We Met at John’s: Hannah and Zack

We begin our We Met at John’s series with a spotlight on Hannah Buisman and Zack Schaap, an alumni couple who were at John’s from 2016 to 2020!

Romances are all different, but they all begin in the same way: with a meeting. In the case of Hannah and Zack, they met while rowing for John’s. Hannah was the cox, whereas Zack was the disobedient ‘powerhouse’ in the middle, with ‘questionable technique’ – Hannah’s words, not ours! The two of them clearly hit it off, beginning their time together with a date at La Spaghettata, and ultimately becoming inseparable.

Hannah studied Modern Languages and Cultures (French, Spanish and German), whereas Zack studied Archaeology, before going on to do an MA in Museum and Artefacts Studies. Since leaving John’s, their careers have been only tenuously linked to their degree subjects, with Zack working in the arts, and Hannah working in agriculture and jewellery. However, these exciting careers have brought the two of them closer together, as they are now, thankfully, residing full-time in the same country! Hannah is British and Zack is American, so a long-distance relationship would have been really long distance.

Despite being temporarily separated by a year abroad, Covid and a visa crisis, Hannah and Zack greatly enjoyed their joint time together at John’s, and are looking forward to their new adventures. Their favourite memories as a couple in college include winning Durham Small Boats Head, walking to rowing together early in the morning, and dinners at Uno Momento. (It sounds like they have a penchant for Italian cuisine!)

For those of you just starting at John’s, Hannah and Zack have one piece of advice: join as many clubs and societies as you can. You’ll have a great time not letting your degree get in the way of your education, and who knows: you might even meet someone special!