After spending this past weekend in College Station, I figured now would be a great time to document my first Aggie Gameday. While I must admit that I was in fact raised in a family filled with OU and UT fans, I am going to make my best attempt to give an unbiased account of this life-altering event.

Gameday in Aggie begins at 12:00 A.M. sharp. Aggie fans gather at Kyle Field for Midnight Yell Practice. Aggies don't cheer...they yell! Midnight Yell is lead by a group of highly energized individuals dressed up in fancy overalls, called Yell Leaders. Yell Leaders guide the crowd through a series of chants in preparation for the game later that day. Yell Practice is later followed by a story told by one of the energized individuals.

This story is meant to poke fun at the other team..."Ol' Rock the good Ag." Despite the fact that my initial reaction was somewhere along the lines of "midnight is past my bedtime. I am non-confrontational, and yelling isn't my cup of tea." However, I will tell you, Midnight Yell practice is truly inspirational. Never in my life did I think that I would be so excited to cheer on a school that I don't even go to, but all that yelling at midnight got me.

The next pre-kickoff event takes place on "The Quad" A.K.A The Corps of Cadets headquarters, Fall Out and March In. It takes place approximately 3 hours before kickoff. Fall Out is a sight to see. It consists of all of the fish (that's freshman in Aggie) in the Corps running out of their dorms in a single file line with their hands in the air screaming, followed by lining up in marching formation.

After witnessing a fallout, I couldn't help but think how I wished I was half as passionate about anything as they are about their outfit. Also, I have a new found admiration for those fish. I no-doubt would have face planted the first step out of the door, while they're able to and lineup in marching formation without eating dirt.

If you're a "Non-Reg," you're probably partaking in less militant pre-game festivities like a tailgate. I have no clue what an Aggie Tailgate entails...I'm dating a boy in the Corps, thus my pre-game priorities lie elsewhere. However, I feel as though it is safe to assume Aggie tailgates are filled with spirit and tradition-just like any other event that takes place at TAMU.

When it's Game Day in Aggieland, the spirit runs deep and proudly through the veins of all that are within its borders until the big finale at Kyle Field. If I ever found myself on the opposing side, I'd probably melt into a puddle of tears due to the burning spirit of the Fightin' Texas Aggies. (Pro Tip for other newbies, comfortable shoes are a must. Aggies stand...for whole...entire...game.

While we're on the subject of advice, I would also suggest that you work on your sense of balance before you attend an A&M Football Game. I don't want to spoil anything, but "Sawing Varsity's Horns Off" involves quite a lot of swaying.) Aggie Fans stay hyped the whole entire game...it's absolutely phenomenal...or insane...maybe both. Part of the constant enthusiasm is due to the amazing efforts of the Yell Leaders. On gameday, they trade their fancy overalls from Midnight Yell in for white on white on white suits! (#suitup)

Aggies always go above and beyond, and halftime is no exception. A spectacularly mesmerizing show is put on by the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. It's like a giant game of khaki Tetris...oh what a sight to see.

By the second half of the game, I was sunburnt, drenched in sweat, had lost my voice from participating in the yells, and my feet were making their presence known. Even though I'm sure everyone in that stadium shared my pain, it didn't dull the Aggie spirit. The unmatched energy of Aggie Football fans is unwavering...a constant beacon of hope for the 11 men playing their hearts out on that field. As long as the clock was running, the 12th man was yelling.

What happens after the game is determined by what happened in the game. Shall the Aggies be victorious, the Yell Leaders will be chased and thrown into the fountain right outside of Kyle Field. If the Aggies "run out of time"...fans just hope for better luck next week. Another piece of first timer advice, understand that Aggies never lose, they simply run out of time...that's right, Aggies don't take L's!

My final piece of advice for a non-Aggie attending their first A&M game would be to read over all the songs/yells beforehand. Aggies have their own vernacular, and they don't hand out song books. For example, "Hullabalo, Caneck Caneck" and "Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem" are not words that are commonly used in the English language...so take a look at the songs prior to your arrival in Aggieland.

With all that being said, I strongly believe that everyone should attend a TAMU football game at least once in their life. Experiencing the Spirit of Aggie land will remind you of what it means to be truly passionate about something...whatever that may be. The experience will inspire you to take the passion that you witnessed and apply it to various aspects of your own life. So, I strongly advise that you make your way to Csat and turn redass for a weekend...its worth it.

Thanks and Gig'em