In recent years, Penn has developed a reputation for having a "hook-up culture" characterized by  brief, fleeting moments of interaction between students. But this hasn't always been the case. 

This Valentine's Day, The Daily Pennsylvanian photo department talked to a range of Penn alumni who met their spouses right here on Penn's campus. Some were freshman year hall-mates who wound up sharing a first date at Smokey Joe's bar; others were introduced by mutual friends and remember sharing pizza at Allegro's. From their first dates to their wedding anniversaries, here's a look into love at Penn before the age of Tinder: 

Bora Sila C'83 and Cynthia Shore Sila C'83

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"We met freshman year in our dorms, Kings Court and English House. Our first date was sophomore year. Bora invited me to his room in his fraternity house (Pi Kappa Alpha) to watch the 'Who Shot JR?' episode of Dallas. Some of our favorite memories were when Penn won the Ivy League football championship in 1982 at Franklin Field and the students stormed the field, tore down the goal posts, marched to the Schuylkill River and threw them in. Another was the Senior Formal held at the Wharton Sinclair estate." — 1983 College graduate Cynthia Shore Sila

Karen Weintraub C'88 and Michael Kuchta C'88

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"We met because we both agreed to live in an off-campus house senior year with eight other friends, many of whom wrote for the DP.  Strictly speaking, we met freshman year (briefly) in Hill House through a friend, though one of us doesn't remember the meeting.

We were both interested in urbanism and art and exploring Philadelphia, so we started hanging out together. Two months after we moved in to the house, she made me brownies for my 21st birthday, but we didn't get serious until spring semester of senior year.

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We never had an official first date (we were already living together!) but one Saturday, she had to go to Fishtown for an urban journalism assignment, and asked me if I wanted to come with her. We had a great time taking the subway there and walking around what was then a pretty gritty area. After college, we moved to Old City, then to Houston, then to Norfolk, Virginia, and then to the Boston area, but we still like to explore urban neighborhoods." — 1988 College graduate Michael Kuchta

Diana Glasberg-Sussman L'90 and Daniel Sussman WG'90, G'91, L'92

"My college roommate Jim Schwartz got Diana’s number and passed it along to me as I was at Penn. We met at Diana’s room at Grad Towers and headed off to a dinner at Smokey Joe’s. Our first real date was dinner at a restaurant in Center City called Friday Saturday Sunday.

My fondest memories at Penn include performing as part of Law School Light Opera Society with Diana at Irvine Auditorium. I also loved the community feel at Penn Law School."  — 1990 Wharton graduate Daniel Sussman. 

"I enjoyed hanging with friends in the 'Goat,' performing with Daniel and directing Law School Light Opera Society. I loved going to South Street and Penn’s Landing at night — the boat houses lit up and were so pretty! Other highlights included jogging with friends to the art museum and running up steps like Rocky to Rocky statue, playing backgammon when we should have been studying, and buying Daniel a CD when I got my first interview." — 1990 Penn Law graduate Diana Glasberg-Sussman 

Ilene Frankel W'86 and Geoff Frankel C'86

"We met on our first night of freshman year. We were on the same hall – 3rd floor in Class of '28 in the Quad and our rooms were on opposite ends of the hall. I don't think we talked much until second semester. Our first date was at a fondue restaurant called The Cheese Cellar. Freshman year spring fling was a highlight of our time together at Penn. We are not the only couple from our freshman hall to get married — shoutout to Michelle Meisner and Dave Fishman." — 1986 Wharton  graduate Ilene Frankel

Susan Diebold W'81 and Frank Diebold W'81, G'85, GR'86

"We met in January 1978, our second semester at Penn. He moved into a vacant room in Hill House on my floor after living at home the first semester. We actually met in the 5th floor stairway. Our first date was a long walk around campus one night in the freezing cold and we have been together since then. We were married in 1983 and are celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary in May." — 1981 Wharton graduate Susan Diebold

Aileen Huang E'91 and Rick Saad C'91

"We met in Community House (now known as Riepe College House) and were next door neighbors freshman year of college. Our favorite memory is having dinner at Allegros  — love their baked ziti!"