TEN THINGS you didn't know about Texas A&M
10. “Howdy” is A&M’s official campus greeting.
9. The stars on the Aggie Ring, which students receive upon graduation, represent the five stages of an Aggie’s development — intellect, body, spiritual attainment, emotional poise and integrity of character.
8. A&M students stand for the entire duration of football games in case they are needed to go into the game like the original Twelfth Man, E. King Gill, a member of the student body who was asked to suit up in 1922 when injuries depleted the team.
7. A&M is one of only three schools with a full-time Corps of Cadets program leading to commissions in all branches of military service —
Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.
6. The Big Event is the largest one-day, student-run service project in the nation where students of Texas A&M University come together to say ‘thank you’ to the residents of College Station. The students complete service projects such as yard work, window washing and painting for community members.
5. A&M tradition says that if a couple walks together under the branches of the Century Tree, one of the oldest trees on campus, they will eventually marry. If the proposal takes place under the Century Tree, the marriage is supposed to last forever.
4. The Elephant Walk marks the end of the usefulness of the Aggie seniors to the student body. Thousands of seniors join hands and wander aimlessly about campus visiting landmarks for the symbolic “last time.”
3. Midnight Yell is held the night before each football game. Yell leaders lead the crowd in chants like the BTHO (Beat the hell out of *insert school name*) yell, as well as the singing of the fight song. Lastly, the lights go out, and Aggies kiss their dates.
2. Vocabulary in the Corps of Cadets is restricted by class. Freshmen cannot say “Pisshead,” a nickname for sophomores. Juniors are known as “Serge Butts,” so neither freshman nor sophomores can say either form of the word. Seniors, known as “Zips,” have reserved the word “elephant” and all words dealing with death, dying or guns in reference to the Elephant Walk.
1. A&M’s official mascot, a collie named Reveille, is considered a Cadet General, the highest ranking member in the Corps of Cadets. She is addressed by cadets as “Miss Reveille, ma’am.” If she decides to sleep on a cadet’s bed, that cadet must sleep on the floor. If she chooses to bark in class, that session is cancelled. Upon her death, Reveille is buried in a special cemetery located outside Kyle Field. A small scoreboard is placed outside the stadium so that she can always see the score.