An Aggie’s Must-Do New Year’s Resolution Checklist
The Venn diagram of people who’ve made a new year’s resolution and people who’ve failed to keep at least one of said resolutions is, more often than not, a circle. People tend to make pledges that they believe will beautify their lives, but they often do so without taking stock of how vibrant their lives already are.
Losing weight, pledging to go on a long run at least once a week, and reading X number of books per month are all common promises people make to themselves come the first day of a new year. These types of promises become perennial because they’re the desires people fixate on throughout the year but fail to act on until January 1. But come February 1 (or maybe even sooner), many of those resolutions will already have fallen by the wayside.
What if, instead of pledging to change their lives, people pledged to recommit themselves to the things they already love? To pay attention to the people, places, and things in their lives that have already set their souls on fire, and to then fill each and every day with more of those things? Not only are those resolutions worth keeping--and maybe even easier to keep--but they’re also the building blocks of a life worth living. These are a few of ours.
Wear More Maroon & White
If you’ve attended Texas A&M University, you know that the Aggie family--and the sense of belonging that comes with it--is something fierce. The adage “Once an Aggie, always an Aggie” rings true in the Texas A&M community for both current and former students alike. But no matter how strong the traditions or how passionate the community, it can be hard to feel that connection when being on the Aggie campus becomes a distant memory.
We’ve found that the quickest way to feel closer to the thousands of Texas A&M Aggies in your shoes is to simply wear the gear. Whether life’s kept you in College Station, or taken you hundreds or thousands of miles from our shared home-away-from-home, the maroon & white are one thing that can bring you back. By wearing your colors, you also invite fellow Aggies in your community to come out of the woodwork, inspiring a network you didn’t even know you had.
Say “Howdy” More
Just as maroon & white is the calling card for Aggies everywhere, so, too, is the “Howdy” greeting. And yet, if you’re anything like us, you’ve stopped saying it outside of College Station. Sure, it may not have as much ring to it as it does in a crowd of fellow Ags, but its meaning still matters.
This year, say “Howdy” more, even if only to remind yourself of the welcoming and all-encompassing attitude of Aggie’s everywhere. If you can’t say “Howdy,” still carry the spirit of Aggieland everywhere you go. Make eye contact, smile, and greet those around you with the warmth you remember from the Texas A&M campus itself. It never hurts to spread that spirit around, even (and especially) when you may not be feeling it yourself. Positivity has a way of coming back around.
Take a Picture with Reveille
Reveille is as iconic as it gets for Aggieland, both for her distinguished puppy dog looks, and for her apparent elusiveness. Reveille needs no introduction to Aggies everywhere, yet most have never actually met her. If you’re among the many who haven’t snagged a photo with the lady herself, then 2019 is the year to make it happen. Prime time for Reveille sightings? Aggie Gamedays, of course!
Attend an Aggie Gameday (or two, or more…)
As students, we know there’s nothing quite like watching the Aggies #BTHO other teams. But as former students, life sometimes gets in the way when it comes time plan to a return trip to Kyle Field. Make 2019 the year you finally return to cheer on the Ags in person, and remind yourself of all the best Gameday traditions.
Sing the Aggie War Hymn alongside thousands of your closest Aggie compatriots. Tailgate in Aggie Park. Snap a photo with the ring statue. Watch the Corps of Cadets march down Military Walk. Even though you’ve left College Station, these past times haven’t. Give yourself the opportunity to re-experience each and every one of them.
A new year calls for not just new resolutions, but also a renewal of those we’ve already made to ourselves. It’s these renewals that will make the difference come 2020, when hopefully that Venn diagram of failed resolutions is less a vacant circle, and more two circles meeting in the middle. Though we’re only at the beginning, this year, like those before it, will most definitely pass in the blink of an eye. That’s why it’s okay if you don’t tackle everything you said you would--so long as you find time to reinvest in the existing loves of your life, whether those loves are people, places, hobbies, or anything else worth waking up for.
Welcome to 2019, Ags, and gig ‘em! We’ll see you in College Station.