We attended our first TAMUQ Aggie Ring Day today. Now we are seasoned veterans of main campus Ring Day and it's unique brand of chaos- we have delivered a few Rings on our time to some very excited Aggies. So we wanted to see how they do it over here, and it's every bit as much of a big deal as it is at the Mothership (that nickname shamelessly stolen from my friend JP from TAMU-Corpus Christi!)
The event was held in the student center cinema, which is NICE. (Sorry, Rudder Theater, you've been bested.) We walked in and heard the Aggie Band playing and I'm not ashamed to say I had to fight back a lump in my throat and my eyes may have been a bit watery. The Band has always had that effect on me, from the first time I saw them march and especially after I became an Aggie. Anyway, I digress.. Seats were reserved for the Ring recipients, and as we made our way up the stairs I saw friends and family with flowers, balloons, etc and the excitement was palpable. I know many think that, being so far removed from main campus, that the Aggie Spirit isn't really a thing here- but I beg to differ. It's alive and well, and the Ring is just as powerful a symbol here as it is there. Many students have noticed my Ring and commented on it (and I think are a little surprised that I am a graduate. On main campus we Former Students are a dime-a-dozen, here we're a little rarer. I digress again...)
The emcee was great, funny and very personable. Each student receiving their Ring was called out and individually presented their Ring by the Dean of the University, and photos were taken of each one with him. The students there to support their friends and classmates were yelling, clapping, cheering, laughing, and really it was incredible to see and hear. Flowers and balloons were given, and afterwards there was CAKE.
A HUGE cake shaped like the Aggie Ring, with delicious chocolate and yellow cake and the best fondant icing I've ever had. Usually it's too dry and flavorless for me, but this was really good, soft and sweet. Mmmm...
Student Affairs was responsible for the event, and they did a tremendous job. I recognized several of the students getting Rings, and it was nice to witness the camaraderie of the students and be small part of the excitement again. It was a really great way to end the week.
I know main campus Ring Day is tomorrow, as part of the annual Parents' Weekend, and I know lots of my former students and cadets are getting their Rings too. I'm sad I won't get to be a part of it, as I know exactly how hard they had to work to earn that shiny piece of gold, but today helped soften that a bit... something tells me, though, that the students here don't know about the unofficial Ring Dunk tradition of main campus. Probably for the best...
Congratulations to all those who get their Rings this weekend, you've earned it and I'm proud of you!
4 days to Texas...
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