Elephant Walk
The tradition of Elephant Walk, which brings the senior class together for a symbolic final walk through campus, is one of the oldest at Texas A&M University.
Elephant Walk
Elephant Walk started in 1922 after the Aggies lost the first two games of their football season. The disappointed freshman Class of 1926 marched around Kyle Field, led by two members of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. They played the funeral march, trying to break the team's "curse."
When the Class of 1926 became seniors, they decided to take one final walk around the campus together. This was a time to remember their days in Aggieland and the friends and memories they had made. They walked single file around campus, each man with his hand on the shoulder of his friend before him. An observer noted they "looked like elephants, about to die." The tradition of Elephant Walk was born.
Elephant Walk is held annually before the last home football game and marks the end of the usefulness of the Aggie seniors to the student body. During the symbolic nighttime walk through campus, thousands of seniors join hands and wander through campus, stopping to hear speakers at signature campus landmarks. The Elephant Walk line has been known to stretch a mile as 3,000 seniors sprawl across campus.
More Texas A&M Traditions
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Learn about Reveille, Texas A&M University's mascot and "first lady" of Aggieland.