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This list of Texas Aggie terms includes words and phrases which are unique to, or hold a special meaning connected with, Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. The University, often called A&M or TAMU, is a coeducational public research university and is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. It opened in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, the first public institution of higher education in that state.[1] In 1963, the Texas Legislature renamed the school to Texas A&M University to reflect the institution's expanded roles and academic offerings. The letters "A&M" no longer have any explicit meaning but are retained as a link to the university's past.[2]

As a senior military college, Texas A&M is one of three public universities with a full-time, volunteer Corps of Cadets. It provides more commissioned officers to the United States Armed Forces than any other school outside of the service academies. This is disputed, however, as Virginia Military Institute (VMI) makes the same claim.[3]

The majority of these terms come from the university's history as a military institution. Other sources of this terminology are the traditions of Texas A&M University, especially the Aggie Bonfire and the athletics program. Some terms on this list describe locations around the campus. While most unique terms about Texas A&M are used by Aggies, a few listed terms are used by the university's rivals.

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0-9

Texas A&M's football stadium, Kyle Field, student section with the sign "Home of the 12th Man"
12th Man
The student section in athletics events.[4][5][6]
2 Percenters
Aggies who choose not to participate in Texas A&M traditions.[6][7][8]

A

A&M
Used colloquially to refer to the University. It no longer has any explicit meaning but it retains a link to the institution's past as the "Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas."[2]
Aggie (or Ag)
A student, alumnus, or supporter of Texas A&M University.[4][7] Several other land grant schools use "Aggie" such as New Mexico State and University of California, Davis.[9]
"Aggies never lose, though we may run out of time"
This quote or a variation is sometimes said after losing efforts. It gives voice to the idea that the team would have eventually won if the game would have gone on longer.[6][10]
Aggieland
Name for Texas A&M and the surrounding cities: Bryan and College Station Texas.[6][7][11] The phrase, "Welcome to Aggieland", is at the center of one of the university's marketing campaigns.[12]

B

Student Bonfire, 2005
Bad Bull
Anything not in keeping with Aggie traditions or the Aggie spirit.[11]
Batt
Short for the school newspaper, The Battalion[11]
Aggie Bonfire
A large bonfire made prior to playing the annual college football game against the University of Texas at Austin. Bonfire symbolizes a "burning desire to beat the hell outta t.u.".[6][13] Aggie Bonfire at one time held the world record for the height of a bonfire at 109 ft, 10 in (33 m) tall.[14] Due to the 18 November 1999 collapse of bonfire that killed 12 and injured 27,[15] recent non-university sanctioned Bonfires, called Student Bonfire, have been performed off-campus.[16][17]
BQ
Member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, colloquially Band Queer, etymologically Band Qualified.[18]

C

The Chicken
Short for a popular bar, Dixie Chicken, in the entertainment district, Northgate.[11]
Aggie Code of Honor
Texas A&M's honor code, "Aggies do not lie, cheat, or steal, nor do they tolerate those who do."[6][7]
Corps of Cadets at fish review fall of 06
Corps
Short for the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M's military college program.[6][7][19] Though ROTC is mandatory for the first two years, military service is not.
Contract
A Cadet that has signed a contract to join the military in exchange for tuition, room, board, bucks and uniform.
Cut
The initial phase of Aggie Bonfire construction, where students cut down logs.[16][20]
CT
Member of the Corps that not in the band. Colloquially "Corps Turd, etymologically "Cadet in Training".[18]

D

Dead Elephant
Term referring to senior undergraduates during their last semester.[21] See Elephant Walk

E

Elephant Walk
A tradition where the senior class walks around campus to remember the good times they had at Texas A&M.[7][22]

F

Fish Pond, a fountain on the Texas A&M campus
"Farmers fight"
Phrase used in several Aggie Yells. The farmer was the university's original mascot.[4]
Fightin' Texas Aggie
Common prefix used for things related to A&M. For example, the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.
Fish
A freshman cadet[19]
Fish Camp
An optional four–day retreat held before the freshman year to introduce new students to the traditions of Texas A&M University.[6][7]
Fish Pond
A fountain on the Texas A&M campus that is the part of several traditions.[6]
Former Student
Aggie graduates refer to themselves as "former students" rather than alumni because not all Aggies graduated due to military needs during the World Wars.[6][23] Another reason why Aggie use "former students" to describe graduates because it is also felt that "alumni" implies that Texas A&M graduates are "ex-Aggies". Aggies believe in the concept, "once an Aggie, always an Aggie" and thus "alumni" would not be appropriate.[7] The Association of Former Students is the university's equivalent of an alumni association.[24]
See also: List of Texas A&M University people
"From the outside looking in you can't understand it, and from the inside looking out you can't explain it"
Phrase used to describe the difficulty outsiders have understanding Texas A&M culture, and Aggies have articulating their passion for Texas A&M.[4][25]

G

US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates along with senior cadets from the Corps of Cadets give the "gig 'em" sign at the Pentagon.
Gig 'em
Both a saying and the hand gesture of all Texas A&M University current and former students as sign of affiliation.[4][7][26] Gig 'em also is the name of an Aggie yell.[27]
Good Bull
Anything that conforms to the traditions of Texas A&M.[11]
Grodes
The jeans and t-shirts worn by students who worked on Aggie Bonfire. Grodes were typically not washed until Bonfire burned, if ever.[28]

H

"Highway 6 runs both ways"
Used in response to complaints made about Texas A&M. It means that those who do not like the university are free to leave.[29]
Spectators and cadets "humping it" at the 2007 spring football exhibition game
Howdy
Official greeting of Texas A&M University. Students are encouraged to greet everyone they pass on campus with a smile and a howdy.[30] Howdy is the preferred method for a speaker to get a large group's attention, as the members of the group are expected to return the "Howdy" back to the speaker.[6]
Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!
Beginning phrase of the Aggie War Hymn.[4][7][21] The sounds are made to imitate the sounds of the train that runs through campus.
Hump it (or Humping it)
During a yell, the crowd leans forward and places their hands on their knees to maximize the noise.[4][6][7][11][31]

J

G. Rollie White Coliseum, also known as Jollie Rollie
Aggie jokes
Jokes used against Texas A&M and Aggies, similar to jokes used against ethnic minorities usually with a connotation of a lack of intelligence.[4][21][32][33]
Jollie Rollie
Nickname of G. Rollie White Coliseum.[34]

K

Kyle Field
The Texas A&M football stadium.[6]

L

Load
The second phase of Aggie Bonfire construction, where the newly cut logs are brought back to campus.[20]

M

The flag room of the Memorial Student Center, also known as the MSC.
Maroon
The official color of Texas A&M along with white. The University's specific trademark color is a custom Pantone color, Aggie Maroon (Hex #500000).[35] Maroon Out is an official university tradition. Each year, one football game each season is dubbed an official Maroon Out event and discounted maroon t-shirts are offered for sale to fans in order to fill the stadium with the Texas A&M color.[36] The word "maroon" is used in other contexts, such as the name a student publication, the Maroon Weekly.[37]
Mug down
Kissing one's date during athletic events.[38]
Muster
Tradition on April 21, San Jacinto Day where Aggies from all over the world meet with each other.[8][6][39][40]
MSC
Short for the Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M's student activity center.[6][7][11][29]

N

Dixie Chicken back entrance on Northgate
Non-reg
A student who is not in the Corps of Cadets.[6][11]
Northgate
A business and entertainment district located north of the Texas A&M campus.[11]
Northside
Location of residence halls on campus near Northgate.[41]

O

"Off the wood"
During sporting events, Texas A&M students get off the bleachers when players on any team are injured. "Wood" is used only for tradition, because Texas A&M stadiums no longer have wood bleachers.[42]
Ol' Army or Old Army
Term referring to Texas A&M's past.[7]
Ol' Lady or Old Lady
Corps of Cadet member's roommate.[6]
Aggie Habitat for Humanity mural at Camp Hope, St Bernard Parish, Louisiana. This is an example of the "other education".
Other education
A term describing what Aggie students learn outside the classroom though extracurricular activities and through living life.[29][43]

P

Pass back
A hand signal, initiated by the Yell Leaders, which informs students which yell to do next.[44]
Pisshead
A nickname for a sophomore cadet.[6][18]
Poor Aggies
Used to taunt Aggies after an athletic loss from opponents.[45]
Pots
Hard hats worn by Aggie Bonfire builders. The color of a student's pot identified their role in bonfire construction.[46]
Pull out
Using a privileged word not available to your class; for example, sophomores saying "Whoop."[6]
Push
a) A form of punishment consisting of pushups, especially after pulling out. In the Corps when students do a "class set" of pushups, one for each year of their class. The Class of 1945 did only 45 pushups, but the Class of 2009 now does 109.[6]
b) The last phase of Aggie Bonfire construction, where students worked around the clock in rotating shifts to finish stacking the logs.[20]

Q

Corps Arches in front of "the Quad"
Quack Shack
A quasi-affectionate term for the A.P. Beutel Health Center.
The Quad
Location of the dorms of the Corps of Cadets.[6][11]

R

RAggies
Aggie baseball fans.[47]
Red-Ass
Students who follow the traditions and rules of Texas A&M very closely.[48]
Reed Arena
The university's arena; used primarily for basketball games.[49]
Reveille VII at a football game
Reed Rowdies
Official fan club of Texas A&M basketball teams.[50]
Reveille
The Texas A&M mascot, now a purebred American collie. Reveille is the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets, and freshmen in the Corps must greet her with "Howdy, Miss Reveille, ma'am."[4][6][51][52]
Ring dunk
A non school sanctioned tradition performed after a student receives an Aggie Ring; usually involves chugging a pitcher of beer with their Aggie Ring in the bottom then catching the ring in their teeth,but might also occur with non-alcoholic substances.[53]

S

"Saw Varsity's Horns Off"
A verse from the Aggie War Hymn,[4][13] it refers to defeating the Texas Longhorns who use a Longhorn steer as their mascot.[54]
Senior boots
Senior Boots
Distinctive brown leather boots worn by Corps seniors, or Zips.[19][55]
Serge Butt
A nickname for a junior cadet.[11] Refers to the "serge" material used in making pants for juniors pre-1960.
Singing Cadets
An all male choral group at A&M, called the "Voice of Aggieland".[56]
Silver Taps
A ceremony, held monthly, to honor any currently-enrolled students who died in the previous month.[57]
"Sit down bus driver"
An Aggie Yell used in athletic events to taunt opposing team's coaches when they are angry. "Bus driver" refers to the fact that coaches used to drive the buses for road games.[4]
Southside
Residence halls on the far southeast portion of campus.[58]
Aggie Spirit or Spirit of Aggieland
Terms that describe the unity and devotion Aggies have for their school and to each other.[6][59] "The spirit" can also refer the school song, Spirit of Aggieland.
Stack
The third phase of Aggie Bonfire construction, where students would wire the logs together in their final shape.[20]
Statue of Lawrence Sullivan "Sully" Ross located in front of the Academic Building
Sully
Short for former Texas A&M President, Lawrence Sullivan Ross. Modern usage generally refers to the prominent statue of him.[6]

T

TAMC or Texas AMC
Refers to the university's former name the "Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas". While the institution has been renamed Texas A&M University with the initials TAMU, the initials AMC are still used in several Aggie traditions including Aggie yells and the Spirit of Aggieland."[2]
Tea-sip or t-sip
A student of Texas A&M's archrival, the University of Texas at Austin.[7]
t.u.
Derogatory name for the University of Texas at Austin, normally abbreviated UT, the main rival school to Texas A&M University.[13] Aggies maintain that UT is "a" university in Texas not "the" university in Texas. The t.u. therefore stands for texas university, with the lowercase letters being an added insult.[7][29] Texas Longhorn fans respond by saying t.u. stands for "The University".

W

A yell leader doing the "whoop" hand signal on the field at a football game
Whip Out
The tradition of freshmen in the Corps of Cadets introducing themselves to upperclassman in the Corps.[29][60]
White
Another official Texas A&M color.[35] White out is a basketball tradition. Unlike football games, where Aggie fans wear Maroon, the basketball crowds wear white.
"Whoop"
An exclamation of approval and excitement, used at the end of a yell. Only juniors and seniors are allowed to say "Whoop".[61]
Wild cat
A noise and a hand motion made after an Aggie yell. Each class uses a different wildcat based on seniority.[6]
Wrecking Crew
The defense of the football team.[62]

Y

File:Yell Leaders doing pushups3.jpg
Senior Yell Leaders watch intently as the Junior Yell Leaders perform pushups during Midnight Yell.
Aggie Yells
Synchronized cheers done at Aggie sporting events.[6]
Yell Leaders
Texas A&M's equivalent of cheerleaders.[4][31][63]
Yell practice
A Texas A&M pep rally like event. The most notable yell practices, Midnight Yell, occurs the night before home football games.[7][31]

Z

Zip
A nickname for a senior, named so for the black and gold braid on the garrison caps of seniors in the Corps of Cadets, which resembles a zipper.[11][19]

References

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  3. ^ Virginia Military Institute
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