In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Record brings you its annual profile of a campus couple. This year, Claudia Russell ’25 and Jesse Shapiro ’25 discussed their first date, adventures abroad, and bucket list for their final semester at the College. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Hannah Marx (HM): You started dating during your first year at the College — could you tell me about how you met?
Claudia Russell (CR): I remember meeting Jesse on the first night of school when we were outside of Paresky. We’re both on the lacrosse team and the lacrosse freshmen were lined up facing each other and introducing ourselves. I tried to ask him a question and he was like, “What did you say?” and I was like, “Never mind,” which was kind of awkward. [Laughs.]
Jesse Shapiro (JS): I was trying to play it really cool. Claudia posted a picture on the Williams Class of 2025 Instagram account before we got here. In May of my senior year of high school, my friend from home sent Claudia’s picture to me and was like, “Woah,’” and I responded, “Woah.”
HM: What were your first impressions of each other?
CR: I could tell he was funny. But when I first met him, he seemed reserved and a little serious. Instead of thinking he was rude, I felt like he had a lot that he didn’t say, and I wanted to get to know him.
JS: My first impression of Claudia was in our first-year English class. It was me, Claudia, and my friend Harrison. I remember looking at Harrison and being like, “What is being talked about right now?’ The two of us were the most confused in the class. Claudia would raise her hand and say something that would stop the class because it was so smart. My first impression was that she was really bright, and when I got to know her more and understand her sense of humor, I was like, “This is too good to be true.”
HM: Where was your first date?
CR: Spice Root. [Laughs.] We were really good friends and were hanging out every day. Eventually, we were like, “We should go to dinner.”
JS: At Spice Root, I was still trying to play it cool. I ordered this really spicy dish and my mouth was on fire. We also both got COVID-19 at the same time in January of our first year and we were placed in the same COVID house. We were stuck together for 12 days.
CR: Two days after we started dating, we were living together in Parsons. We were basically roommates.
HM: What is your favorite quality in one another?
CR: There are a lot. It’s really hard for me to choose.
JS: Appreciate that.
CR: He’s so warm, kind, and friendly. He has this ability to put anyone he talks to at ease. Seeing the way he makes other people laugh makes me feel really proud. He is also so hardworking. Last year, he tore his ACL, which is so discouraging for many people, especially an athlete at a high level. I’ve never seen someone be so resolved in their recovery. He would be in the gym for three or four hours doing physical therapy. He worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met and gets to be successful because of that. Everything he has gotten isn’t luck — it’s because he has worked so incredibly hard for it.
JS: I could have the worst day ever and everything could go wrong, but if I have Claudia, things are good. I love watching Claudia interact with her teammates and my friends. She’s hilarious and brings out the best in everyone she’s around.
HM: You both went abroad last fall to Florence — what was that like?
CR and JS: [Laugh.]
CR: For some, going abroad is the best experience, and for others, it introduces new stressors and change. I think it was the latter for us. It’s interesting to see this genesis of a relationship in the Williams bubble, where everything is controlled and structured. Then, you take that and put it in a completely new environment. Going abroad tested our relationship, but it also made us so much more resilient as a couple.
HM: What was your favorite trip you took abroad?
CR: My favorite trip was to Edinburgh. It was so wonderful. We want to go back. Finding gratitude and beauty even when you’re stressed can be a really good thing too.
HM: You’re both captains on the lacrosse team. What’s it like to share that big part of your lives?
JS: It’s been so helpful to see Claudia’s approach to lacrosse. I come from a place where lacrosse is so serious and stressful. Claudia’s approach is that, after a game, what’s done is done. I have become such a fan of watching Claudia play. When Claudia scores a goal, her team erupts. Because our teams are on opposite schedules, I have only gotten to see a handful of games, but I make sure that all my teammates are there to see Claudia, and they go insane when she makes a play. It’s also helpful now that we’re both captains and able to bounce ideas off each other.
CR: The games in lacrosse are so different between men and women. In that sense, we can each exist with our own identities but share the qualities of being competitive and relentless. Freshman year Jesse inspired me so much with his approach to lacrosse. I learned that it’s okay to be fiery and unapologetic. I’ve loved sharing that with him. It creates a sense of mutual understanding when we’re both so busy in season.
HM: Do you have any bucket list activities you want to do together in your last semester?
JS: I want to go on more dates with Claudia. We hang out a lot, but I want to plan out more fun dates.
CR: I want to make sure we do every quintessential Williams thing. We became such good friends because we studied together in the Preston Room on the first floor in Sawyer. I want to go back there. That place holds a special place in my heart. I want to go to Snar together and go to his games to cheer him on.
HM: Last question: Do you have any advice on staying together this long as a couple?
JS: From the guy’s perspective, don’t try to play it cool. It’s never gonna work. Just be yourself and at a certain point, you gotta lay the cards out on the table.
CR: You can’t plan it. Let yourself be open and curious about other people. In terms of a longer-term relationship, relationships are about people, and people change and grow. We are not the same people we were freshman year, and if we were holding onto the way our relationship was freshman year, this wouldn’t work. If you love the person, you’re going to love whatever form that relationship takes.
