It was only their fourth date when BCIT alumna Keisha Go blurted out, “Thank god, I married a smart one.” She was talking about her date Jamie Haakons, who at this point, was not even her boyfriend yet. Needless to say, she was mortified by what Jamie refers to as her Freudian slip. Fast forward four years to 2018 when the couple returned to the scenic spot and got engaged. They married on Aug 3, 2019.
They first met through a dating app. On their dating profiles, both of them listed BCIT, which sparked a connection. However, neither expected to meet the one when they started chatting, so they decided to only meet for coffee on their first date. The coffee turned into dinner as they both quickly realized that they shared many of the same values and enjoyed each other’s company. “We were both having quite a lot of fun,” recalls Keisha. “We didn’t really want the first date to end quite yet.”
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Staying connected during school
When they first met, Jamie was a full-time BCIT Mechanical Engineering student who was very active in extracurricular school clubs and activities, including the BCIT Student Association (BCITSA). Keisha was focused on her studies in the BCIT Interior Design program. Both had a very heavy workload and made an active effort to spend time together.
Their classes were on opposite ends of the Burnaby campus so they made a point to meet at the pub for date night, usually after Jamie’s meetings with the BCITSA.
But it was Keisha’s surprise visit to Kelowna to support Jamie in an engineering competition that really caught his attention: “It was a pretty bold move for a less than one-year girlfriend, but it was big payoff. I was pretty happy.”
A love connection blossoms from shared values and respect
Since the early days, the couple has been supporting each other in one another’s ambitions and goals, and prioritizing spending time with family.
When it comes to values, neither Keisha nor Jamie think you should compromise in a relationship. Both BCIT alumni believe that similar values are important to keep a strong foundation, and that opposite values don’t attract.
“There are so many people out there that are just good enough but you would end up compromising things that are important to you”, says Keisha.
The couple have been together for seven years now and still love spending time together. Shared values and interests, and open communication keep their bond strong but so does constant respect.
“I really think of Keisha as my equal,” says Jamie, adding, “as soon as you cross the line of disrespecting someone, you can’t forget that someone said those words to you.”
Keisha and Jamie are parents to a cat named Dora and they both want to add kids to their family after a few more years of just them: “Right now I don’t feel like there is anything missing in our lives,” says Jamie. “I’m just enjoying being married.”
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