Go to class. Meet with your adviser. Pick out invitations. Grab an Einstein's bagel. Select floral arrangements. Study for the MCATs. Find the perfect dress. All in a day's work? Not quite. But for Ariel Marks '10 and Judith Simons '10, this is life. Marks and Simons met during their first year at Brandeis in their USEM, "Seeking Justice: Jews and Germans." Every day, Marks and Simons, aged 22 and 21, respectively, would walk back from class together and talk for hours. Thus began the romance between the two freshman, who talked all summer before they officially began dating in November of their sophomore year. The summer following their sophomore year, they went to Israel together. They dated all of junior year as well and spent the summer before senior year working at the Tikvah Program at Camp Ramah New England together. Approximately two years after their first date, in mid-October of their senior year, Marks popped the question to Simons.

Simons and Marks feel as though engagement is coming at an appropriate time in their relationship.

"We knew it wasn't something just for fun. We were not looking for a relationship that was lighthearted," commented Simons. They both agreed that they "wanted the relationship to have gravity."

For Marks, the relationship had to have gravity; for a combination of primarily religous based reasons, he was looking to be with someone long-term. Simons, similarly, started dating Marks with a certain amount of seriousness because, as she noted in an e-mail to the Justice, of her personality : "I was never someone who felt comfortable in casual relationships."

Simons, a native of Pittsfield, Mass., and Marks, of Miami, FL, are both Orthodox Jews now, although Simons, who has always been an observant Jew, grew up in a Conservative home. Simons attributes some of her increased observance to Marks, noting that she did not become more religious because Marks practices a religious lifestyle but because he helped her make changes that she already wanted to make.

"Ariel helped precipitate changes toward Orthodoxy," says Simons, who had been making changes toward becoming more Orthodox since eighth grade.

"Ariel [and Brandeis] really opened up a world that I always had wanted," says Simons.

In an e-mail to the Justice following the interview, Simons furthered this thought by saying: "We feel very strongly that Ariel's decision to be Shomer Negiah (a Jewish custom in which one refrains from touching members of the opposite sex in an affectionate manner) is a fact of our relationship, but not a reason that we are deciding to get married now as opposed to later."

"Our Judaism did not precipitate our decision to get engaged, but our Judaism definitely made us more comfortable with the idea of getting engaged," wrote Simons in an e-mail to the Justice. She followed up by saying, "Our actual decision to get engaged in [and] of itself however, was made not because of our Judaism, but rather because we love each other deeply, and are ready to commit to spending the rest of our lives together."

Marks proposed to Simons last year in mid-October. Although he had planned to ask Simons to marry him during Thanksgiving weekend, when Marks' parents visited the area, he knew it was the perfect time to pop the question. Marks and his family stayed nearby at a bed and breakfast in Pittsfield, and Simons and her family were at home.

"The entire campus was ecstatic when we heard Judith and Ariel were getting married. They are two remarkable people, and we are really excited for what they are going to build together," says Shani Rosenbaum '12, a friend of the couple.

At the end of the weekend, the two families spent time together. Marks drove over to Simons' house early Sunday morning, arriving with a large box wrapped in many layers. As Simons unveiled each new layer, she found a different line of a poem that Marks wrote himself. Finally, she got to the engagement ring, and Marks proposed. Simons said her reaction was one of sheer happiness. She began to cry and requested that Marks ask her again. Although she expected him to propose, the timing of it was surprising.

The ring is conflict-free, says Simons. This means that the ring's diamond was not acquired through the use of violence, human rights abuses, child labor or environmental damage.

Simons, just having learned about the importance of conflict-free diamonds, found out that the ring was made with one by coincidence after she had received the ring.

"I really don't know what I [would] have done if it [wasn't]," says Simons.

Some would view college nuptials as surprising, immature or impulsive, but for Simons' and Marks, it's the most natural decision in the world.

"It's not unbelievable. We're not in shock. We had lots of foresight. On the same note, it's the most exciting thing we've ever done in our lives," said Marks.

"It's crazy, but it's crazy exciting!" said Simons.

The couple agreed that there has only been one main change in their lives since they got in engaged. "Now we are making wedding plans!" they said.

Marks and Simons believe that despite their young age, they are ready for marriage.

"A value of being committed in the Jewish community is to create a Jewish home and perpetuate our community. [Marriage] is not something to push off; it's something to be excited over," said Simons.

"[When we get married] we become a family and a team," noted Marks.

So what's next for the future bride and groom? The wedding is set for Aug. 29, 2010, in Simons' hometown, Pittsfield. After, the couple is tag-teaming it; Marks plans to get a job after graduation while Simons is in graduate school. Simons will get a job the following year in fall when Marks goes off to medical school. This way, the couple will be in the same place and will be able to make sure that "someone is always making an income so that we can support ourselves," said Simons

"It's true that in our society, people get married later. So when people like us get married at a young age, it may seem crazy or different or weird or thoughtless even. But I think it's right for different people. For many, they wouldn't be ready. But if someone thinks they are in a place where they're ready, it's okay. It's not about age. It's about being mature and ready," said Simons.