The day that all Aggies wait for is finally here. It is the day you get to put that ring of gold on your finger, the day to celebrate an ambitious accomplishment, and for many, it is the day that represents the final milestone before graduation.
The concept of the Aggie Ring and the traditions of Texas A&M are newer to me than for most. I am a first generation Aggie, and I am the first in my family to attend college in the United States, as my family moved to Houston from England when I was just five years old.
That being said, my family and I have come to cherish everything this transcendent university has to offer: the academics, the tradition, the camaraderie and, of course, the ring.
When my journey began as a freshman, 90 hours seemed so distant, but as many of you already know, they fly by faster than Christian Kirk returning a punt for a touchdown. I emphasize this regularly to my younger brother and sister, Alfie and Mollie, who are both freshmen this semester.
Although I graduate in December and my time in Aggieland is almost complete, I look forward to watching my siblings make their journey through the next phase of their life. There is no place I would rather they spend the formative years of their lives than right here in College Station.
As for me, I will always treasure my years at Texas A&M. I am sure that I will be back often for football games and the like, returning to a place that will always feel like home. There are three places that I call home and are deeply rooted in the person that I am today: England, Houston and Texas A&M University.
No matter how far this life takes me, wearing that ring of gold on my finger wherever I go will represent a small piece of home — a piece of Aggieland.