend and made the decision to tie the knot, or plan to, before graduation day.
On May 21, 2011, Downey, now a junior, married her high school sweetheart Sean Downey. The pair met at a church event their freshman year of high school, and he asked her to homecoming the next morning. They have been together for six years.
They started talking about marriage during Alex's senior year of high school. Sean proposed after her freshman year of college, and they were engaged for 10 months before their wedding.
"I always felt like we would probably get married," Alex said. "He's my best friend."
Senior Kyle Cochran, a resident assistant in Villa Maria Hall, proposed to his girlfriend, Portland State sophomore Lindsey Green, this past July.
The pair met while attending high school in Gresham, Ore., and began dating after seeing each other at a concert. They have been together for a year and a half. Green now lives in a house in the neighborhood surrounding UP.
Cochran hasn't noticed many changes since he proposed.
"Things are more or less the same," Cochran said. "We get a lot more congratulations when people see us for the first time."
Alex, who lives in Beaverton with her husband, says that being married is easier in some ways.
"During the first two years of college, I would only see him once a week," she said. "Now I can see him when I want to, and we don't have to plan time to see each other."
However, there are challenges to married life. Alex's husband works nights and attends community college part-time, which sometimes limits their time together.
On campus, both Alex and Cochran experienced similar reactions to their news. In both cases, friends and family of the couples were supportive.
"People are always really excited," Cochran said.
Downey said it was obvious they would get married to the people who knew them well.
However, some students were hesitant to accept their engagement.
"A lot of people I don't know very well were like, ‘You're crazy!'" Downey said.
Cochran experienced similar reactions.
"Some people who don't know us say, ‘Oh you guys are really young,'" Cochran said. "But no one that knows me, or knows Lindsey, has ever questioned it."
Cochran knows that making the decision to get married has benefitted their relationship.
"I think we're a lot closer now," Cochran said.
Senior nursing and Spanish major Libby Heintz met her fiance Joshua Gillette in fifth grade. They sat next to each other in middle school band and graduated from Willamette High School together.
"It wasn't until high school that I knew that I loved him," Heintz said. "I felt that God had it for me that I would be married to him."
However, Heintz and her fiance didn't date until after the summer of Heintz's sophomore year at UP. At that point, they decided that they were "promised" to each other: Gillette proposed a month and a half later.
Currently, Gillette lives in Eugene, Ore. The distance between the couple creates difficulties, but they face the challenge head-on.
"Through being apart, we're learning all of the ways – tons of different ways – to love each other," Heintz said.
But in spite of the distance, Heintz is confident in the strength of her relationship.
"I'm secure in knowing that I have the love of my life waiting for me," Heintz said. "I don't have to second-guess it anymore."
According to Heintz, the UP community has been supportive of her engagement. Her professors and career counselors have been encouraging of her wedding plans.
"My professors were going to make sure I was on the right nursing track so I could get out (of school) in time to get married," Heintz said.
For now, the wedding is planned for next August, giving Heintz time to plan after graduation.
Heintz didn't always expect to get married right after school, but she has never doubted her decision.
"When he proposed, I knew it was right," Heintz said. "It just made sense to end the season of college and start a new season with him."
(Kevin Kadooka -- THE BEACON)
(Photo courtesy of Libby Heintz )
