By Braden Clark
Friday
marks the 100 year anniversary of Utah State University’s “True Aggie Night,”
and students, alumni and lucky bystanders have been sharing their favorite True
Aggie Night moments on social media in honor of the celebration.
“My
favorite memory of True Aggie Night has to be when I kissed Mr. USU, Kurt
Kowal, on the A,” said Lynette Erickson, a student at Utah State University, on
her Instagram.
True
Aggie Night started in 1916 when several students at Utah State built the “Block
A” for their campus. The Block A changed locations a few times before finding a
final resting spot at the top of Old Main Hill. Despite varying locations,
students would gather in long lines to kiss on the Block A and become “True
Aggies.”
“When
we were in college it was a really exciting tradition to be a part of,” said
Tresha Haymond, who graduated from Utah State in 1990. “I see the pictures
students have now, and we didn’t have that luxury of keeping those memories.”
However
the night can be exciting for some, there are those out there feel like True
Aggie Night is not a positive experience.
Current
Utah State student JC Thomas, along with other students, took to social media
to share their side of the story.
“All
my friends want to go to True Aggie Night, but all I would rather stay in my
bed and eat ice cream,” Thomas tweeted.
“I
would like to say not going to True Aggie Night tomorrow,” said Michael Kay, a
student at Utah State, over Twitter, “why go if I’m just going to stand there
and be cold?”
Not
all the tweets have been negative, but some of the seniors have nostalgia on
their last True Aggie Night as an undergraduate.
“Last
True Aggie Night forever for me. Not sure if I can handle it,” said Jason
Charles, a graduating senior at Utah State University, over Twitter. “Many
great memories on that A.”
As
students began to share their memories over social media some things stood out
to many such as proposals to one another, members of the LBGTQIA becoming True
Aggies in front of their fellow students, and the entertaining and fun
atmosphere.
“Utah
State really does it better than most of the universities here in Utah,” said
Brittnee Peace, a student at the University of Utah. “I know a lot of the
universities have tried to recreate the atmosphere that is created in Logan,
but it just doesn’t feel the same. Almost like the other schools are trying too
hard to be like the Aggies.”
Although
Utah State was the first in the state to start the tradition, other schools
across the state have started their own version of True Aggie Night. For
example, in Orem, Utah Valley University has its “True Wolverine Night” in the
middle of their campus’ patio in front of a “UVU” fountain.
“It’s
alright down here,” said Brandon Montague, a student at Utah Valley and a True
Aggie, “but it’s better in Logan. It’s different down here, because it’s so new
and nobody really goes to it. If you’re not there in the first 10 minutes then
you’d best leave, because all the candidates would be gone.”
Other
schools like Dixie State, Weber State, University of Utah and Snow College have
similar traditions, but Utah State’s True Aggie Night started the trend.
Anyone
can become a True Aggie by receiving a kiss on the Block A under a full moon at
midnight by somebody who already is a True Aggie, or on Homecoming or A-Day by
somebody who is not.
The
100 year anniversary of True Aggie Night begins Friday night and goes through
Saturday morning. Students are encouraged to attend the event, by their student
association, as the school concludes its semester and “A Week.”
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