By Hope Bolinger & Alyssa Roat | Contributors
Scenario One:
Student One: Hey, Student Two, I just got the internship I applied for.
Student Two (with mild enthusiasm): Wow, that's neat. Congratulations.
Scenario Two:
Student One: Hey, guys! Guess what! I'm going on a coffee date with Taylor Guy Number Five!
Student Two: Oh my goodness! Wow! Tell me all about it! Where are you going? What size ring will you wear? When is the wedding? How many kids? I can't believe it! Hey, everyone, come hear the awesome news! I can't wait for the ring down!
Everyone: Oh my goodness! A repeat of what the above person said!
Although the above scenarios may have exaggerated said events, Taylor's spring lacks recognition for all types of accomplishments. Ring downs are a great way to celebrate a transition into a major life stage that merits commemoration. But what about the student who, after months of search and 15 rejections, has finally gotten the job?
We have decided to offer an additional tradition to enliven the cold, dark spring semester; we christened this event "Cha-ching by Spring," our take on the engagement tradition of the ring down featured in our dorm, English Hall. Other dorms also participate, but the example below comes from our experience in English.
In the ring down, the engaged student informs her PA that she is now engaged. A secretive message summons all members of the wing to an unknown meeting. Chanting ensues as the students sing "Going to the Chapel of Love," by The Dixie Cups, all wondering who the lucky woman is. The wing members pass around a candle with the ring attached on a string. When it reaches the engaged student, she blows out the candle and all cheer. Then she tells the story of her engagement.
"Cha-ching down" follows a similar pattern. The friends (and family if they can make the journey) will circle around and sing, "Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to work we go." Huddled in a circle, they will pass around a stapler. When the stapler reaches the student who has attained a post-graduation job, he or she will press the stapler together, and will share the story of how he or she finally realized his or her dream. After all, engagement stories tend to have riveting narratives, but so do the stories of near-failed interviews, business suit mishaps and unexpected connections.
This way, we can rejoice in all sorts of accomplishments and transitions into new phases of life after senior year. Because whether we honor an engagement or a student who received a hard-to-get position, either way, both traditions have a rather nice ring to it. Or, shall we say, cha-ching to it?
