Herds of elephants roamed the A&M campus Tuesday afternoon as an annual tradition was observed.

Elephant Walk, or E-Walk, has seniors - with their duty to the 12th Man and their days at the university almost over - wandering across campus like elephants looking for a place to die. In 1993, the tradition was expanded to include junior students in a separate E-Walk.

The two classes gathered for their walks at 1:45 p.m., with the senior class stepping off from the 12th Man statue outside Kyle Field at 2:10 (symbolizing their class year). The juniors started at 2:11 from the arches in the Corps of Cadets quadrangle.

After wandering around campus, taking separate routes, both classes met at Kyle Field where they were addressed by Former First Lady Barbara Bush.

"Some traditions, including the elephant walk, even predate George and me," she told the crowd. "At ages 85 and 84...he's 85...we take great joy in finding things older than we are."

Mrs. Bush also urged her audience to embrace their future. "My advice to you is to look at the uncertainty as exciting. What lies ahead could be beyond your expectations. That certainly was true for us."

Following the address, class pictures were taken. Then the group made the final leg of their journey to Fish Pond.