By Sophie Saint-Firmin, News Editor
The dried petals burned quickly in the crisp night air. Beneath her feet was the Seine River — what would soon become the rose’s final resting place. As she tossed it over the side of the bridge, she said “au revoir” to the first thing he gave her and that last thing she had to remember him by.
For Chantal Barlow, love and relationships never came easy. Despite many failed attempts at love, she never gave up on it. As a self-proclaimed romantic and francophile, Barlow never really felt at home in Wilmore, Kentucky. When the opportunity arose to study abroad in Asbury University’s Paris Semester, she jumped at the chance to spend three months in the “City of Love.”
Upon arrival in Paris, Barlow downloaded two dating apps on a dare from her roommate. With no intention of actually meeting up with anyone she spoke to, she used the apps as a way to “practice” her written French. However, things changed when she met Jerome, the well-mannered Frenchman with the man bun. His broken English had Barlow smitten from day one to the point that she broke one of her cardinal rules of never meeting any of the men in person. With the fear of creating another film in the “Taken” franchise, a few of Barlow’s friends had decided to follow her on her first date.
As Barlow and Jerome walked along the “love locks” on the bridge at Pont Neuf, he gave her a rose and later kissed her under a sparkling Eiffel Tower. “Our first date was magical,” Barlow said. Meanwhile, Barlow, like the good millennial she is, decided to live tweet the entire date to keep her friends back home updated. These tweets gained Barlow some popularity among a small pool of Asburians back home and one in particular, @JakeJonesSWR, who followed every tweet religiously.
After three days of dating Jerome, I-love-you’s were exchanged. Barlow and Jerome had a whirlwind romance that no one saw coming, not even her. After three blissful weeks of dating and falling in love, four words would change the relationship forever: “I believe in science.” The couple realized that not only did they disagree on religion, but also on location. They were both interested in gaining visas to each other’s respective countries. Thus, the birth of one of Barlow’s most acclaimed articles, “How I almost got a French visa in three weeks,” came to be. The article signified the demise of the famed twitter thread and ultimately the relationship.
Out of respect for Jerome, Barlow took a one week hiatus from her dating life to let him mourn her. Seven days and five dating apps later, she had an entire roster of men ready to take her to dinner — not to mention a new Twitter thread to follow. Naturally, it would be a faux pas if she were to get any of the men confused, so, like any normal person with a rigorous love life, she created a spreadsheet containing the mens’ credentials and overall scoring.
On Monday night, she dined with Adrian, who was really hot but ended up with a 0/10 because he walked too fast and insulted her. On Tuesday, Julian got a 6/10 because he was too tall, played video games and never texted back. Wednesday night was Pierre with a disappointing 3/10 stars for excessive PDA. Thursday was Tom, who was a bit cocky but overall very sweet. He received a 7/10 on the relationship scale and a 10/10 on the kiss scale — an overall high scorer.
Still following all Barlow’s tweets, @JakeJonesSWR would message Barlow asking for updates on her relationship with Tom and offering advice. The two became close due to these interactions. But unfortunately for Barlow, her three-month stay in the city that she felt came closest to home ended. She and Tom agreed it would be best to remain friends, and they still talk to this day.
As for Barlow’s love life today, let’s just say she found her knight in shining armor. Their love is one that transcended both international borders and the technological realm of dating apps. No, it was not Jerome, Adrian nor anyone on the spreadsheet — but the one person that was there from the very beginning: @JakeJonesSWR. Reluctant at first, Barlow gave him a chance. After going back and forth with the idea of dating him, she sent one text message that would change her relationship status forever: “I’m having a crisis. I think I love you.” Their friendship went beyond the “Twitter-verse” and turned into a real life romance.
So maybe Barlow didn’t end up getting a French visa or falling in love with a Parisian man in Paris, but she did find love in typical-Barlow fashion — unexpectedly.
