In honor of Valentine’s Day, three unsuspecting University at Buffalo couples were given a pop quiz. The topic? Each other. Not only did these lovebirds have to know facts about their partner, but they also had to be able to predict how their sweetheart would answer my questions! So, which UB couple knows the most about their better half?
Is it…
Couple #1?
For juniors Tom Maniaci and Tracy Hinman, their relationship hasn’t always been a walk in the park. They met at the Center for Academic Development Service’s (CADS), UB’s summer pre-freshman program, or what they like to call “Nazi camp.” They were together for a while during their freshman year but their relationship took a hiatus until six months ago when the pair finally made it official again. Their first date was at Schussmeisters Ski Club’s Carnival Night. Tom is a computer science major and Tracy is a communication major. These two make a cute couple and seem like a perfect fit to the naked eye, but is that enough to make them pass the Perfect Match quiz?
What’s your partner’s favorite color?
Tom and Tracy have the same favorite color and they know it!
What’s your partner’s favorite movie?
Tom said Tracy’s is Finding Nemo, probably because every time she asks him to watch it with her he refuses, she says. Her actual favorite movie is Hook.
Tracy said Tom’s is Man on Fire. It’s really Half Baked.
What’s your partner’s mother’s name?
Tom said Bennea and Tracy said Diane. They both got it right!
What will Tracy say the last argument you had was about?
Tom thought she’d say it was about “this guy who likes her.” Tracy says they don’t argue much, but she thinks it was about when she “got too drunk” and might have started flirting with another boy who likes her.
What will Tom say about your last boyfriend?
Tracy said, “He’s a fraternity fake…and an asshole.” Amazingly, those were almost Tom’s exact words.
What will Tom say was the last lie you told?
Tracy said she tells Tom she’s not upset when she really is, and she thinks he knows it. Tom said he doesn’t think she tells him any lies, “at least I hope not.” I’m sure this will help Tom out the next time he puts his foot in his mouth! Hint, hint.
Couple #2?
Graduate student Shira Tobias met her current boyfriend, computer science major Isiah Schwartz on a slow night at Bert’s Food Court on campus. Shira says they just slowly got to know each other through casual meetings, such as getting coffee together and attending the Jewish Student Association’s ice cream social last semester. Then, five months ago, Isiah asked Shira out and made their relationship officially romantic. Since then, the pair has been inseparable. The faint ringing of wedding bells may be in the air, but before they are bound together in holy matrimony, let’s see how well they know each other.
What’s your partner’s favorite color?
Isiah thought that Shira’s is blue, but it’s really purple.
Shira thought Isiah’s favorite color is blue, but it’s really red.
What’s your partner’s favorite movie?
“We watch a lot of movies together,” said Isiah as he tried to dig deep in his brain to find the right answer. They watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail a lot, so he chose that one. Shira threw him a curveball and said she loves Kill Bill.
Shira knew that Isiah’s favorite movie is Monty Python. Hmm, maybe that’s why they watch it all the time.
What’s your partner’s mother’s name?
Isiah hesitated then came up with Cheryl, which is the correct answer.
“I haven’t met her yet!” said Shira. She had no idea.
What will Isiah say the last argument you had was about?
Shira said he’d probably say it was about her parking so far away from the building before their interview. Isiah said it was one thing or another about his obsession with computers. He said the parking one doesn’t even count. It was just a “discussion.” Either way, they don’t get points for this one.
What’s one thing Shira will say about your last girlfriend?
Isiah said she never met her so she won’t think anything in particular about her. Shira said, “It’s hard because I never met her,” but thinks, “she was probably a decent girl.” She’s not hurt when Isiah mentions her.
What will Shira say is your most annoying habit?
Isiah was sure that his cigarette smoking annoys the hell out of Shira, but she decided that Isiah singing a song about a badger all day long is even worse. He might want to consider quitting while he’s ahead!
Couple #3?
Andrew Chin and Esther Lee have been together for ten months. They met on the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) bus on their way home for spring break last year, where they ended up talking through other people. She prevented Andrew, a junior history/political science major at UB, from having to sit next to “someone weird” for the duration of the trip to their homes in Long Island by sitting next to him. Esther, a sophomore accounting major, had a boyfriend at the time, so she wasn’t out to impress anyone. Apparently that didn’t prevent an admirer’s eyes from spotting her. Andrew and Esther hung out a couple times “as friends.” They soon realized their relationship was meant for more. Esther’s nerdy ex took initiative and broke up with her before he could be dumped. Their first date was at a club called Evolution. Now, they’re “attached at the hip,” says Andrew when asked about what activities they do together, which includes the Asian American Student Association. These two lovebirds are perfect compliments of each other—but how much do these opposites really know about their counterpart?
What’s your partner’s favorite color?
Andrew said Esther’s is red. Wrong! It’s blue.
Esther guessed that Andrew’s is blue. She was right—they have the same favorite color and they didn’t even know it!
What’s your partner’s favorite movie?
Andrew said that Esther doesn’t have a favorite. Esther said it’s Bourne Identity.
Esther said that Andrew’s is Saw 2. “He screams like a girl,” she added. Andrew said it’s Grandma’s Boy.
What’s your partner’s mother’s name?
Andrew said Umma. It’s really Jackie; umma is the Korean word for “mom.”
Esther said Berniece. She was right!
What will Andrew say the last argument you had was about?
Esther said he’d say it was about sex: “How often, y’know, stuff like that.” Andrew thought it was about him “feeling inadequate” and “not hot enough for her.”
What’s one thing Esther would say about your last girlfriend?
“She’s a bitch.” And, “if she ever sees her she’ll kick the crap out of her.” Esther said “she’s a whore. She cheated on him and he stayed with her.” Not the same reaction, but Esther excitedly agreed that she’d kick the crap out of his ex the first chance she got and high-fived her man.
What will Esther say is your best physical feature?
Andrew says his butt. He’s right! Esther likes his butt, and she likes “poking at it” just as much. Why, you ask? To watch him “squirm.” What girl doesn’t love that?
The winning duo is Couple #1, Tom Maniaci and Tracy Hinman. Their prize is being known to all as UB’s Perfect Match! We’d like to thank all our contestants and wish everyone a safe and romantic Valentine’s Day.
