Editor’s Note: This essay is part of the Texas Horn’s 2026 Inaugural Journal, “The Soul of the University.” Contact us here to request a hard copy of the journal.
On a warm October night, the UT Tower glows burnt orange, casting its light across the Main Mall. Beneath it, students chant, cheer, or simply sit in awe — a ritual repeated for decades, yet never quite the same. This is more than school spirit. It’s tradition. And at the University of Texas, tradition is the invisible thread stitching together generations of Longhorns.
But what do these rituals actually mean? In a campus constantly evolving, can traditions still shape the soul of the Forty Acres — or are they relics clashing with modern identity?
The University of Texas at Austin, founded in 1883, has long cultivated traditions that serve as cultural anchors for its sprawling campus of over 50,000 students. From the echoing notes of “The Eyes of Texas” to the ubiquitous Hook ’em Horns hand sign, these symbols are not just ceremonies — they are institutions in themselves.
The UT Tower, perhaps the most iconic of all, is illuminated in burnt orange to mark significant victories and milestones. First lit in 1937, the Tower’s celebratory glow has become synonymous with success and pride.
Another campus institution, the Longhorn Band — widely called the “Showband of the Southwest” — was founded in 1900 and has performed at every in-state football game since, as well as many historic events. The band now numbers over 375 members and continues to play a central role in rallying school spirit at athletic and campus events.
At their best, traditions offer students something more profound than pageantry. They create what anthropologists call “collective effervescence” — a shared emotional experience that strengthens group identity. Émile Durkheim coined the term in 1912 to explain how rituals forge cohesion in communities. In the context of UT, these traditions serve as rites of passage that embed students in the university’s historical narrative. Sociologists argue that such rituals are especially crucial at large public universities, where students often struggle to find belonging.
Yet traditions are not static. They live — and sometimes die — in the court of public opinion. Few examples illustrate this better than the controversy surrounding “The Eyes of Texas.”
Written in 1903, the song has come under scrutiny for its origins, which include early performances at minstrel shows. In 2020, following student protests and petitions, the university formed a committee to investigate its history. The resulting 58-page report concluded that while the song was performed in racially insensitive contexts, its intent had evolved over time.
In 2021, Former President Jay Hartzell announced the university would keep the song but strongly rejected hateful backlash
“People who target our students with hateful views do not represent the values of the Longhorn community,” Hartzell wrote.
The debate over “The Eyes” revealed deeper questions: Who decides what traditions endure? And can a university preserve its legacy while addressing the moral demands of the present?
Tradition is not limited to what is old. Every generation leaves its own cultural footprint. In recent years, new customs have taken shape — like Bevo Blvd’s tailgates, student-led mental health awareness weeks, and viral TikTok dances filmed on campus landmarks.
The digital age has transformed how traditions spread and evolve. For UT, that means tradition is no longer simply handed down — it is co-created, shaped by each incoming class.
What, then, is the soul of campus? It may not lie in any single tradition but in the act of remembering, re-imagining, and recommitting to the values those traditions represent. Whether lighting the Tower or questioning the lyrics of a school song, Longhorns shape the culture they inherit.
Traditions are not relics of a static past. They are, at their best, vessels for memory, identity, and transformation. In the hands of students, they continue to breathe — and in doing so, they animate the soul of campus.
