Surviving Game Day As A Veterinary Student

By Carson D. ’25, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student

When you work as hard as a veterinary student does, you deserve to have a hobby or interest that gives you some time away from your studies. For me, that’s college football!

Ever since I was an undergrad, I’ve made it a point to go to as many football games as I can. This is now my third year in veterinary school and my third season of cheering on the Aggies at Kyle Field, and I want to share everything I’ve learned about how to survive game day as a veterinary student.

Thousands of fans dressed in maroon and white cheering on the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field.

Tip No. 1: Pull Tickets Early

“Ticket pull,” or the process through which Texas A&M students get their tickets to the game, seems daunting and confusing at first, but it’s really not that bad. Ticket pull takes place Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the week leading up to a home game.

Students line up at the ticket windows facing Joe Routt Blvd, sometimes camping out days in advance to ensure they get the best seats. I don’t necessarily recommend doing that, given that veterinary students have busy schedules, but I do recommend pulling as early as you can!

As veterinary students, we are allowed to start pulling tickets at 8 a.m. on Monday. You can send one person to pull the tickets for your whole group as long as that person has their student ID and everybody’s sports passes.

If you have more than 10 people in your group, you have to line up in the “group pull” ticket window. More detailed information can be found at the 12th Man Foundation.

Tip No. 2: Plan Ahead

We have a lot on our plates as veterinary students, so it’s important to plan your weekend work and study schedules around the game if you plan to go. Budget time before Saturday to make sure you get everything done prior to the game or leave an easily manageable amount to finish up after the game and on Sunday.

Tip No. 3: Stock Up

There are several things you can bring into the game that might come in handy.

Most importantly, especially for day games, is a sealed water bottle. One sealed water bottle of any size is allowed per person. Water is very important because the temperature in the stands can get upwards of 5 degrees hotter than what the weather station reports because of the body heat generated by the 102k Aggie faithful, and the sun and humidity can easily tack on 10 degrees to the heat index. It’s important to stay hydrated in that heat!

Sunscreen is also a great item to bring if the game starts during the day. And if there’s even a chance of rain, make sure you pack a foldable poncho —­ Tracy sells branded ponchos in the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) Marketplace (the school’s gift shop).

To help carry all of this, you’re allowed to bring a clear bag of up to 12” x 6” x 12” or a non-clear small bag no larger than the size of your hand into the stadium.

You should also make sure to wear comfortable shoes — Aggie students pride themselves on never sitting down during the game.

A group of eight Texas A&M students in game day attire standing in the Kyle Field stadium bleachers.

Tip No. 4: Get A 12th Man Towel

12th Man towels have been a staple of the largest student section in the nation since 1985, and for good reason. Not only are they great for cheering on the Aggies and intimidating opposing teams, but they’re also multipurpose!

On a hot day, they can shield your neck from the sun or wipe away sweat from your brow. If it’s raining, they can be used to dry your seat. They can even be used as a koozie!

12th man towels can be bought from pretty much any Aggie spirit store around town. I’ve bought several from the campus bookstore in the Memorial Student Center (MSC) on my way into games after forgetting mine at home. They can sometimes be purchased inside the stadium from merchandise kiosks.

Tip No. 5: Park In Lot 36

Because it’s the biggest veterinary student parking lot and just steps away from the Small Animal Teaching Hospital, chances are you already know where Lot 36 is and how to get there. To get in on game day, bring a printout or screenshot of your valid student parking permit barcode (found after logging into your account at transport.tamu.edu) and you can park for free.

There’s plenty of green space for tailgating (if you get there early enough to claim it), and you can take the free Agronomy game day bus from the Lot 36 bus stop straight to the MSC, a block away from Kyle Field. If you choose not to take the bus, it’s about a 10–15-minute walk to the stadium.

About two hours before kickoff, you can even watch the Parsons Mounted Cavalry march down Agronomy Road! I recommend taking the bus to the MSC at least an hour before kickoff to allow time for enjoying the pre-game pageantry that takes place in Aggie Park and outside the stadium.

Tip No. 6: Line Up Early

Finally, I recommend lining up at your assigned stadium entrance (shown on your ticket) around 30 minutes before kickoff. The crowds can be daunting, and sometimes the entrance lines can get pretty backed up, especially early in the season.

Plan to be in your seat about 15 minutes before kickoff so you can catch the flyover and stadium entrance, which has been revamped this season! Don’t forget to keep an eye out for Miss Rev, the Queen of Aggieland, as she leads her team out onto the field!

With all these tips, you should have no problem having a fun and smooth game day experience cheering the Aggies to victory.

Gig ‘em!

What it Means to be an Aggie

Priya at an Aggie Football GameIt’s that time of year again!

Texas A&M’s football season has kicked off and Saturdays are now reserved for watching the Aggies play their hearts out at Kyle Field or on TV if it’s an away game. The university has many traditions that have been organized and carried out throughout the years and one of the most treasured traditions that comes from football is the legacy of “The 12th Man.”

The 12th Man—what the student fan base is collectively known as—is a tradition and that came to be almost 100 years ago. On Jan. 2, 1922, Texas A&M was playing highly ranked Centre College at the Dixie Classic in Dallas. Not only were we losing, but our team was also plagued by multiple injuries that caused head coach Dana X. Bible to remove numerous players and their substitutes from the game. After halftime, Coach Bible noticed that the entire team was down to just 11 players and if just one more player had to be removed from the game, Texas A&M would have to forfeit to Centre College due to the lack of a full team.

It was at this moment that Coach Bible realized he needed a 12th man, someone who could step in and play when needed if another player were to be removed from the game. But Coach Bible was also aware that not every man knows how to play football so he couldn’t just pick a student at random and get ready and put on the uniform. Then, a light bulb flashed over his head and he remembered a current student and former football player who was sitting up in the press box. That student, E. King Gill. Gill, used to play for Coach Bible at Texas A&M but decided to take a break from the sport that season to focus more on basketball and baseball. Coach Bible quickly called Gill from the press box and asked him to suit up and be ready to enter the game. So, Gill wore previously injured Heine Weir’s uniform and stood on the sidelines as the 12th man of the football team.

At the end of the game, Texas A&M miraculously came out victorious against Centre College with a score of 22-14, and Gill never even had to run in to play in the game. However, we still honor him today because he was ready, waiting, and willing to play for his team if they needed him. Gill’s willingness to carry out the Aggie core value of selfless service in the football game, when his team needed him the most, has come to represent Texas A&M’s student section over the years and defines what it means to be a 12th Man.

kyle field gamedayAs a result, whether we win a game or simply run out of time (because Aggies never lose), you can always find the entire student section, rain or shine, standing throughout the game and yelling along with the Yell Leaders in support of our team and our university.

Said best by Texas A&M University itself, “The power of the 12th Man is echoed in the unity, the loyalty, and the willingness of Aggies to serve when called to so. And it is the reason that Texas A&M has earned a name that embraces Gill’s simple gesture of service: Home of the 12th Man.”

It’s hard to believe that I only have two more football seasons as current student before I start attending games as a former student! The legacy of The 12th Man is one of my favorite traditions at Texas A&M and a key factor that drew me to pursue an undergraduate career here all the way from Georgia. The traditions are what makes Texas A&M so unique from other schools, and I always feel so blessed to be a part of the Aggie family and to be able to call College Station home.