YSJ Love stories 2025: 2007 to 2025

by · February 10, 2025

A banner with a photo and text overlaid on top. The banner photo is of a pink tinted campus. The text reads 'LOVE STORIES'. Each letter is composed of a photo from the blog entries, including wedding photos and selfies.

Every year we ask our alumni to share their YSJ Love Stories to celebrate Valentine’s Day. From meeting at Kuda Monday to locking eyes across a classroom, we received so many this year we had to split the blog in two!

In part two, we share YSJ Love Stories from the 2010 to 2025.

From friends to more

Shared by Jess Bryett, an alumna of York St John University

My first day of Uni in September 2009, I moved into private accommodation with some second years and one of their friends, James came round on the morning to walk down to uni all together. After becoming friends through socialising in the same group, we started dating casually and then his final year/ my second year it became more serious. I moved in with him in my final year, as he got a house while he stayed working in York after he graduated. We lived up north in York and Leeds for a couple of years after Uni, and then moved down to his home town – the big smoke for 8 years.

We moved back up north, to Otley, 45 minutes from York just before the pandemic and during the many lockdowns had a gorgeous baby girl. Last year we welcomed a little boy and continue to take both of them to our favourite city quite regularly. Almost 16 years later, there’s no doubt, we owe a lot to YSJ!

A photo of Jess and James on his graduation day in front of York Minster.
Jess and James stood in front of York Minster recently. They each have a child sat on their shoulders, all laughing and smiling at the camera.

It’s all thanks to York St John…

Shared by Michael, an alum.

I first met my partner, Rachael at the YSJ SU (or so I am told). We were both studying at YSJ but she was a year ahead and we never crossed paths again after that first encounter. It was only years later after graduating when re-introduced through a mutual friend, Archie (also a YSJ Alum) that we hit it off. Now 10 years later we still live only a short distance from York, with our 2 cats, dog and 2 kids- our youngest born Christmas Day last year.
We are a team, raising our busy young family together and I couldn’t ever imagine doing it with anyone but Rachael.


Without YSJ we would have never had our original meeting and never had that mutual connection through our friend Archie to bring us back together.

A selfie of Michael and Rachael with a baby in a pink and white hat, strapped in Rachael's front. They are outside, in fancy gardens with a pond behind them. They are all smiling at the camera.

A place of celebration

Shared by Becky Belcher, an alumna of York St John University.

James and I met on the course we were on, BA hons Music, back in September 2011. I remember thinking he was a posh boy from Lincoln, after many tragic attempts at flirting we went on our first date to Frankie & Bennys, and danced in Gallery (now Kuda). After graduating we had 4 years of long distance dating when James got a job in Ripon.

We were supposed to get married in April 2020, but with three weeks to go, we went into the first lockdown. October 2021 we finally tied the knot at York Minster, a full circle moment after graduating in there and performing at all the ceremonies for three years with the university Chamber Choir, and in February 2023 we welcomed our little Girl Millie. This year we hit fourteen years together!

A photo of Becky and James as students. They are both sat on the floor and James is caught mid-sip from a can. They are both wearing red elements, and James is wearing a brown hat of sorts.
A photo of Becky and James on their wedding day. They are walking down the steps of York Minster, with well-wishers and family on either side, throwing confetti. It's raining, and guests are holding umbrella, but Becky and James look very happy. James in a blue morning suit with a pale ties and Becky in a sleeveless white wedding dress.
A photo of Becky and James at an occasion, perhaps a wedding in summer. They are posing, with Becky holding their daughter Millie. They are smiling directly at the camera, looking happy.Millie is in a floaty white dress, Becky in a pale pink dress, and James in a dark suit with a cream waistcoat and blue tie.

It all started at Kuda…

Shared by Kallum Beazley, an alum of York St John University.

We met on a cold Monday in December 2013 at Kuda Monday. I walked into Kuda and we noticed each other straight away. Later on, Jazz, a third year Fine Art student, approached me, a second year Sports Science and Injury Management student, to introduce herself and we were inseparable ever since; texting, joint study sessions in the library, dates, meeting each other’s friendship groups and going to Archie’s Day.We became official after a date at Prezzo on Clifford Street, after I plucked up the courage with some awful chat.


Fast forward to the end of my third year, and Jazz has stayed on as a Postgraduate, to do her Masters in Fine Art. We moved in together, we remained in that flat for many years, seeing a PGCE, a proposal and a pandemic.

Present day, we’ve bought our first home in the city, we’re married since 2023 and we have two cats…

A photo of Kallum and Jazz as students. The photo is slightly blurry and with a mid-2010s filter on. They are caught mid laugh, as they both laugh at the camera.
A black and white photo from Kallum and Jazz's wedding day. They are walking towards the camera as confetti is thrown in the air. They look very happy. Jazz is wearing a floaty ale wedding dress with a rose flower crown and heart shaped sunglasses. Kallum is in a lighter coloured suit, also wearing sunglases.

From Geek Society to Macbeth…

Shared by George Kenyon, an alumnus of York St John University

I first met Lilli in our first lecture of our Education Studies course in 2014. Despite being nervous on the first day, Lilli made me feel welcome and at ease as we spent our time after class talking about the upcoming Freshers Fair and specifically our interest in the Geek Society, all things Monty Python, Doctor Who and history. It wasn’t until our walk back to our accommodation that we both realised that we lived in flats opposite each other in Grays Wharf, another thing we had in common!


From then on Lilli was a friendly face throughout first year, always on hand for a chat and a laugh! But I was too nervous to tell Lilli how I felt about her! But not too worry as Lilli was nervous too! Finally at the start of second year we both picked up the courage to go on a date, first on a tour of tudor and medieval pubs in York and then finally to watch the nice relaxing film MacBeth! After this, I asked Lilli if she would like to be my girlfriend and she said yes!!

A selfie of Lilli and George on George's graduation day.
A photo of Lilli and George on Lilli's graduation day.


Fast forward to 2025 and we have come so far, we graduated in 2017, we moved to Durham then to Manchester, brought our house, got engaged in Edinburgh in 2022 and then got married in April 2024 (with a number of our friends from York St John in attendance)! We are looking forward to many more exciting memories, and all made possible by our York St John experience. YSJ and the City of York holds a special place in our heart, and we always try to visit the city at least twice a year.

A photo of George and Lilli on their wedding day, standing at the end of a church aisle. The church is beautiful and ornate.
A close up of Lilli and George on their wedding day. Lilli is wearing a white lacey dress, carrying a large bouquet of roses and greenery. She is wearing a veil. George is in a tux jacket with a bow tie.

A slip of the tongue…

Shared by Chloe Keenan, alumna of York St John University

Chris and I met in our first year at uni in 2015 on our drama and theatre degree at YSJ. I had the cliché moment of giving feedback about someone else during a workshop and saying Chris’s name instead. A couple of weeks after that we hit it off and have been together ever since! We got married back in April 2024 and 3 of my bridesmaids were my besties from uni! Best. Day. Ever.

A photo of Chloe and Chris on their wedding day. Chris is holding Chloe in their arms, wearing sunglasses. They are both smiling and laughing. Chloe is in a white lace dress. They're outside in a bright, green space.

Love at first sight

Shared by Rachel Bampton, an alumna of York St John University

I came to York St John in 2016, and never in a million years did I think that I’d still be living in York almost 9 years later! In 2018 I met Aaron after getting a part time job in Brigantes Bar and Brasserie. When a girl from the South met a lifelong York resident it was love at first sight, and fast forward to September of 2024 we tied the knot (in arguably now my favourite city in  the UK).

York was originally just a stepping stone for me to study at YSJ, but I am so proud to call York my home!

A photo of Rachel stood outside the entrance to campus holding her dissertation.
A photo of Rachel and Aaron on their wedding day. They're sat in a boat on the river. Rachel is wearing a white, lace dress with a tulle skirt. Aaron is wearing a grey check suit with a green tie.
A photo of Aaron and Rachel on their wedding day walking away from the camera.

The greatest adventure of our lives

Shared by Lisa Langton, an alumna of York St John University

I first met my wife Sally in 2017 at YSJ’s Musical Production Society where after becoming best friends we realised there was something more. We will be celebrating our 7 year anniversary on Valentine’s Day this year, and we are so thankful for 7 wonderful years of memories including our time at University. We are so lucky to still have so many of our amazing friends from our university days who have been by our side since we first got together, and even helped perform and organise our wedding back in 2022.

We are forever grateful for York St John for allowing us to meet and for the start of the greatest adventure of our lives.

A photo of Lisa and Sally stood together on a beach with their dog, a black spaniel. They're both dressed warmly and smiling at the camera.
A photo of Lisa and Sally on their wedding day. They're stood in a field with waist high greenery. They're both in white wedding dresses, holding flowers.
A photo of Lisa and Sally in the stands of York Racecourse. They're laughing as they hold each other.

From freshers to graduation

Shared by Emily Moran, a current student.

My flatmate had met him earlier in the day and invited him and his friend to go to one of the SU freshers events with us. After meeting on our first day at uni in September 2021, we quickly became friends. However I had a huge crush on him (which I didn’t hide very well!). After a month or so, we went on our first date. We’ve been inseparable ever since! We’ll both be graduating this year and have been together through the highs and lows of university life. We’ve been together for 3 years now!

A photo of Emily and her partner in front of a red background with the words '# We are YSJ' on. They are both wearing red tonal colours - Emily in red floral and her partner in a red-orange hoodie. They are both smiling at the camera.
A selfie of Emily and her partner. They are both smiling at the camera and are wearing matching tops: a grey top with orange highlights and a line skull on.
A photo of Emily and her partner in front of a window together. They are both dressed nicely, Emily in a peach and white dress and her partner in a stone shirt. They're both smiling at the camera, almost laughing.

A student romance

In September 2022, I walked into my first lecture on my first day of uni and locked eyes with someone across the room. They really stood out to me, they had beautiful blue and purple curls and dungarees on among a sea of people who looked the same. We smiled at each other, and smiled every time we saw each other after. Six months passed, and through a mutual friend we started talking, and set up a date. We went to the railway museum, and ended up spending 48 hours together. We’ve been together for almost two years now, and we’re planning to get engaged!

A photo of the couple at Pride together, smiling up at the camera.
A mirror selfie of the couple.
A selfie taken outside.

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