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GIELIFE
The Battalion
Page
24, 2003
Where have all the howdies gone?
Students wonder whether the traditional Aggie greeting is fading
By Crystal Polasek
THE BATTALION
Just a quick glance and they had passed him by. Not a smile, a
wave, a greeting or even a second look. They hurried off, appearing
unconcerned about welcoming a new student to the campus. Brian
Hujowski, a sophomore biology major, compared his first day at col
lege to being on a busy street in New York City.
“I was told I’d come here and everyone would treat you like fami
ly. But the truth was no one cared whether I felt welcome,” Hujowski
said. “I remember thinking to myself, T am supposed to be in College
Station, not Grand Central Station.”
Hujowski spent much of his freshman year at Texas A&M with
only a few friends he had known in high school. He said it wasn’t
homesickness that made him feel isolated but that fellow Aggies did
n’t really exemplify the type of camaraderie he had heard all Aggies
possess. He heard true friendliness existed on campus, not just on the
football field.
“I spent two weeks in Aggieland before I heard someone other than
a Corps member or Fish Camp counselor say howdy to me,” Hujowski
said. “I wondered, ‘where had howdy gone?’”
Many A&M graduates and visitors have asked the same question.
They say the greeting is not extended as openly on campus today as it
was in the past.
Amanda Barnett, Class of 1988, said she believes the howdy tradi
tion is a vital part of being an Aggie and, after visiting campus recent
ly, fears it is facing extinction.
“I hadn’t been on campus during the week since I graduated, but
when I got here, it didn’t feel like Aggieland. I walked from the
(Memorial Student Center )to the Pavilion without having anyone say
a word to me,” Barnett said. “I said ‘howdy’ to a few people. They did
n’t even say it back.”
Kurt Johnson, Class of 1996, remembered visiting the campus as a
high school junior. He said the feeling of welcome was almost over
whelming because everywhere he went, Aggies would say howdy and
look him in the eye.
“Ultimately, I decided to come to A&M because everyone was so
friendly,” Johnson said.“I wanted to be a part of the family here, and I
think a lot of students come looking for that fellowship. When I felt
depressed, 1 just walked around on campus and some fellow Aggie
would talk to me or at least say ‘howdy.’”
It may be true the howdy tradition is not carried on today as it was
in the past, but while some Aggies want the tradition to thrive, some
say they don’t care if howdy exists at all.
“I know people will tell me I am a 2-percenter for saying this, but I
don’t really care if people say ‘howdy’ or not. I don’t have time to stop
and say ‘hi’ to every person I see on campus. I am too busy for that,”
said Steven Trent, a junior business management major.
Aggies who share Trent’s indifference toward the tradition include
Jessica Madison, a sophomore environmental science major.
Madison said she doesn’t mind if people don’t talk to her on cam
pus and isn’t too worried about the howdy tradition lasting. She said
there are other traditions that are more important.
“Why can’t we worry about Bonfire instead? Howdy isn’t a very
big deal. People say it now and then and there are shirts that say it,”
Madison said. “Why bother to say it to complete strangers? What is it
supposed to mean anyway?”
Traditions Council says the word “howdy” has come to symbolize
the friendliness of the A&M campus.
Jenny McBee, a senior chemistry major, is a member of Howdy
Ags, a student organization that seeks to promote the howdy tradition
on campus. She said howdy is in trouble and desperately needs to be
said more among students. McBee also said there is more to howdy
than friendliness.
“It preserves the camaraderie between us and keeps the Aggie spir
it alive for everyone,” McBee said. “It’s a way of saying ‘Hey, I’m an
Aggie too! I’ll be here for you if you ever need help,’ or ‘Hey, hope you
have a good day. It’s great to see you.’”
McBee said Howdy Ags was formed because there has been a
severe decline in the use of the howdy greeting since 1997. She said it
is rarely heard during the week just passing on the sidewalks and it
should be used more.
To promote the howdy tradition. Howdy Ags has designated
members to walk around on campus with coupons for free T-shirts.
Aggies are encouraged to say howdy to people as they walk to class
,and if they happen to greet a member of Howdy Ags, they could win
a free X- shirt.
“I think it’s a great idea. I don’t want to see the tradition die before
I graduate. I don’t want to be in the class who failed to uphold an Aggie
tradition,” said Brittany Nickleson, a freshman English major.
“I don’t want to greet someone in 20 years and just say ‘hi.’ I want
to say ‘howdy’ because it means I am a true Aggie who cares about
making sure people feel welcome around me. No one should feel lone
ly around an Aggie.”
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Come talk to us on December 2nd
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