Many terms 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 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. 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.
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 the service academies.
Texas A&M University's history as an all-male military institution has led to a unique traditions and terminology. Some phrases come from traditions that include Aggie Bonfire and the athletics program. Other phrases are locations and landmarks around the campus. While most of these terms are used exclusively by Aggies, some are used by the university's rivals. Some terms exclusively used by the Corps of Cadets are not included to narrow the list size.
2 Percenters Aggies who choose not to participate in Texas A&M traditions.
12th Man The student section in athletics events. As 11 men play on the football team, the 12th man represents the support off the field and a willingness to serve. During home football games, the student section stands the entire game to embody that spirit.
A A&M The initials are part of the institution's original name, the "Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas". The term no longer has any explicit meaning in the modern institution's name, but it remains as a link to the institution's past.
Aggie (or Ag) A student, alumnus, or supporter of Texas A&M University. Several other land grant schools use "Aggie", such as New Mexico State and UC Davis. Adding the name of the state at the beginning of the term (i.e. "Texas Aggie") is often used to distinguish between the different schools.
"Aggies never lose, though they may run out of time"; "Aggies never lose, they just occasionally get outscored" These quotes or variations of them are 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.
AggieCon the oldest and largest student-run multigenre convention in the United States. Held annually since 1969 by the student organization Cepheid Variable at the Memorial Student Center, it has grown to become one of the larger conventions in Texas. AggieCon is the first science fiction convention ever sponsored by a college or a college affiliate student organization. Aggie Moms Club
The oldest support group for students at Texas A&M University, represented by 110 clubs in Texas and across the United States. Clubs include the International MOMS Club and Quad Moms . Aggieland Name for Texas A&M and the surrounding metropolitan area, Bryan–College Station, Texas. The phrase, "Welcome to Aggieland", is on the water tower in the middle of campus and one of the decks of Kyle Field. Every spring during "The Big Event", the nation's largest one-day, student-run service project, students do service-oriented activities to say thank you to Aggieland's residents. The school's official yearbook.
B
Bad Bull Anything not in keeping with Aggie traditions or the Aggie spirit. Ball 5 Chant done by Aggie baseball fans during games, to incite the chant, an opposing pitcher needs to throw 4 consecutive balls, the chant continues for each consecutive ball thrown until a pitch that is not a ball is thrown. the highest the chant has ever got is ball 12, meaning 11 straight balls, during a 2017 game against Mississippi State University. Batt Short for the school newspaper, The Battalion.
Beat the Hell Outta (abbreviated BTHO) One of the Aggie yells. The phrase is followed by the name of the opposing team or an event or time such as finals or first year.
Aggie Bonfire (or Bonfire) A large bonfire built before the annual college football game against The University of Texas at Austin. Bonfire symbolizes a "burning desire to beat the hell outta t.u." Aggie Bonfire at one time held the world record for the height of a bonfire at 109 ft, 10 in (33 m) tall. Due to the November 18, 1999 collapse of a Bonfire that killed 12 and injured 27, non-university sanctioned Bonfires, called Student Bonfires, are now performed off-campus.
Boot Line During football games, Seniors line up at the south end of Kyle Field to welcome the team back after halftime.
BQ Member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band, colloquially Band Queer, etymologically Band Qualified.
Bull A member of the commandant's staff or active duty ROTC instructor.
C The Chicken Short for a popular bar frequented by A&M students, Dixie Chicken, in the entertainment district, Northgate.
Century Singers Texas A&M's 100-member mixed choir, the second oldest choral ensemble at the university.
Century Tree A large oak tree that is in the middle of Academic Plaza which dates back to around 1900. Rarely pruned, its branches reach the ground. Tradition has it that if a couple walks underneath the tree together, they are destined to marry in the future. As such, it is a popular wedding proposal site. In 2011, the Texas Forest Service ranked it as a "Famous Tree of Texas".
Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem Phrase used in the Aggie War Hymn which "is meant to replicate a train going over tracks, or a drum roll on a snare drum".
Aggie Code of Honor Texas A&M's honor code: "Aggies do not lie, cheat, or steal, nor do they tolerate those who do." The code is similar to the Cadet Honor Code used at the United States Military Academy.
Code Maroon Texas A&M's emergency notification System.
CorpsShort for the Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M's military college program. Though Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) is mandatory for the first two years, military service is not.
Corps Trip Annual Corps trip to a football game at an off-campus location, usually a neutral site, nominally accompanied by a parade in the city of the event.
Cut The initial phase of Aggie Bonfire construction where students cut down logs.
CT Member of the Corps that are not in the band. Colloquially "Corps Turd," etymologically "Cadet in Training".
D Dead (or Dead Elephant) Senior undergraduates during their last semester. The use of the word is a senior privilege.
E Echo Taps Ceremony that occurs when a current member of the Corps of Cadet dies or in times of national tragedy. Similar in purpose to Silver Taps.
Elephant nickname for a senior at Texas A&M.
Elephant Walk A tradition where the senior class walks around campus to remember the times they had at Texas A&M. When some seniors were walking around campus reliving their days in the 1920s, an underclassman noted they looked like "elephants wandering off to find a place to die" and the tradition began/name stuck.
F
Fable legendary narrative of comedy or supernatural happenings effected by an Aggie with unique Promethean and/or comedic consequences
"Farmers fight" Phrase used in several Aggie Yells. "Farmers" comes from the original nickname of the sports teams associated with Texas A&M. "Aggies" officially replaced the nickname in 1949, but the word "farmers" remains a part of Aggie traditions.
Fightin' Texas Aggie Common prefix used for things related to A&M. For example, the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Official band of Texas A&M since 1894. Named for a discontinued tradition of physical combat among members to claim the title of Drum Major, members are cadets in the Corps and comprise an entire major unit of the Corps. The band is most noted for its straight-line military marching and intricate close quarters drills.
Final Review The annual spring ceremonial inspection of The Corps of Cadets gather at Simpson Drill Field. Graduating seniors pass their command duties to the junior officers.
Fish A freshman student. In the Corps, the term is used in place of freshmen cadets' first names and is always written in lowercase, e.g. "fish Jones."
Fish Camp An optional student-led four-day retreat for incoming freshmen held before the student's fall semester that introduces them to the traditions of Texas A&M University. Transfer students can attend a separate retreat called "T-Camp", and first time Texas A&M students coming in spring semester can attend "Howdy Camp".
Fish Pond A fountain on the Texas A&M campus located in front of Sbisa Dining Center.
Fish Spurs A Corps of Cadet tradition where freshmen cadets add bottle caps to the back of their shoes before the Arkansas football game in a fashion similar to the spurs horse riders use. Originally, this was done before the SMU football game as a way to "spur" their opponent. Due to athletic conference changes, A&M has not always played SMU. Thus this tradition has now been switched to before the Southwest Classic against Arkansas.
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. Another reason why Aggies use "former students" is that it is felt that "alumni" implies that graduates are "ex-Aggies". Aggies believe in the concept "once an Aggie, always an Aggie", and thus "alumni" would not be appropriate. The Association of Former Students is the university's equivalent of an alumni association.
Fall Orientation Week (FOW) Mandatory first week in the Corps just before school starts in the Fall semester for incoming freshmen cadets or fish.
Frog A Transfer student that joins the corps and condenses their whole freshmen year into one semester, usually to stay on track with their graduation date. Used as a verb as well they will "frog" up to the class aligned with their graduation date. So a sophomore by credits will "frog" to be a sophomore second semester.
"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.
G
Gig 'em Both a saying and the thumbs up hand gesture of all Texas A&M University current and former students as sign of affiliation. Gig 'em also is the name of an Aggie yell. This hand signal tradition began at a 1930 Midnight Yell Practice held before the football game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. In an attempt to excite the crowd, Pinky Downs, a 1906 Texas A&M graduate and member of the school's Board of Regents, asked the crowd "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" Using a term for frog hunting long used by Texas A&M in connection with the TCU rivalry, he answered his own question, "Gig 'em, Aggies!" and demonstrated how creating the hand signal which became the first in the Southwest Conference.
Good Bull Anything that conforms to the traditions of Texas A&M. Many Ags also use this term to signify approval of virtually anything.
G.R.I.N.D. A motivational acronym formed from the words Grit, Relentless Effort, Integrity, Now, and Dependability, coined by the head football coach Mike Elko.
Grodes The jeans and T-shirts worn by students who worked on Aggie Bonfire. Grodes were typically not washed until Bonfire burned, if ever.
H "Highway 6 runs both ways" A contractarian argument used in response to complaints made about Texas A&M, meaning that those who do not like the university are free to leave. Highway 6 refers to the major north–south highway leading to the Bryan–College Station area from Houston and Dallas, two hometowns of the most students at A&M.