Itszack:
I figured I’d get back to directly answering your questions/concerns in a more general fashion.
You’ve seen earlier replies from at least four other graduates (two who are of the “vintage” I come from – one of whom hopefully has a son entering the Class of 2017). I graduated in 1982 and my own son graduated in 2012. As you can note from the various replies, a sea going life and career has indeed changed over the past 30 years. That said I don’t think, looking at what my son is seeing starting his career, that really changes the root answers to your four specific questions. Here’s my two cents:
“Would the USMMA give me a chance to see and experience the world?”
My answer is a simple, direct, resounding – YES. As noted while time for sightseeing, etc. during sea year, and the early part of your career while sailing and satisfying your “obligation”, is necessarily different than any sort of “touring” or “backpacking around the world” or “semester abroad experience” etc. and you certainly are less likely to have a bunch of snapshots of you on the Eiffel Tower, etc.; working – actually working, whether it’s on a ship as a cadet or otherwise somewhere outside you normal culture and environs is, in this old fart’s opinion where and how you truly will experience the world in a way that is unique to USMMA while you are there, and to USMMA and State Maritime Academy Graduates following your graduation. I could write eons about that but, I have found repeatedly that actually working with people from other cultures be they Germans in German y or Turkey; Turks in Turkey; Alabamians in Huntsville or Northern Californians in the SF Bay Area, etc. who have different cultural perspectives from this born and bred US East Coaster have been by far the best and most broadening experiences in my career. It gives you an understanding of them and their culture that no amount of touring can begin to give you. It will be a source of capability that you will likely not even fully appreciate you offer your employers and customers throughout your life.
“Is the time not spent at sea strictly regimented with check-ins and time-killing tasks?”
My answer in an attempt to be even handed is to point out two paradoxical things: 1) assuming you finish your USMMA degree in the preferred four year course of study – which is the best way to do it for lots of reasons, mainly it’s the best way to make sure you do in fact graduate
– you will complete four plus years of Bachelor Levels coursework during your ~3 years on campus. So that ends up being the focus of most members of the regiment of midshipmen – whether they realize it or not. As such the amount of regimented, time-killing activities, etc. really varies from personal perspective. However, while it’s not Annapolis or West Point, USMMA is a 24/7 regimental system when you are on campus. Further your first year, plebe year, privileges/so called “class rates” limit what you can and can’t do and the things you and your classmates will do to break the boredom and monotony of the months between reporting in July and the following June Graduation Weekend while you live “a plebe’s life” will indeed not be like what your friends at “normal colleges” are doing at all. Third and Second Class years – SO & JR at regular schools – are short, more normal and more interesting because of your sea year splits and by First Class (SR Year) you are well used to the life and likely wouldn’t want to know anything else – besides you have the underclass to lead… At the end of the day – this ends up being a personal question, every Mid asks themselves along with “Is this worth it for me” at least a couple times during their time at USMMA.
“Would there be enough off time following graduation for traveling, camping, and whatever else comes to mind?”
Think this has pretty much been well answered by earlier respondents, but I’ll just add my simple, heck yes, and more-so than for those who graduate from most other places in my view, to the crowd. USMMA grads generally share an ethos of work hard – play hard following making sure they “take care of business” first. Not that I’m biased on that.
“If so, what jobs out of the academy would this possible with?”
If you are asking relative to the above and from the perspective of “right out of the academy” as in the first five years following graduation, then the answer is pretty simple – satisfying your obligation to the US Government, sailing in some capacity on your Merchant Mariner Document (MMD/License) and satisfying your reserve obligation through the predominate post-graduation choice as a USNR officer. You’ll have as much or more vacation time available to you for any of that sort of stuff or alternative things such as graduate school, etc. as with any other early career choice and it will be generally be in larger blocks than most college graduates new hires get to have.
Good Luck, hope these answers help. Acta Non Verba!
