Taking back the kiss
Many students wish the process of becoming a True Aggie here at USU could have a few changes. Students expressed their feelings about having a True Aggie kiss revoked, or even getting their personal slate of kisses on top of the famous Block A wiped clean.
Shane Mickelsen, junior in vocal performance, said his first True Aggie kiss was an experience he would like to forever erase from his memory. He described it as terrible, pressured and even outright disgusting.
After living with the memory of this night for almost a year, Mickelsen came up with an idea to have the kiss revoked. He said if this could happen he would gain his “True Aggie virginity” back, and he might get a second shot of having that first kiss on the Block A be the magical one he always pictured.
“I won’t lie, the night all of this happened, I just wanted some action,” Mickelsen said, “but I was too scared to find action, so action found me. It wasn’t the type action I was looking for, because it was sick. I mean, I practically got my lips chewed off my face.”
Mickelsen said he finds comfort in the idea of getting his kiss revoked. Doing so would make it possible for him to redeem himself at a future True Aggie night. If he did redeem himself, he said he would want that to count as the kiss that officially made him a True Aggie.
Alyson Shepherd, Student Alumni Association president, said she finds the idea of having a True Aggie kiss revoked funny. She said although it would be funny, it is not a bad idea either. Shepherd also referred to her own personal experiences with True Aggie kisses.
“I am a third-time True Aggie, but if I could, I would take away the first two kisses,” Shepherd said. “I think people need to realize they have to choose carefully, but if they made a mistake, they should be able to get a second chance.”
Shepherd finished by saying whether students have a bad experience with their first True Aggie kiss or not, they still need to take part in the tradition and keep it going forever.
Student Alumni Association member and Traditions vice president, Megan Darrington, said the process of revoking a kiss is not necessary.
“Students can become a True Aggie anytime,” Darrington said. “They shouldn’t focus on only the first kiss they got. They should find someone else to make a great True Aggie moment with and focus on that.”
Megan Hanselman, junior in public relations, said she thinks the process of revoking kisses is a good idea. She said she herself wishes some of her True Aggie kisses could be taken away.
“I think the idea of giving yourself somewhat of a clean slate is awesome, especially if you want to do it in order to make a better memory of your official True Aggie kiss,” Hanselman said. “Being a True Aggie is one of the only things besides your degree that you can take away from Utah State, and if you have a bad memory to look back on, you should be able to replace it with a better one.”
Aubree Muhlestein, junior in speech pathology, agreed with Hanselman.
“A lot of people get pressured into it when they’re not ready,” Muhlestein said. “Others have found someone special in their life they wish was their True Aggie, and some just get stuck with someone who’s a terrible kisser, and that’s not fair to them.”
Some students have a different view on the whole debate. Stephanie Bruner, senior in elementary education, said the whole idea is ridiculous.
“No, people shouldn’t be able to revoke a True Aggie kiss because it is a long-standing tradition,” Bruner said, “and why should we be able to change it all of the sudden when that hasn’t been the case for all other past True Aggies?”
Bruner also said there were indirect effects of having a kiss revoked. She said if someone did go through this and have their kiss taken away, it would affect everyone else they ever kissed or made a True Aggie.
Bruner said it would be a long confusing line of people revoking their kisses and taking away the kisses they gave to everyone who wasn’t a True Aggie.
“The whole system would be to confusing, and in the end it just wouldn’t work out,” Bruner said. “Students need to learn they have to put a lot of thought and maybe even effort into that big moment on top of the Block A, and if they create a bad memory, deal with it.”
–nicholas.peterson@aggiemail.usu.edu