“There’s a spirit, that ne’er be told… It’s the Spirit of Aggieland…”
I oftentimes consider myself very lucky to have been taken in as a part of the Aggie family, network, life, cult – whatever you want to call it. Being an Aggie has definitely taken me to some interesting places, both physically and emotionally. And, obviously, it’s given me an education. It’s a chapter of my life that I know will continue to benefit me down this road of life, and the ring on my finger as I steer my car down whatever constant road-tripping I’m about to do is a constant reminder of hard work I’m absolutely capable of, that I have people standing behind me, that when I die, a group of people somewhere will stand up and answer ‘here’ on my behalf, if not at least the following April… In the celebration of life and rememberance.
Don’t get me wrong – Aggielife is not for everyone. And yes, you have to drink the maroon kool-aid. Not a lot of people get or want to wrap their brains around that (don’t get me wrong – plenty of colleges offer wonderful opportunities for their students, and yes, it took me awhile to find my niche, but A&M, seriously, I hope someday I can love a man with the same amount of emotion and dedication I feel when I hit the Brazos County Line) . You have to jump in there and got your hands dirty for service – this holds strong through Big Event, the 12th man principle, probably the most active community service campus in America – and, of course, Fightin’ Texas Aggie Bonfire.
Bonfire. Lessons in hard work and what crude manpower can accomplish. Impressive feats of mental dedication and bonding through misery. Long, withstanding nights crumpled in mud on top of mid-terms, quizzes, essays, exams, and homework. Students putting their best foot forwards for years to reach incredible heights that burn for half a mile away – pretty sure I got a sunburn from the one I went to as a child. Dynamics of students brought together from all parts of Texas, perhaps the world, all unified in an effort to give other Aggies a celebration before Thanksgiving, before the big game, another collected attempt to unify the student body as a whole – under the watchful direction of the 12th Man principle (that is, always standing and ready behind your peer to pick up if you have fallen, like a well-oiled machine).
The Bonfire Collapse. How tragic. I was a freshman in high school, and consider myself lucky that I did not personally know anyone (the twelve that died, the twenty-seven injured, countless and countless affected), although when I visit the memorial and see their faces displayed on the memorial website, I feel an eerie closeness to them. As if they were in my English class and I could have passed the roll sheet to them my freshman year. I was, however, involved in the dedication service when the memorial was actually unveiled. I went with one of my besties, Jenova, and I think our classmate Richard Frei was with us. It was an emotional day as we listened to accounts from some who were there last night, the reality of resulting lawsuits with families of those affected still looming but not as concentrated on for awhile. There wasn’t a good place to stand and the roads were blocked off, but we were there. Ready to stand for another as good Aggies do.
Despite its awfulness, the Aggie family has, if anything, grown stronger, through this reminder of tragedy. If you’ve ever been to College Station, it’s very much a home-y environment (in my eyes, anyway) where tragedy is worlds away. A safe microcosm where young adults are allowed to laugh and play as they stumble into adulthood, make mistakes on a smaller level, and rise to the occasion of outstanding, proud, hard-working individuals who always put their best foot forward with lessons from the 12th Man principle. A bearer of an Aggie ring is oftentimes a friend you have yet to meet. A potential door opening in opportunity, networking – and a lot of times, even love.
To all those affected by the bonfire collapse of 99… Today is yours. Every day is yours, really. Tragedy could happen at any time. Value the ones in your life and count your blessings often. Think about your own immortality and face it for a moment. It will make your days brighter.
You definitely nailed this one–all of it! Posts like these make me even more proud to be an Aggie.