Texas A & M University-College Station Top Questions

Love A&M. It's a great place.

The traditions that occur at Texas A&M University require attention as well, and it's important that incoming students realize just how unique TAMU is, and how different the college atmosphere is at this university. First and foremost, the "Aggie Spirit" takes some getting used to, and while it's easy to make fun of or difficult to understand when you're new in College Station, it will take hold of 98{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of TAMU students, and that initial misunderstanding will be little more than a faint memory. Reveille is our official mascot at TAMU. She is considered to be the first lady of Aggieland, as well as the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets (a Five-Star General). If she sleeps on a Cadet's bed, he has to sleep on the floor, and if she barks during a class, the professor is forced to end the class and reconvene during the following session. The graves of past Reveilles even have their own miniature scoreboard to "watch" during football games. Silver Taps is another important tradition, which occurs on the first Tuesday of every month at TAMU. During Silver Taps, undergraduate and graduate Aggies who have lost their lives during the previous month are honored. Students gather together, all of the lights on campus are extinguished, a 21 gun salute is fired, and a rendition of Silver Taps is played to the North, South, and West (not the East because the sun will not be rising on these Aggies again). Muster is a tradition that occurs on the 21st of April each year, in which Aggies come together and reflect upon their memories of Aggieland. The Aggie Ring is an extremely important traditions to Aggies, for the ring is something that has to be earned, and can't simply be bought. The ring design is the same one used in 1894, which reflects the bond that Aggies have, despite their age differences or personal backgrounds, and each symbol on the ring holds a specific purpose. Rings are usually "dunked" in a 32 ounce pitcher of beer after they have been given to the student (a recent tradtion that began at the Dixie Chicken on Northgate and has caught on and taken over Aggieland); the student must chug the pitcher before finally recieving the ring. Students that don't drink or enjoy alcohol have been known to dunk their ring in other drinks, and bowls of ice cream have even be used to continue this tradition. Many of the students that dunk their rings in beer race to finish, bragging about their ring dunk time to others if its under a minute or so. T-shirts can even be bought at Inspirations or Aggieland Outfitters in the College Station mall that have blank spots to write in a ring dunk time. The senior "Elephant Walk" is another important Aggie tradtion; these students (like dying elephants) wander about campus revisiting landmarks and saying their good-byes. It's easy to see that A&M is lacking cheerleaders, but what many outsiders don't immediately notice is the presence of our yell leaders, who are elected to lead the students during athletic games into "yells" to cheer for our fellow Aggies. Each class of TAMU has a specific yell as well (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors), and it's common to hear a student introduce themselves by saying "Hi mi name is --. I'm a -- major, and a proud member of the fightin' Texas Aggie class of --," followed by their distinctive class yell (yells range from the Freshman AYYYYYY! to the Senior AYYYYY WHOOOP!). Don't be suprised if you're greeted with a "Howdy" on campus, for this is yet another of our many traditions. There is even a "Howdy Ags" student group dedicated to passing on this traditon to incoming students to ensure that it continues.

In the 3 years that I have been here at TAMU there really is no negative comment that I can think of relating to this school. I had wanted to attend this school since I was in elementary school (even before I knew of the traditions held so deeply in the hearts and minds of former/current students) and now that I am about to graduate I am so honored that I will forever be an Aggie. As the saying goes about our school spirit..."Looking in you cannot understand it, looking out you cannot explain it."

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be prepared to puke aggie spirit...i want to punch some people in the face for taking some of these traditions so serioiusly...don't get me wrong, i like traditions, but i'm not going to wear a fucking maroon shirt every damned day and if someone wants to leave a football game at half time, then so be it, who really gives a shit getting an aggie ring is the greatest feeling in the whole world...you work so hard for it and when you get it, everyone knows that you are a BADASS