9 years after she asked him out by college dumpster, he took her back there — this time to propose

Everyone craves a special proposal moment to share with their partners. However, not everyone gets to experience their loved one bending down on one knee and expressing their desire to marry. Some settle for a quieter proposal and others turn it into something memorable. Similarly, two college sweethearts are winning hearts online for announcing their commitment to stick together in the "cheesiest" way possible. An alumna from Georgia Tech, Maithili Appalwar—who goes by @maithiliappalwar on Instagram—shared how her boyfriend, Yash Punjabi, asked her to get married in the same manner she asked him for their first date, nine years ago.

"Yash lives for cheesy jokes, so on January 19, 2015—aka many, many moons ago—I asked him to go out with me in the cheesiest way possible," the industrial engineering major from the varsity's Atlanta campus wrote in the caption. Appalwar added that she handed her 18-year-old crush a note written on a "piece of cheese." Additionally, the couple shared their special first date moment in front of a dumpster outside Smith Residence Hall.

"(I) wasn't really thinking of this as my proposal location, so I did it right next to a dumpster," Appalwar recalled. For all these years, despite all the ups and downs, the tech geeks remained committed to their relationship. After finishing his computer science major, Punjabi moved to Philadelphia to join Appalwar in her higher education pursuit. The couple continued dating while completing their Masters in Business Management at Wharton School.

Following this, as per PEOPLE, the couple moved back to India to start working in the industrial packaging industry. After almost a decade, Punjabi planned a surprise trip to the Georgia Institute of Technology without informing Appalwar. "We did everything we loved doing when we were undergrads, including sneaking into the football stadium," she elaborated, per the caption.

"At the end of the walk, Yash took me to the same dumpster and asked me to 'Marry Him' by writing it on a piece of cheese," said Appalwar, adding pictures capturing the heartfelt and nostalgic moment. She further highlighted that "everything about this day was perfect," including "the walk, our families and friends being there to celebrate after, and Buzz showing up." As seen in the pictures, a man dressed as a honey bee showed up during the proposal near the dumpster, adding a sweet and whimsical touch to the moment.

The "cheesy love story" became a talking point, with the Georgia Institute of Technology dedicating a note to the couple on LinkedIn. Several pictures from the proposal showed the happy couple showering love and hugging one another, literally giving the internet an "awww" moment. Appalwar's post received widespread attention on social media, with several people reacting to it. @ameyavitankar complimented, "I love you guys so much. This is so cute! The behind-the-scenes of this setup was iconic as well." "This was such a beautiful day, and love you both so much," commented @sharwari_pandit. "Living the moments again." added @ravimpunjabi.

You can follow Maithili Appalwar (@maithiliappalwar) on Instagram for more lifestyle content.