Whether it means sleeping on concrete or in a tent for over 10 days, Aggies are known to have a passion for their school and its traditions. Students have been lining the streets outside Kyle Field since last Saturday, at halftime of the Auburn game in order to secure a spot for the Texas A&M vs. Alabama game that will take place on Oct. 7.
Telecommunication junior Sophie Villarreal has been camping out since last Sunday. After seeing the first tent set up during the Auburn game, she knew she had to act fast and her group began to camp out, Villarreal said. Composed of 17 people, her group created a schedule and assigned shifts to ensure someone was always at the tent.
“I have really enjoyed the experience,” Villarreal said. “The best part has probably been just hanging out with all of my friends and meeting our neighbors. We made a massive Excel spreadsheet so everyone could be held accountable and record the 30-hour minimum requirement.”
Villarreal has logged over 30 hours of camping since her group settled in. Although it was rewarding, Villarreal said the heat and the lack of outlets posed a strong challenge to her campout experience. Her group decided to camp out early because of how popular the Alabama game was and their love for football, Villarreal said.
“I think it’s the lore of Bama that makes it so popular,” Villarreal said. “When people think of Alabama and our rivalry, when it comes to their games, anybody and everybody is going to be out there.”
Aerospace engineering senior James Rushing said he slept overnight at Kyle Field to secure his tickets. His group consisted of nine students who did rotations waiting in line in their tent.
“As a senior, I really want to make this last year count,” Rushing said. “I have been pulling tickets this entire season because I think it is an important part of Aggie culture. Ticket pull is one of those traditions that make A&M so special, it is so unique and it is so cool to be a part of it.”
Rushing said future campers should come prepared and bring their electronics charged. Due to the high occupancy of outlets, the electricity near Kyle Field would go out frequently, leaving campers with no charging stations or even having their fans turned off in the middle of the night in the scorching heat, Rushing said.
As a graduating animal science senior, Emily Summers said she wanted to go all out and camp out. Alongside nine of her closest friends, Summers said her group spent hours outside Kyle in hopes of scoring the best seats possible.
“This was my first time camping out,” Summer said. “We only came with two chairs and a blanket but it was fun to see how all-out people go for ticket pull. I got to Kyle [Field] at 4:00 a.m. and spent four hours waiting in line.”
Summer said the community was friendly. Despite the chaos of Monday morning pull, other Aggies would come bringing breakfast and donuts for people waiting in line.
“No one does it like A&M,” Rushing said. “We take it further because our students care so much. That’s why I do it. I want to get a good view, get some good seats, and BTHO of Alabama this Saturday.”
