<p>My university is very picky about when a student can buy their class ring. You’re supposed to buy it junior year, and that signifies being near the end of your program. Once you get the ring, you get a mentor that graduated from your program and some other “extras”, but nothing fantastic.</p>
<p>I changed my major in my junior year, and that set me back about a year and a half. (Photojournalism to Elementary Education. I hated journalism, but stuck with it because I excelled in the classes grade-wise. I got depressed, cried pretty much all the time, and even thought about doing some really bad things to myself. I finally decided that it wasn’t worth it and switched to something that I really liked.) I’m a senior, and am about to enter my first internship in the fall. This normally is at the end of junior year. Should I get my ring now, or wait until later? Also, would you recommend getting a ring for your undergrad school if you might be getting a masters at another school?</p>
<p>I don’t even wear my wedding ring ( I am a gardener and I was always having to take it off- because the stone got gooped up when I washed my hands), I switched to a plain gold band- so I am probably the wrong person to ask.
My D didn’t get a ring & she graduated in 06- I never even thought about it </p>
<p>Wouldn’t a nice sweatshirt serve the same purpose and keep you warmer?</p>
<p>At my school, just about everyone gets a ring. Ring day is literally the highlight of the entire college experience for our seniors. We hold a formal called “ring dance”, then everyone goes home and sets up shot glasses corresponding to their graduating year (so 8 shots for this year’s group.) with their ring sitting at the bottom of the last shot glass.</p>
<p>Never got a college ring and none of my apartment mates did either. We definited did not have a campus wide celebration revolving around the butt ugly things. I did get a yearbook senior year which is now up in the attic somewhere.</p>
<p>So no the highlite to my entire college experience had nothing to do with a college ring but was perhaps either completing my senior capstone project, acceptance into grad school or graduation in the “Shoe”.</p>
<p>I got a college ring, I went to a jeweler and got one that looked more like a cocktail ring (shows my age, the school had limited choices, now it is endless). I thought getting a cocktail ring style I would wear it forever…3 years later I lost it and didn’t take a lot of time to find it, that should tell you how much I cared about it. DH got his to look more like a fashionable ring also…10 yrs later I bought him a star sapphire pinky ring, can’t remember now the last time he wore his college ring.</p>
<p>The only people I know that still wear their college rings are those who graduate from a military academy (jokingly referred to as ring knockers…think superbowl style). I don’t know anyone else who does.</p>
<p>Save the money and spend it on a ring you will wear forever, maybe a signet ring or a gemstone, when people compliment you can always say I decided to get this for my college ring.</p>
<p>I wear my college ring all the time. My dad went to a different college and wore his ring all the time until the day he died. My D went to a third college and wears hers all the time. She picked one that isn’t all that traditional. Most of her college friends bought rings. </p>
<p>I do recommend having it sized for the right hand so it won’t get discarded if you later decide to wear a wedding ring. (Many people have hands of slightly different sizes.) Nobody I know wears a ring for advanced degrees; it’s unlikely you’ll feel the same sort of loyalty to the school where you get your master’s anyway. </p>
<p>People from my alma mater often do. One of our few campus-wide traditions. We have a very distinctive (some would say “ugly”) ring. Every class gets a slightly different one that is full of various symbolic imagery about stuff that happened while that class were undergrads, and when you get your ring you get a little booklet explaining the symbolism.</p>
<p>I know exactly where my brass rat (MIT ring) is… and it’s not on my finger. I do wear it on rare occasions though. My son wears his, too.</p>
<p>I like the fact that you can recognize the brass rat across a room, and it immediately gives you something to talk about–because every class year adds something subtly different to it.</p>
<p>College rings??? Who cares. I was recently freaked out by mail sent to my newly 18 year old at our home address for college graduation invitations from a private company- he’s in his second year second semester and has a lot of AP credits. Technically he could be a HS senior by age, I’m not ready for his next graduation…</p>
<p>My D didn’t even get a high school ring (at least when I went to hs, most of us got rings). Hasn’t mentioned getting a college ring. I do hope that her ring phobia doesn’t extend to wedding ones…</p>
<p>Any moms of college seniors thinking that THEY deserve the ring? We got the catalog with the rings and bracelets and pearls and watches…my DS wants nothing…and I am thinking I wouldn’t mind the pearl necklace with the charm at the clasp…putting him thru school has cost me a jewel or two or three LOL…</p>
<p>I like your thinking, maineparent! I’ll trade the car decal for pearls upon graduation. Hmmmmm. (stroking chin thoughtfully…though that isn’t very feminine. OK…raising eyebrow quizzically)</p>
<p>Oh my Gosh, Sir … what a beautiful ring!
What a crass mass of brass and glass.
What a bold mold of rolled gold.
What a cool jewel you got from your school.
See how it sparkles and shines?
It must have cost a fortune.
May I touch it, please Sir?</p>
<p>It can also be a real deal. My H’s ring served as a placeholder until he got the engagement ring he wanted me to wear. I tied string around his school ring so it wouldn’t fall off. I wanted that other ring, but I still treasure the photos with his h.s. ring on.</p>
<p>My observation is that far fewer women wear college rings than do men. I never got one, neither did my husband. We also both attended graduate school and never gave it a second thought to get a ring from that school… the framed diploma was MUCH more important.</p>
<p>Off topic a bit… D2 wears her dad’s high school class ring, (on her middle finger) and her own. People are always sooo confused. For D1’s graduation this year, we plan on getting her a strand of pearls… something ‘she’ will appreciate and wear much longer.</p>
<p>I see we’re back to insulting people who wear college paraphernalia as snobs.</p>
<p>I don’t see what’s wrong with having a symbol of your accomplishments. It can be a morale-booster when you’re feeling down during the day. I’m afraid of damaging mine, though, so I only bring it out for special occasions. :)</p>
</p>