The Ring by Spring Phenomenon

Spring is almost here, and with that comes a busy season of proposals and weddings within Christian colleges. So much so, that this has earned the nickname “Ring by Spring” within the college communities.

Indiana Wesleyan University student Jadyn Mucher said that this is a well-known concept throughout the school. She said that chances are, if you head home for Christmas break, someone within your friend group will come back engaged.

“I think over winter break I saw a total of eight engagements within the span of two days,” Mucher said.

Mucher also said that she has seen a lot of engagements right before or during the spring semesters at IWU.

“Spring leads into the summer and then the fall, which is when most college weddings take place; so engagements in the spring makes sense time-wise,” Mucher said.

Allison Perkins, a student at IWU, is engaged and preparing to be married this upcoming summer. She said that one of the attractions to getting married in college are the benefits that come along with it.

“Financial-aid wise, there are a ton of benefits,” Perkins said. “So, when people know that they want to get married eventually, they go ahead anyways to be able to save more money.”

Perkins said that one of the things that come along with a spring engagement is the backlash from friends at other colleges where this is not as common of an occurrence.

“People from other schools tend to be so confused by the fact that over half of my friends and I are engaged,” Perkins said.

Perkins said that IWU makes marriage very possible, however, since it is so common.

“Things such as the marriage housing on campus make it very affordable, while still providing that college-experience,” Perkins said.

People outside of the universities are catching onto this as well. Kay Jewelry employee Ashley Glaser says that college students coming into the store to purchase an engagement ring is more than common this time of year.

“We get a lot of people in general, due to the sales that we have in the winter and spring, but a really high percentage of those people are college students,” Glaser said. “It is really common that when someone comes in for a ring during this time of year, they are in college.”

It is not often that people turn down a bargain, and college students are one of the first to take a business up on any sale that they have. Glaser said that the Christmas and Valentines seasons offer the biggest sales of the year, which could play a role in these engagements.

“The sales we have going on are what make the more financially-conscious customers come in for rings, and college students are some of the most financially aware people there are,” Glaser said.