Thousands of Aggies were able to fill all three decks on the east side of Kyle Field at the first Midnight Yell of the 2021 season on Friday, Sept. 3.

This Midnight Yell was particularly special, as yell practices for the 2020 season were significantly limited to protect students from COVID-19, and traditions like the band gathering on the field were altered to allow for social distancing. 

On Friday night, Midnight Yell was in full swing with band members, student government representatives and others gathering on the field. The night was made even sweeter by the appearance of several athletic teams, including A&M soccer, who had just secured a 5-0 win over Sam Houston State University a few hours earlier. 

Nutrition sophomore Katie Zaza was among the sophomores participating in their first yell practice. Zaza said getting to have this first for herself, and seeing others’ excitement, made the night memorable.

“My favorite part was just looking up and seeing all the Aggies. It’s my first time, so it was really special, but I’m seeing the juniors who know what it’s like to have an Aggie yell practice and see them come back,” Zaza said. “Seeing everyone in their overalls, getting hyped to scream, and it’s awesome to see all the upperclassmen experience what they did when they were freshmen.”

This was psychology freshman Sarah Galban’s first Midnight Yell, and said to her, ‘Farmers Fight’ is the easiest yell, but she’s still learning the others because she did not attend Fish Camp.

“My favorite part of tonight is coming out with my friends. This is my first yell practice ever, and I’m excited to beat Kent State tomorrow,” Galban said on Friday.

For some, like political science and economics senior Kristen Rogers, forgetting the yells after not doing them in over a year was common.

“I think it’s cool to see everyone back. I definitely struggled to remember the yells, I’m kind of out of practice,” Rogers said. “This was the most needed yell practice in a while. I was like, ‘Can we get lyrics? I think I’m going to have to go home and ‘YouTube’ some of this.’”

Even for upperclassmen, like sociology and economics junior Kate Szymanski, the return to late nights on Kyle Field was a special moment. 

Szymanski said it was surreal to see Kyle Field so alive after nearly two years.

“It was crazy, there were so many more people than I remember there being,” Szymanski said. “We didn’t go to anything last year because we were trying to be very careful, so it’s very exciting to see everybody back. I love the War Hymn. It’s so fun, and it looks so cool when you look over and everyone’s moving together.”