Summertime in Aggieland

I don’t think there is any institution that more different from WM than Texas A&M. A&M has 46,000 students, WM has 8,000.

A&M has a campus that spreads for miles (I know because I got lost on a run… and an hour and a half later I found my Res Hall). WM as we all know is a cozy campus.

The Division of Student Affairs at A&M has over 2,000 employees. I think the Division at WM has around 200.

However, you’d be hard pressed to find another school that is so similar to William and Mary in its love and embrace of its past and traditions. Aggies bleed maroon and the sense of community is indeed palpable. This is perhaps what drew me most to this place, knowing that there was another community that cherished its bonds as much as we cherish those formed behind the brick walls of William and Mary.

I have come to realize that the only true difference between A&M and WM is the sheer size. Think about it. If the only difference is size, how much then must A&M feel and operate like a small school. The students here are friendly, open and welcoming, just as they are in Williamsburg. Tribe students are just as passionate about the history and traditions of their alma mater as Aggies. It just so happens the Aggies out number us about 5 to 1.

All of these similarities are what attracted me to come all this way for the summer. This is the first summer since I studied abroad with the Hispanic Studies program in Cadiz that I’ve been away from Williamsburg. My life is there. I applied for internships in North Carolina, Boston, Louisiana and here in Texas.

A&M was on a whim, solely because I had met the Grad. Assistants at a conference in Dallas. I had no intention of coming here. However, the more I spoke with people here and investigated the campus, the more I realized that this place is as close as I will ever get to Williamsburg. After the interview processes, I was lucky enough to have my choice of summer destination. I finally decided to come to A&M based on the fact that it is so similar, yet so different to WM. After being here for almost two months, I can’t think of a better experience I could hope to have.