Spring Break
Let it
By: Vicky Flores
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: News
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The unofficial tradition of ring dunking has become a popular way for students to commemorate the day they receive their Aggie Ring.
"It's pretty exciting, a lot of people come out early on, as soon as they get their rings," said Kenneth Blake, general manager of the Dixie Chicken. "We sell them a lot of mugs, fill them with beer and let them go have fun. We are there all day long."
Blake said the tradition, as Aggies know it, started in the late 1980s at the Dixie Chicken when two Corps of Cadets members who had just received their rings were celebrating by ordering a pitcher of beer. One of the Corps members accidentally dropped the ring in the pitcher and his buddy told him he had to drink the whole pitcher before he could get his ring back. That is exactly what he did.
"From there it started everyone deciding that it would be fun to drop their ring in a pitcher of beer and drink it," Blake said. "Although we keep an eye on people and make sure there is no over-consumption."
Ring dunking is not an official Aggie Tradition, and Traditions Council does not carry any information on it or plan to. However, thousands of Aggies participate in the unofficial tradition every Ring Day.
Although ring dunking began with chugging a pitcher of beer, laws prohibit drinking out of a pitcher or anything more than 32 ounces, which amounts to three beers.
Alcohol was banned at the Northgate Promenade in March 2005, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission prevents bars from selling pitchers of beer for single consumption. Therefore, Bryan-College Station bars are only allowed to serve pitchers if they are shown two drinking-age IDs.
The Dixie Chicken and other Northgate bars sell 32-ounce pitchers for dunking. Some students prefer to gather friends and family and dunk their rings at someone's home.
Krista Wills, a junior chemical engineering major, plans to dunk her ring surrounded by family and friends at a house party.
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