This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Jostens. All opinions are 100% mine.
One of the rites of passage when I was younger was receiving your class ring. I’ve come to learn that the tradition of how and when kids receive their ring varies widely by state to state (and likely even school to school). The constant, though, is that it was still kind of a big deal.
As a lot of school-related traditions have changed or faded over the years but class rings haven’t been one of them. I think part of it is because you can make it a really personal thing – chose the stone, the style, the activities you want highlighted, everything. I received mine as an 8th grade graduation present, which was awesome: I had 4 years of school to wear it.
Last year Austin was a senior and where we live here in Kentucky they have an entire ring ceremony. Everyone comes to the gym and the rings are presented to the senior by a special person (or people) in their life. It was really very cool, plus I was brought current as to what was “in” with class rings since receiving mine more than 20 years ago (can you hear me wincing?).
Since purchasing a ring is kind of an investment you want to make sure it’s perfect. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you with how to choose a class ring:
What’s Your School Tradition?
Some schools have serious traditions when it comes to choosing a ring. Everyone chooses the same design for a unified look, or if you’re part of a team the entire team may want to order matching rings. You’ll need to find out if there’s a specific tradition the school holds, and then decide if you want to participate or go your own route.
What’s Your Style?
There are dozens of choices for the actual ring itself and deciding on the style was the hardest part for me. You really have to take into consideration how you’ll be wearing it, how the size will look on your hand, etc. You can go big and bold, you can go classic, dainty, understated – they even now have rings that are stackable sets. If it’s going to be a ring you wear daily, take a minute to think about what you really want to see when you look down every day. There are even new finishes that you can choose now, like ShadowCast rings by Jostens.
What’s Your Personality?
Are you really into school spirit? Do you live for basketball or the drama club? Maybe your favorite activity isn’t school-related – that doesn’t mean you can’t let it shine on your ring. Think about what you’re really into – gaming, ballet, water skiing – and memorialize it. You can even customize it with symbols of your intended career or awareness ribbons of a cause or condition that’s important to you.
Get a feel for what’s available now by checking out the Jostens ShadowCast Rings and the design tools. I created an updated version of the Jostens Paegent ring, which is what I chose in high school. I’m loving all the new options and definitely that ShadowCast finish.
Even if you’re not ordering your ring for another few weeks or months (it’s probably sooner than you think if you have a junior or senior) get started now because those final decisions can be hard to make!
What are your tips for how to choose a class ring?
About Liza
Liza is a mom (5-year-old daughter, 20-year-old stepson, and 24-year-old stepdaughter) and wife living in Louisville. She loves spending time with her family, visiting the local zoo and parks, as well as planning travel adventures. Cooking and baking, DIY projects and crafts, and coffee - lots and lots of coffee - round out some of her other hobbies.
I chose a ring that looked more like a regular ring than a class ring, and instead of my birthstone I got the one that was my favorite color. I was not traditional in any way