X Ring 2020
QUAECUMQUE SUNT VERA |
Whatsoever Things Are True
On my first day of high school, I had a homeroom teacher named Mr. Fulton. He was serious and seemingly unapproachable at the time, but he had a gold ring with a black X on his right hand that I noticed from my seat. At the end of class, I walked up to Mr. Fulton and said, “That’s an X Ring. Did you go to St.FX?” His face lit up with pride.
“Yes, I did,” he said smiling.
“I want to go there too when I graduate,” I replied.
I don’t know if I said that at the time because I truly wanted to go to St.FX or if I just wanted to be in Mr. Fulton’s good books, but I think that day, I manifested my undergraduate experience.
The St.FX X-Ring: the third most recognizable ring in the world, the symbol of achievement, recognition, acceptance and pride that is worn by graduating Xaverians is the goal for so many students who attend St. Francis Xavier University.
I went to a high school that was big on school spirit. We were a really tight community, we worked hard to achieve goals together. I wanted that to continue into my university experience. That is why I chose St.FX. That… and the X Ring.
Imagine my surprise when on my first day at X, naive 18 year old Quinn thought the X-Ring was free… lol. But I stuck around anyways, because the-X Ring is more than a fancy ring that looks good, it’s a symbol of community and St.FX pride.
So, for 4 long years I waited patiently. I watched the ceremony on residence TVs and laptops, I worked late nights and early mornings studying and cramming until it would be my turn.
Cue Covid.
All spring, students wondered if we would even be coming back to school, on account of the virus.
On my birthday in June, St.FX announced that the campus would re-open for in person classes. The hope of an in person X-Ring ceremony could be a reality.
In the fall, we returned, we isolated, we were tested negative and the St.FX community successfully resumed classes without a case of Covid. Things on campus were different from previous years, but compared to life in Ontario, it felt like freedom and the closest thing to normalcy to be here, in Antigonish.
Leading up to X-Ring, there was a lot of uncertainty. When they finally decided to go forward with an in-person, Covid-safe, socially distant ceremony, seniors were THRILLED. My parents, who had decided to come down from Ottawa to isolate for two weeks and celebrate, were also very happy. So the countdown began…
12 Days, 11 Days, 10 Days…
Cue the second wave.
9 Days…
“In Person X-Ring Ceremony Cancelled”
Disappointed. Crushed. Angry. Cheated… I think that is how most seniors felt ( at least that is how I felt ).
On the day of December 3rd 2020, I was lucky enough to be able to continue to participate as a Candle Bearer, which was not something I took for granted.
However, lucky I was to be one of the few students at the X-Ring ceremony…it was bitter sweet.
While I sat in the ceremony, I looked around and realized that all the people who’s faces I had pictured sitting beside me or among me weren’t there. I was lucky to be surrounded by friends who were also lucky enough to be in Antigonish… but many of my best friends, class mates and peers were unable to attend.
While my day was not the day I had always envisioned, their days were even further from their expectations.
To Every Senior that did not get the December 3rd that they had dreamed of, I am truly sorry. Not that it was within any of our control, but having unfulfilled expectations on such a momentous milestone in our St.FX career is disheartening to say the least.
With that being said, the school made strong efforts to have some kind of “ceremony” or validation that our day was still important. Our class Co-Presidents Ally and Sean worked their asses off to pull of a great day for the seniors and they deserve a million thank you’s for their efforts and hard work, along with the rest of the team that made X-Ring what it was this year.
(Alright this next part is sappy so unless you’re my parents, feel free to skip)
Personally, I would like to thank my parents, who selflessly travelled to Antigonish and isolated for 14 days just to celebrate with me and my friends. Even when we thought that the ceremony would be cancelled, they made sure that no matter what happened, come Dec 3rd, that day would be a special day- and it exceeded my expectations.
There are no words for how grateful I am for their support over the past 4 years. I know it’s been hard on them as well, with me moving away.
You supported me when I dropped out of school… and when I decided to go back.
Thank you for every late night phone call, for every package, every visit, every waffle bus breakfast, every airport pick up and drop off (and every 14 hour drive).
Thank you for my ring, for always knowing exactly what to say and do and for being my fiercest friends and the best parents that I could EVER dream of.
I’m proud to have you both as my parents.
(Okay back to the Ring)
To me, the X-Ring symbolizes commitment and perseverance. My university journey wasn’t the linear experience I had planned, there were obstacles I had never foreseen and pitfalls that tried tirelessly to keep me down. But even after a rough first year, I came back. Even after so many people told me that my choice of career wasn’t meant for me, I endured. When I felt like giving up or lost hope, I reminded myself of the commitment I made to myself and my school. I learned that the straight path isn’t necessarily the best path.
I’ve learned more about friendship, loyalty, community and family through my four and a half years here than I knew was possible.
My X-Ring is a reminder of the girl I was when I first came to StFX and how much I’ve grown since then. The X-Ring is a symbol of the family that you become a part of when you attend St.FX. It connects you to people and memories.
There are thousands of people who look down at their X-Ring and are reminded of the HOCO’s and Wing Nights past, of their residence pride, of eating the Wheel or Kenny’s at 3am with complete strangers, of late night library sessions and early morning 8:15 scrambles.
When they see their ring, they hear the O’Crew screaming Pancake Breakfast and taste meal hall Sunday morning hangover home-fries. They see the faces of the people and professors that shaped them on their own journeys.
If I could go back after these four and a half years and go through it all again- all the exams, friendships, practices, parties, heart breaks, snow days, tears, laughter, Covid… I would.
I wouldn’t change my experience for the world. NOT ONE SINGLE PART of it.
Because If I look at where I started to where I am now… it has been one hell of a ride.
I love my people, my family, my program, my school, this town and of course my ring <3
Thank you to every single person that reached out to me to congratulate me on my X Ring, every message that I received made my day feel even more special. Thank you all my friends and family that celebrated with me in Antigonish and from their own homes, I felt your love all the way from here.
To everyone that received their X-Ring this year… CONGRATULATIONS on this incredible achievement in your life!
It’s more than a ring, it’s everything that is St.FX.
Be proud of yourself and of your friends and peers.
Take a moment and reflect on your time at X…
How far have you come? How much further do you have to go?
