lor pui S |. I said. "| Kitive cti; 1 one ilsi 'll bepie, : -. JieonDeti ,J se from','- m anewju iroach io one that to iUnivenitj on to eas ial and car our stai i page 1 dents use tk :ttoaii(lt s. Junior * r Scott Gi ike lock ear camp for me i tbusdtfc es time." not gran: num a« es. Colt e bronze-b igue's tea ty. n put top iication,' :titor prop i League is. "to (with ork Day.” ting on Bit is year, f Aggielife ■ The Battalion Page 3 • Tuesday, November 25, 2003 An elephant never forgets Seniors take one final walk around campus, juniors E-walk their way to the top By Nancy Dubinski THE BATTALION With the much-anticipated Texas A&M vs. University of Texas football game less than a week away, the campus is consumed with the Aggie Spirit and a tradition or two. Today is the day that the fightin’ Texas Aggie Class of 2004 steps off on Kyle Field and embarks on the ceremonial final walk around cam pus. he Lea® sts Wet si wers coitf oredi cle f environ®* s, encon? ) ride oi'i ementoff ists and in i plans*! lege Si® elude aid 1 arks, scM is. “Four years ago, I learned about this walk at Fish Camp. It’s so interesting now, when I am about to do the walk, to see how far I have pro gressed and how happy I am to have spent these four years as an Aggie,” said Richie Rockwell, a senior recreation parks and tourism sciences major. “It is also neat because four years ago I had no idea that when we step off on Tuesday, I will be step ping off with my fiancee, the love of my life.” Elephant Walk for the Class of 2004 kicks off today with a speaker and pictures at 12:45, fol lowed by step off at Kyle field at 2:04 p.m. Junior E-walk steps off at 2:05p.m. at Law/Puryear Field with pictures at Kyle Field at 3 p.m. In 1922, two Corps of Cadets freshmen from the Class of 1926 began to walk around campus to the tune of a funeral march to break the “jinx” that seemed to have been cursing the football team. Other Aggies saw this and began to join in, and this quickly became a tradition for the rest of that football season, said Audrey Cobb, a senior communications major and member of Traditions Council. In 1926, these same two cadets, along with other members of their class, put on their senior boots, and, for one final time, they paraded around campus to relive the days from just a few years earlier that they remembered so fondly, Cobb said. “Elephant Walk is a big day in the Corps because, first of all, it gives the junior class the chance to step into the leadership roles for the day,” said Michael Bartle, a senior animal science major and Corps of Cadets member. “Secondly, the Zips (seniors) get to gather and relive all of the trials and struggles that they have endured to earn the right to wear their senior boots.” Elephant Walk signifies the seniors’ final days of “usefulness” to the herd and, like old elephants wandering off from the herd to die, the seniors take a final walk to symbolize their moving on u What a great show of camaraderie for the entire class to come together before going out into the world. — Whitney Brady senior animal sciences major and making way for the junior class, Cobb said “It’s a wonderful yet bittersweet time for members of the sen ior class to come together and celebrate the memories of the last three years and their love for Aggieland,” said senior animal sci ence major Whitney Brady. “What a great show of camaraderie for the entire class to come together before going out into the world.” The annual event occurs before the last home football game of the season and commences at Kyle Field, where seniors take pictures and participate in a yell prac tice. Historically, the senior class then begins to wander around campus stopping at various locations including the Quadrangle, the Lawrence Sullivan Ross Statue and Fish Pond to do more yells. “I think it’s a great tradition to take stock in what you’ve gained in coming to Texas A&M. It’s good to share this time with the friends you’ve made here and look back on the memories you’ve made with them,” said senior animal science major Courtney Jenkins. The Class of 2004 is anxiously awaiting its turn to be a part of this tra dition, but one thing seems to loom over the heads of some. “Last year at E-Walk, it was so cold and rainy that it was almost to the point of being miserable. But, together with my friends, we stuck it out and I don’t regret it,” said Stephanie Thompson, a senior agricultural economics major. “Even if it’s cold, wet and rainy, I’ll still be there because it’s ‘04’s Elephant Walk, and a little bad weather can’t stop us.” Regardless of this possible inconvenience, Thompson is looking forward to marching with*., the rest of her class. “1 guess I have high expectations for this year and I can’t wait,” she said. As the seniors are wan dering around campus, the junior class will be doing the same thing, but their walk is called Junior E-Walk, as “elephant” is senior word and therefore can only be said by members of the senior class. E- Walk symbolizes the junior class step ping up and becoming the leaders in place of the out-going seniors. Members of the Class of 2004 are preparing themselves to “leave the herd.” “I’ve always heard about it and I’m really looking forward to experiencing it,” said senior environmental design major Trent League. “I’ve seen Elephant Walks in the past and it’s exciting to finally be a senior and take part in such a great tradition.” Graphic by Gracie Arenas • THE BATTALION iersaid ins to 01# develop require rties to f ! mon pol® icalexpe® :S in, execii League lists, its are I jrairquA Voices ies to iS.” ■ C on0 cor itor ; h EdiW thief 3 Edirc* r Product naste' aureR lhat f 311 ® elv. ^ 3<0V- joaSt^ swSorlif =reen> 3ivl elal# 4 shua 1 *; id.Ca^ Sharpe. aelB# ith^ ting jiesse^ sio<; W Nl,s ' rioiu* 1 glet S NEW SHIPMENT OF LOOSE DIAMONDS! 2.08 H ROUND DIAMONDS Sll II 800 00 EGL Cert. 1.27 G Sl 2 4900 00 EGL Cert. 1.06 F Sl 3 2900 00 EGL Cert 1.00 H SI, 43 5 0 00 EGL Cert. .99 F S '2 V j;>ortu rvity to ejet a flu sliot c.inriincj tirte oamjpaigrxi, and. yon aare a ourrently enrolled strident, fin shots are available at tire Healtlr Oenterr for $13.00. 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