Hearing quite a few of my junior friends talk about their class rings makes it hard for me to believe that I was in that same exact position only a year ago. When people look at my hand, they see a silver ring with “Saint Mary’s College, Spes Unica” and a sapphire stone, and all I hear from them are the “Oh, how GORGEOUS” comments. What blows my mind, and it never fails every single time, is how much intrinsic value is placed on this piece of jewelry, tying into so many personal connections and memories that one may not think about when they first see it. The ring is not just the metal, engravings, and stones that make it stunning (which does need cleaning every once in a while)—it’s the approximate 2-year wait filled with experiences and personal stories building up to the “reward” and the following two years fully embracing it. As like most students here, I was absolutely floored when my ring finally arrived! I treated it (and still do) like royalty and gave it its own photoshoot at various beautiful settings around campus (they’re definitely not hard to find at all). I finally felt even more included in our already amazing community, connecting with Belles from the past and bonding over our shared love for Saint Mary’s.
The phrase “it’s a small world” is clearly evident in the Saint Mary’s community, which is an awesome thing to encounter! During the past spring break, I flew to L.A. to accomplish my dad’s dream of me to get on The Price is Right and meet Drew Carey, along with my dad’s favorite model Amber (I unfortunately did not make it on the show, but spending my break in L.A. and other parts of California was an absolute blast). On the flight there, a mother and daughter sat next to me and began talking each other about the daughter’s wedding plans. Once we settled at 30,000 feet in the air, I grabbed my laptop to catch up on Parks & Recreation when the mother asked me if I still went to Saint Mary’s. I was puzzled at how she knew that I went here, and then I realized that she noticed my SMC backpack as I was pulling out my laptop. I said that I was and that I was getting my degree in Biology, intending (crossing my fingers still) on graduating in 2016. She became so excited and said she was also a Belle, graduating in 1984 and that her daughter graduated from Notre Dame in 2010. For about two and a half of four-hour flight, we all reminisced about some of our favorite memories from SMC, memorable professors, friends, and other experiences that were of discussion. After exchanging our rings to look at, we all agreed that no matter where we go, we always manage to meet SMC alumna—it really is a small world!
When we first order our rings, we are extremely thrilled to have a small token of Saint Mary’s to always be with us. Whether it’s gold with a diamond or silver with no stone, we try to make our rings as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as we can. The ring is more than a piece of jewelry—it’s a reminder of Saint Mary’s. It’s a reminder of our friendships and sisterhoods that we embrace throughout our four years. It’s a reminder of an outstanding academic education that only one could ever dream. It’s a reminder of standing for several hours during ND football games, having panic attacks during OT thrillers for men’s basketball games, hitting the glass in the front row of the student section at hockey games, cheering on our fellow Belles at volleyball/soccer/softball/lacrosse/cross country matches (*insert correct sporting event name for each sport here respectively*), or clapping for our fellow Belles’ theater performances and/or choir concerts. It’s a reminder about the discovery of ourselves in the world and knowing our place in it (ring a bell? No pun intended, I swear). So juniors, and some seniors, get excited to buy your ring and waiting anxiously to see an orange slip in your mailbox and make the trip over to the Holy Cross postal office. Get excited to never want to take it off as soon as you put it on your finger. Cherish it, care for it, and love it as much as you can. Take an insane amount of pictures of it around campus or wherever you travel and Instagram it more than once with your friends. Wear it on whatever finger it fits best—ring, middle, or index. Most importantly, be proud of it—it symbolizes everything that represents Saint Mary’s and your experience of it during your four years. The ring may become worn-out once we grow older, but it will forever shine our love for Saint Mary’s.
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