Acceptance Day - Box

[kumano]

My son will be part of the newly arriving cadets in June from Illinois. I saw on a couple of forums that you can have a box sent to the cadet and have it labeled hold for acceptance day. They will deliver it to him on that date. At this point I am unsure if I will be able to attend that day, with it only being 3 hours.

From others experience have you heard of such a thing being allowed. Items for the box have been suggested: new underwear, socks, paper, stamps,some small snacks, alarm clock with no music, lint roller, small first aid kit. Pictures for desk.

Thanks for the information ahead of time.

 

[scraper]

Acceptance Box

Do not mail that box unless it will arrive very close to Acceptance day. You have plenty of time to decide on that. Last year we brought food for some of our cadets squadmates and some basicc needs for our cadet, other parents will do the same thing. Things change, squads have their own rules. I believe one picture and the alarm clock is good, everything else is contraband. Do not mail letters to their PO Box until I day.
Then as often as you like or want, though they will not be able to pick it up often as it will be deemed a priviledge. School supplies, folders,paper,printer.yes they will like wearing their underwear from home.

 

[marciemi]

Your son will have plenty of time to write you over the summer and will make sure to do so in order to let you know what he needs in that box! We got a lot of funny letters from my son that would change topic very abruptly - like "I really appreciate everything you did for me now that I'm here and can't wait to see you guys. I think I've really matured over the past few weeks. Oh, and send lots of candy!" I know someone last year posted a list of things they might even possibly want and I printed it all out and sent it to him in a letter and had him circle everything he "needed".

I will suggest though that things like the underwear he could bring with him on I Day. My son brought about 5 pairs of boxers (just in case!) and of course they took them on I Day, but once they moved into their Academic Squads (about 4 days before A Day), he was given them back (as said above, this may vary by squad). He'd brought plain white ones and had heard from some others that they could even wear them during Beast but that wasn't the case for him. I also sent him a self-addressed stamped envelope in each letter I wrote with a blank piece of paper inside - most to us, but a few to his GF, grandparents, etc.

We also started mailing letters at least a couple days before I Day just so he'd have some if they got them in the first few days, but it was at least a week before he was allowed to go. I believe he said the first time he went to the PO, he had 21 letters! So it's probably not necessary to send any early but I might send one just in case.

 

[Texas2013]

Regarding letters from home during Beast...I recommend that you and family members number your letters from home because basics will often receive a stack of letters all at once and it helps them to know which order they arrived. Just a thought.