One freshman’s first Midnight Yell    

My first encounter with the Yell leaders was during my New Student Conference (NSC) when all five leaders emerged to lead a Yell practice. This was my first experience of what I believed to be raw Aggie spirit. I had no idea how far from the truth I was.

On Aug. 31, as I approached TAMMAH’s Circle of Honor, the staging ground for Midnight Yell, I arrived with the expectation of exactly what I had witnessed during my NSC. But that was only a glimpse. Upon entering, I was astounded by the camaraderie.

The circle overflowed with people. Many freshmen had come for their first experience of the explosion of culture that is Midnight Yell. The atmosphere was unfamiliar yet empowering. This was true Aggie spirit, further strengthened by the spirit of brotherhood of the cadets dressed in costume—ranging from imposing, powerful Greek gods to goofy bananas— and fellow Aggies, the loudest and proudest of the bunch, “the most red ass of all.”

As the night went on, the Yell leaders, torches and flags in hand, guided the Aggies to the Rec Center. Senior Yell leaders wielded flames reminiscent of Olympic torches, symbolizing the Aggie spirit yet to be passed down to their juniors and the rest of Aggieland. Junior Yell leaders carried flags, representing their leadership and journey as Yell leaders and their intent to carry out their vision of being a Yell leader leading the rest of their fellow Aggies. I noticed that, true to the humble beginnings of Midnight Yell, each of the Yell leaders had a woman at their side, their “Yell dates,” like the original leaders long before them.

The heat of the moment only grew from there. As the Yell leaders walked toward the bridge to guide the students from TAMMAH to the Rec Center, the crowds split like the Red Sea being parted by the torches’ flames. The sound of students marching and chanting on their way to the gymnasium echoed. TAMMAH was ablaze, and I was fully immersed in a fire of Aggie spirit and fellowship.

The Rec Center, bathed in blood-red light, was packed with Aggies ready to take part in butchering and roasting the Lobos. Cadets swarmed the floor and began running in circles like a raging stampede. After everyone had arrived and filled the space between the gym walls, the Yell leaders ran in and started riling up the Aggies.

The junior Yell leaders got down to the floor and began doing push ups while the senior Yell leaders accosted them, stacking up the pressure for each junior to do better than the other.

As the heat of the battle rose, the cadets joined in on the pushup duel, showcasing how so many Aggies can come together despite differences of major, class, or age, demonstrating their unison with the Yell leaders, and embodying the adage,“We are the Aggies and the Aggies are we,” a reminder of how there will always be our Aggie family to continue pushing us forward and uniting us as one.

As the night grew darker, Midnight Yell only grew louder and prouder, each Aggie giving their all for every “hump it,” “pass back,” and “farmers fight,” the Yell leaders recounting a story of how the Aggies hunted down the Lobos, skinning them into fine pelts and roasting their savory meat from a game well won.

After the Aggie War Hymn, students began dancing around the bleachers, roaring with the sound of Aggie pride.

The Yell leaders at last called up the class of ‘27 for a special yell, as this was many freshmen’s first Midnight Yell. Upon finishing the Yell, a cry could be heard throughout the room as people began racing each other to the Yell leaders. As the freshmen neared the Yell leaders, I could see each of the overall-wearing members being lifted into the air and getting carried out of the Rec Center.

Once outside, all the Aggies came together to dunk barrels of water onto the Yell leaders. The leaders led one final yell, the lights of the Rec Center illuminating them like in a shadowplay, casting grand silhouettes of each leader’s powerful Aggie spirit, a tribute to the humble beginnings of this vital Aggie tradition.