Imagine this: you’re dating a cadet and you’ve got first deck tickets to every home game. You’ve met Queen Reveille twice. Life is good.
And then, there it is. The thing that really has your lover’s attention. Whether it’s physical training at 5:45 a.m. or march-ins and football almost every Saturday in the fall, your cadet has Corps obligations that keep the two of you apart.
They may not have a contract with the military (yet), but they have to be there for formation. You know them as Brandon or Megan, but to the Corps? It’s Smith and Hendricks. Thus, it begs the question: calling your cadet by their last name in bed, yay or nay?
Have you ever seen the overdressed girlfriend, underdressed boyfriend memes? Congratulations, you’ll always know what your boo is going to wear: khakis or camouflage. With uniforms ranging from midnights to bravos, they look like 2,000 other students. We don’t need to get into the lack of hair for male cadets since there’s nothing to grab onto. It’s definitely a choice to be seen on campus holding that hand. Maybe spending an evening watching a senior cadet shine their boots isn’t so bad.
Real Aggies know the Corps is simply the largest and oldest Texas A&M fraternity. The casual sexism and homophobia add that zest every Aggie needs. At least with a frat bro, there will be parties instead of weddings every weekend. Not unlike the military, the cadets have a tendency to buy a ring and have their buddies stand under the Century Tree before Corps Review. If you’re here for a Mrs. degree, a cadet is perfect for you.
Dating someone in the Corps takes effort and security. You may not see them often enough and may find their kinship with their fellow cadets threatening. They share a hallway with a dozen others and generally keep their doors unlocked. Moreover, those hallways are inaccessible to outsiders apart from visiting hours. That’s a whole part of their life you’ll never be involved in. If you’re not secure in your relationship and yourself, we don’t recommend getting involved with a cadet.
Being a bootchaser is tough work but someone has to do it. The rest of us thank you for your service.
Love,
Bettye B(ootchaser)
