Class Rings, The Student’s Symbol

Class Rings, The Student’s Symbol
Class rings first were used as an emblem in West Point Military Academy, an American school. Now many high schools and colleges in the USA and Canada have their own rings which designate the wearer as a student of that institution. They symbolize the student’s graduation, and are usually made of silver or gold. Designs vary from school to school, but may incorporate stones, crests, and the year of graduation. Further adornments may include specific color schemes common to the college, mascots, and even small personal touches for the individual student, such as markings from the clubs they belonged to.

The idea of a ring to act as a symbol for something is not new; it has been utilized for thousands of years and across cultures. Quite aside from modern traditions of wedding or engagement rings, research into ancient times also shows that as far back as the Egyptians, people were imbibing rings with significance and meaning. For example, a scarab ring was often buried along with an Egyptian when they died, in the belief that it could guarantee eternal life.

Class rings can have an immense significance to those who wear them. Graduation is an important time in a young person’s life, and for many is considered the true beginning of adulthood. Having a physical symbol to represent this occasion can highlight the hard work and achievement that has taken place in order to complete college studies.

As well as representing something personal, the ring also ties the wearer to others who wear the same ring. Even after great periods of time have passed, the ring remains as a physical tie to the school the student attended. Many colleges have designed their rings to be particularly large and noticeable, and in such cases it should be easy to recognize a fellow student by this symbol alone.

There is also a lot of romance surrounding the notion of class rings. Couples who date in high school may trade their rings to prove their dedication to one another, before an engagement ring would be appropriate. Rings are also often handed down through families, traditionally from mother to daughter or father to son.

Although a student may wear a class ring before graduating, when they do so they wear it with the crest turned inwards on the right hand, the third finger. It is turned outwards upon graduation, outwards towards the world, to symbolize the student entering adulthood.

This final turn is usually done by an individual who is particularly close to the student. However, others in their life, such as friends or teachers, may also take the chance to turn the ring before graduation. In this case, all the initial twists of the ring must go in one direction, with the final turn changing.

Thus, the class ring has importance in excess of the physical attractiveness it holds. It combines a sense of community among those who wear it with a personal significance in the student’s life for what they have achieved. To invest in one is to purchase a reminder that can be handed down over many years, a reminder of a time of life which can never be repeated.

Question by What_A_Gass: Is getting a college class ring a good idea? Do people still wear these? Are the rings a status symbol?
I am thinking about getting a college class ring, but what is the significance?

Best answer:

Answer by robert p
symbol of accomplishment
shows the school you were part of

What do you think? Answer below!