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My Aggie Story

“Howdy!” I said into the microphone, praying my voice didn’t crack.

The room instantly grew silent and a resounding, “HOWDY!” came back at me.

“That’s so cool!” I said under my breath.

Aggie Muster 2008 -- Mickey Roos in Franklin, TN
Aggie Muster 2008 — Mickey Roos in Franklin, TN

It was April 21, 2008, and it was the first time I chaired Muster for the Middle Tennessee Texas A&M Club. It was also the first time I addressed a large group of Aggies at one time. My hands shook, and I hoped what I learned in public speaking in college eight years prior would come back to me as I went along.  Little did I know, this was only the first of countless other events I’d find myself in front of Aggies over the next several years.

A&M Mess Hall -- Late 1940s
A&M Mess Hall — Late 1940s — From my grandparents archives.

My journey as an Aggie started long before I was born. My grandfather (on my dad’s side) and my uncle (on my mom’s side) both worked at Texas A&M in the mess hall (cafeteria to other universities.) Later my dad attended Texas A&M, pursuing an Accounting degree.

I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a healthy dose of maroon and white in my wardrobe. My high school happened to be maroon & grey, and Fridays we were encouraged to wear the school colors. I’d guess a solid 90% of the time (the other 10% were high school days in band and color guard) I wore something Texas A&M to school.

I. Bleed. Maroon.

Check that awesome TAMU t-shirt!
Check that awesome TAMU t-shirt!

The ONLY  university I applied to in high school was Texas A&M. It would have been considered foolish had the top 10% rule not applied then, and I was guaranteed acceptance. But I am pretty sure had that not applied, I would have still only submitted ONE application.

While I did opt to attend Temple College for two years first (a financial decision I am very grateful for today!), through friends who went straight to A&M, I still got to experience some key things… like the candle light walk and Midnight Yell after Bonfire collapsed in 1999, and “the 12th Man’s Finest Hour” when we, going in as the underdogs, came back to defeat the Longhorns that November day.

1999 Texas A&M vs Texas Game with Lindsey
1999 Texas A&M vs Texas Game with Lindsey

While at Texas A&M, I worked at the school newspaper, The Battalion, and, ironically, that was the extent of my involvement as a student.

Oh I attended Yell and football games. I did make it to one Silver Taps, and Muster was something I could not miss. I got tickets to a few shows with MSC Opas. And of course there was E-Walk, and Elephant Walk.

Yell Leaders at Elephant Walk
Yell Leaders at Elephant Walk

I was standing with my fellow Aggies in the MSC when I found out about the towers falling on 9/11. I sat on George Bush Drive in the gridlock that night, trying to get to Reed Arena for memorial that night (eventually giving up and going home). I was in the red section of the Red, White and Blue Out game.

Red, White & Blue Out
Red, White & Blue Out

I lived off-campus, actually opting to drive an hour one-way for most of my time at A&M. Gas wasn’t so expensive back then, and I chose a new truck over an apartment. (I even had personalized A&M plates!)

When I graduated, I wrote “Happy Hour” across my cap. An ironic foreshadowing of my days to come as a bartender? Perhaps. But it was a proud moment when I walked across that stage and shook hands with Robert Gates, who would later become the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense .

Happy Hour indeed!
Happy Hour indeed!

Since I was a transfer student, I didn’t receive my Aggie Ring until after I graduated… but it stands as one of my most prized possessions. I never leave home without it on, and I stare at it now and then in awe that I have it. Its one of my favorite things to photograph. When I sent it off to be fixed, when the band cracked, I felt naked without it… and the day it was shipped back to me I slept on the couch beside the front door so I could be RIGHT THERE when it came home.

You’d have to be an Aggie to understand all it means.

Ring Day
Ring Day

When I moved to Nashville, the only friends I had were ones through my (future) husband. And while I was so grateful for those friends, a big part of me was determined to reach out and make friends on my own. My first place to look: the local A&M club.

I was disappointed to find the club was disjointed, and barely even able to be called a club at that time. Through a series of emails, I finally reached out to someone who was trying to bring it back to life and he invited me to join him and some other Aggies to watch the Texas A&M vs Oklahoma game that weekend. With my fiance on the road for work, I set out all by myself with a GPS in my new city to find new friends. Without a doubt one of the gutsiest things I’ve ever done… and without a doubt one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Game Watching Party in 2009
Game Watching Party in 2009

Over the course of the next year, I slowly immersed myself into the club… gently taking over many of the reins. I pretty much made myself an officer, and before I knew it I felt I had a very solid group of Aggie friends to call my own.

It all led up to organizing Muster in 2008, and every single year since then. This year will be my 9th year as chair.

Aggie Muster 2011
Aggie Muster 2011

But every year, our club grew. Every year, more Aggies started to appear and become friends. The year we hit over 100 Aggies in attendance for Muster was the year I thought, “Wow! We did it! This is huge!”

Then.

Texas A&M joined the SEC.

To say that day didn’t leave me in something of a cold sweat would be an understatement. Because it meant SOMEDAY, Texas A&M would be coming to town. And I had placed myself right in the hot seat of planning all the events around their game versus Vanderbilt.

Suddenly that first, “Howdy!” was a distant memory and not such a big deal after all…

So in my planning of the events around Vandy, I went to campus and visited the newly renovated Kyle Field.
So in my planning of the events around Vandy, I went to campus and visited the newly renovated Kyle Field.

In the mean time, another door opened for me in the form of a golf tournament. I don’t golf. I don’t know a darn thing about golf. But I know bartending events. I know photography. And I love, love, love helping others.

The Nashville ACC-SEC Leadership Counsel came into my life, and it brought with it more friendships. I found myself embracing the opportunity to spend time with the amazing people of this group… and I marveled over the respect I received from fellow SEC alumni. I was able to represent my university and put my own talents to work to help an awesome organization: CASA.

I’ll continue being part of this group as long as possible.

Let's golf!
Let’s golf!

News came Aggies would be coming to Nashville in 2015. Quickly this became the game the Association of Former Students started getting the most inquires about attending. Nashville being the “It” city that it is, Aggies were going to travel to visit.

Fast forward through stressing and planning, and building an extremely solid group of amazing Aggies around the execution of the events we were to put on… the day came.

Lets do this!
Lets do this!

A year of planning. A year of worry. A year of logistics all came down to the night we hit capacity at Wildhorse Saloon and Aggies started to be turned away — no one could have even fathomed that large of an attendance. No one.

Over 2,000 Aggies packed the three story venue. And even as my heart broke over the Aggies being turned away, I felt myself overwhelmed with awe of my University… the very University I was born to attend some day.

Midnight Yell at Wildhorse Saloon
Midnight Yell at Wildhorse Saloon

The next day’s tailgate was just as overwhelming and amazing. By game time, I found myself wanting nothing but to sit in silence and take it all in… take in every second. Process every success and every failure.

I opted not to go to the game, instead sitting just outside of the stadium listening to the game as the Aggies shut out the Commodores. 2015-11-21 16.44.16

At one point, a group of girls seemed to appear out of nowhere and join me at the firepit we had at the tailgate. These ladies were just what I needed in that moment. They had passion and excitement for all it meant to be an Aggie while also clearly being on the path to being professionals in their fields. They made me smile, and they grounded me from two days of madness. Making sure these women and all the Aggies visiting Music City had a good time was what it all meant.

As I hugged the necks of the representatives of the Association of Former Students, saying good bye to these new friends I so respected and appreciated, I felt relief but also a lot of sadness that it was all over.  I wasn’t ready to say good bye….

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But silly me. Two weeks later we found out the Aggies were coming BACK to Nashville for the Music City Bowl. Hey, lets do all this over again, but plan it in two weeks with Christmas right in the middle. I felt myself pressuring myself to do even better that last time.

However, this time, the Association took the lead, and I was able to relax a bit more and enjoy. Plus, since we had JUST done all these events, we knew better what to expect and how to handle it all. (By the way, though, a bowl game versus a regular season game… two totally different beasts. I learned SO MUCH about the bowl process this year!)

Midnight Yell take 2... we did it!
Midnight Yell take 2… we did it!

December 30th, I said a much more definitive good bye to the Association representatives. Okay, more like, “See ya later” but still… I definitely felt sad to see them leave. I truly enjoy them as people, and I hope to maintain friendships with them for years to come.

As we drove away from Nissan Stadium that night, I found myself feeling like my Aggie journey had lead me to that moment. We did it. We pulled off hosting Aggies in our city TWICE in less than six weeks. That was huge…

Fightin' Texas Aggie Football!
Fightin’ Texas Aggie Football!

I truly believe everything you do in life is getting you ready for the next step. Life lead me to Texas A&M. The last nine years prepared me for the game day events, as every Muster taught me something more about event planning.

Then the Vanderbilt game and the Music City Bowl lead me to learn how to delegate and give direction versus doing it all myself. It taught me to let go and trust others to do the job they have agreed to do… something I had always had a hard time with doing.

Finally, I have made connections and contacts that I will hold dearly and respectfully for years to come — both personally and professionally.

My Aggie journey began long before I was even born…

Late 1940s Bonfire -- from my grandparent's archives.
Late 1940s Bonfire — from my grandparent’s archives.

…and it has a long way to go.

I can’t wait to see whats next. Gig’em, y’all. And God Bless.

2015-12-29 23.18.42

Five on Friday: Deadhead edition

My husband and I are wrapping up a cross-country trip on an empty bus… Aka deadheading to Nashville. Now this didn’t quite go as planned. We were supposed to be home on Wednesday, but life and the bus engine decided that, no, we needed to sit in California a few extra days. (We broke down and had to be towed back to the bus shop, and it took three days to fix everything. )

We are about half-way through our trip… I’m somewhere in Oklahoma as I write this. With nothing but time and miles on my hands, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on this trip. So today’s Five on Friday is a few lessons I’ve learned over the last week…

Beachy

  1. A positive attitude really is the best attitude.  At one point my husband stopped, looked at me, and went, “You’ve been so agreeable to everything this week…” I shrugged and went, “And being bitchy would get us what? Me being upset would just upset you and we’d be miserable! It’s an adventure. Let’s roll with it and make the best of it.” And we did. And it was great!
  2. Pack for the unexpected. My mom always taught me to pack for extra days “just in case” any time we took a trip. I’ve been teased many times for over packing, but I didn’t care. Always be prepared. Mom said so, and Moms are wise. So I packed for 6 days instead of the projected 4. As such, I’m only one day short of all fresh clothes. Not bad! AND I always expect to not have food access, so I almost always have granola bars on me. A good thing when we got stuck on the side of the interstate for 11 hours. Score one for me!
  3. Live in the moment. I struggle with this one at times. Okay most of the time. I’m a planner. I am good at changing directions on a dime and thinking on my feet. But I am always looking ahead and planning. If there is one huge thing this adventure has done to me is it has forced me to live in the moment, find the peace and joy within it, and give the rest to God. It is what it is and trust it’ll all come together in its own time.
  4. I don’t deal well with not knowing. This somewhat contradicts the last point.  The only — THE ONLY —  time I had any negative feelings on this whole trip was in those hours sitting on the side of the road. Thank God we had cell service because we were in the middle of NOWHERE. Stuck at 2 am. About 4 hours from the nearest tow service. Oh and in the desert. We started feeling very forgotten and helpless for awhile.  But as soon as the phone rang and we were told help was on the way, I felt my stress level drop by 90%. So maybe I found it easier to live in the moment when I knew someone was working on the problem at hand. (Baby steps… but a big deal for a control freak!)
  5. We live in a gorgeous country.  There is a whole lot of this country I haven’t seen yet, which is almost as humbling as experiencing how much of it that I experienced this week. I had never seen the west before this week, and I frankly hadn’t thought much about it either. But I feel incredibly blessed to have seen what I did. I also feel incredibly humbled. We get so wrapped up in our personal issues. We bury our heads in Facebook, Twitter, etc. and we fail to look up and out at the world. We fail to see the bigger picture. The red rocks of New Mexico, the deserts of Arizona, the open lands of Oklahoma and the powerful Pacific Ocean will definitely take your breath away and make you realize there’s so much more to lice than getting likes on your Facebook post.

Have an amazing weekend, everyone. Take a moment to stop and just take it all in…

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