SGA's semesterly Ring Night Ceremony took place last Thursday

AUBURN, Ala. – Rich with traditions dating back generations, Auburn is a campus full of culture and heritage.

One of the most notable and beloved traditions is the Auburn Ring. Students who reach their third year with 75 credit hours are given the opportunity to purchase a commemorative Auburn Ring.

Along with the ring comes Ring Night, a ceremony that takes place at the end of each semester. 

At Ring Night, students tap their ring to the Auburn seal located outside of Langdon Hall to absorb the university’s history from its founding to the present and give it the well-known curse. After touching the seal, students dip their ring into water from the President’s fountain to reverse the curse. 

Seth Worthington, Director of Auburn Rings, gave insight into the meaning behind the tradition for students. 

“For most Auburn students it’s kind of like a stepping stone. I feel like honoring the Auburn Rings tradition is one way you show your pride for Auburn,” Worthington said.

The legend behind the curse of the seal says that if you touch the seal, you won’t graduate in four years, won’t find your true love at Auburn and will have seven generations of Alabama fans in your family. 

The only way to reverse the curse is by jumping into the fountain at the President’s Mansion at midnight on the leap day of a leap year. 

Because of this history, the tradition of tapping your Auburn Ring to the seal and reversing it in the water from the fountain was born. 

Graduating senior Vanessa Njuguna shared the significance of the Auburn Ring for her. 

“As a first-generation college student, I have faced adversities throughout my time at Auburn. The ring to me is a reminder of the hard work I put in to get my degree and the love I have for this school and community,” Njuguna said. 

According to The Newsroom, the tradition of Ring Night and the Ring Ceremony started in 2003 with the introduction of the official Auburn Ring as we know it today.

In 2014, the Ring Ceremony was revamped to add the traditions that are now associated with the Auburn Ring.  

For more information on future Ring Night ceremonies, visit the Student Government Association’s website.