This week, I participated in one of SFA’s most notable events- The Big Dip. This ceremony is for upperclassmen that are receiving their class rings. When you get up on stage after they announce your name, you make your “axe” with your right hand and dip it into the purple dye. When you lift it out, you’re given a towel and you wipe off the excess dye and take a picture with our university’s president, Baker Pattillo. He gives you a tiny white box and you head back to your seat.
Before I participated in this ceremony, I loved SFA. Sure, we have a very pretty campus, and the class sizes are small. Not to mention, we got a lot of attention from our basketball team being a part of March Madness. But nothing prepared me for the overwhelming sense of pride I would feel as I slipped on my class ring at the conclusion of the ceremony.
When you’re on stage behind that desk and you make your “axe” in front of thousands of people and you dip your hand in the (gross but also kind of cool) goo in the bowl, you’re showing everyone, “I’ve faced countless obstacles. I’ve met them all head-on, and I am here today in spite of them.” I’ve always been one to shake off my successes, thinking, “that’s great, but I still have to worry about ______.” This is the first time I’ve stopped and really thought about how much I’ve accomplished.
Class rings are expensive, there’s no doubt about that. I had to pay for mine myself, and I know it’s not easy. But I catch myself staring at it almost every five minutes. So yes, it’s expensive but I’ve worked so hard to get here, I deserve this beautiful ring. It’s also comforting to know that as you go out into the world after graduation, you’ll always have a piece of home right there on your right hand.
I would advise anyone at SFA, no matter your major or financial situation, to participate in The Big Dip before you graduate. Take a day to celebrate all that you’ve accomplished and all you will accomplish. While you may have already worn purple beforehand, you’ll definitely bleed purple afterward. Thanks, and Axe ‘Em!
