Campus Cutie: Casey Smith

            Let the countdown begin! We have only two weeks until the end of the semester, one week until finals, less than three weeks until Christmas and one month until 2012! Can anyone give me an AMEN? After 9 weeks of campus cutie nominations, interviews, and write-ups, it is time to draw Her Campus’ 2011 campus cutie folder to a close. It seems only fitting, with a countdown as monumental as this, that it would end with a cutie who’s able to lead us out of 2011 with a “big” bang.
            Casey Smith, a senior in Leisure Youth and Human Services here at UNI is hard to miss. Whether it be his rather big 6’6” frame or the big mass of red curls that lay upon his head, it shocks no one that he chose big as the word most likely to describe himself. More important than his physical features, however, the word big best describes the size of Casey’s heart. I may be able to speak from knowing Casey in high school, but even from our interview, I concluded this cutie had a lot of love in his heart for the people around him and the God he finds his hope in.
            Smith was born and raised in the small, train town of Boone–home to Mamie Dowd Eisenhower, Kate Shelley (the heroin of the town), and one lowly campus cutie editor (that would be me!). There, he lived with his mom, dad, and two brothers. When asked who has had the greatest influence in his life, it came as no surprise that Casey chose to first give credit to his parents. “They were always encouraging, challenging, and leading,” Smith said in reference to his parents. It was his parents who first instilled into Casey something that he has since held near and dear to his heart—his faith.
            Casey’s belief in God and his savior Jesus Christ has always been the central part of his existence and has even led him to his life calling. Smith originally entered into the LYHS major with the intentions of becoming a youth pastor. However, Smith’s major has helped open doors to numerous other opportunities including counseling, non-profit, or youth leadership. When I asked our cutie where he saw himself working in the next ten years, he broadly defined any organization that would allow him to work with kids sharing the gospel. At this profession, Casey will move mountains.
            Another big part of this cutie’s ten-year plan involves one special girl by the name of Alycia West—his fiancé of almost a year. Yes ladies, I can already sense the disappointment, but don’t you worry. I made sure and asked for all of the proposal/wedding details to make up for your loss of a prospective date!
            Casey and Alycia began their life together shortly after Casey’s senior year of high school. However, the two of them had met a couple of years before through a local church organization. A couple of relationships, and proms together later, the timing was finally right for them to date. Now, nearly four years later, the two both work as RA’s in Rider Hall, and find themselves perfectly happy with a night in, watching movies together.
            “[Being engaged] is exciting, and deepening…it has revealed the good things and the things that might be challenging,” Casey said of his engagement to Alycia, “I can no longer think I, I have to think we.” At a time as selfish as college, it is hard for me to imagine concerning myself with anything other than eating, sleeping, and studying. The thought of thinking for someone other than myself, sadly, seems a difficult one. However, the two of them have it down pat.
            When asked what made their relationship so special, Casey first pointed to their humor. From anyone who has seen the two together, it is apparent that they share the same sense of humor. With just a look, the two can reference a funny inside joke and burst out laughing. Another important part of their relationship is their love for others, which Casey believes stems from their love for one another and ultimately their mutual love for Christ.
            Casey described the moment he decided Alycia was the one as an “a-ha” moment. The instant Smith realized that his love for Alycia was one that was willing to give more to her and less to himself, he knew it was time to pop the question. So how did he propose, you ask?
            Well, over Christmas break last year, the two had decided upon a specific day that they were going to dedicate fully to each other—unbeknownst to Alycia, this would be the day Casey would pop the question. Casey arranged for Alycia to receive a rose and a handwritten poem everyday of break until their special date day…14 days in total! On the day of the big date, Casey had white daisies sent to Alycia to signify “newness”. After a hearty, homemade breakfast, a trip to Applebee’s, where they had their first date, and a game of 20 questions (played this on their first date), the couple ended their night at the Brenton Skating Plaza in Downtown Des Moines.
            It was here that our cutie swung his future-fiancé around and got down on one knee. She, of course, said yes—and today they stand as one of “cutest” couples on campus.  If you take his tall stature and campus cutie title, and add Alycia’s petite figure and her “cuteness factor” as Casey called it, you get a coupling that even fairytale characters would be jealous of.
            Before we said our goodbyes, I asked our experienced cutie to share any advice he had for men when it came to relationships. Smith quickly began listing tips, “Be delicate, be understanding, be a good listener. Treat her with respect and dignity, and always remain patient…Be gracious to women who dress modestly…Don’t sell yourself, or try too hard…but most importantly, guard your heart.” Though his counsel was aimed towards men, what Casey said can apply to us too, ladies.
            Not only should we reciprocate these commands to our future partners, but we should also treat ourselves in such a manner, and come to expect nothing less from our relationships. All too often, the magazines tell us to be a size 0 in order to fit into that skirt that can hardly stretch over one cheek. When we quickly realize that our days of size 0 ended in the 7^th grade, our instant reaction is to give up as if we have somehow failed.
But ladies, I tell you this time and time again, and I mean it every time: you are beautiful. You are worthy of a knight in shining armor. One that will love you more when you are in jeans and a cozy thermal than when you’re in stilettos and a skimpy skirt. One that will be himself and expect nothing less from you. But until then, guard your heart. Take if from WHAM! The 1980’s pop sensation, no one wants to be left singing “…last Christmas I gave you my heart” next Christmas. You deserve to give it to the right person…and that right guy deserves your heart in its mint condition.