After one of the most dramatic and unpredictable seasons of The Bachelor, Colton Underwood and his girlfriend, Cassie Randolph, are settling into life in California as they adjust to being a couple in the public eye. Colton was portrayed as the all-American athlete during his season of The Bachelor. As a former soccer player with strong Catholic roots, Colton Underwood got attention on ABC as the last four participants during Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette. Colton shared with viewers that he was still a virgin at the time, which attracted viewers and eventually made him the leading man for the next season.

When cast for the hit reality show, it seems Colton Underwood tried to break away from his traditional image and made some major waves while on the pursuit for Cassie Randolph’s heart. The pair left the series together as boyfriend and girlfriend, but with no proposal, which rarely happens in the final episode. Cassie Randolph hesitated to take that next step, after only knowing him for a short time, but they both trusted their band and wanted to make things work without the cameras. Fans were skeptical if the two were strong enough to hold out because they didn’t follow the expected engagement.

Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph sat down with Us Weekly to discuss life after the show and how they are adjusting to being a public couple. Like most contestants who exit the show together, past couples have shared that the pressure and publicity they receive can be hard to get used to, and it seems this notable pair has had similar experiences.Underwood said, “No one could ever prepare you for what life is like after that. Like, you can make people tell you anything you want, like: “Oh, wait for this, wait for this. But until you’re in it, you don’t really get the full extent of it. “Colton moved from his house in Denver, Colorado to be closer to Cassie, who’s from Huntington Beach, California. The two haven’t chosen to live together, but say they see each other every day and take their relationship very seriously.

Since the show finished airing one year ago, Colton Underwood is dedicated to bringing more awareness to his nonprofit, The Legacy Foundation, designed to empower and support people with cystic fibrosis. Along with other members of Bachelor Nation, Colton Underwood has used his large following to raise awareness of the cause and has organized several charity events where he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. Colton spent much of the year traveling to different cities for charity and often recruits former Bachelor participants such as Blake Horstmann, Jason Tartick, and Kaitlyn Bristowe to raise money and raise awareness.

Aside from his charity work, Colton Underwood has teased fans that he hopes to return back to the small screen in the future. Whether it’s a show related to his experience in the sports world, a cooking show or a new hosting gig, it seems that cooperation is possible. From now on, Colton Underwood surprised Cassie Randolph for their one-year anniversary and recently left for Saint Lucia to celebrate it. Colton has stated that he is committed to making his relationship a success and taking things at their own pace, away from the pressures of society.