I day advice please

Is it possible to visit the booths and get info without eating there? Maybe we should rethink this and go......
 
Looking back at I-Day and offering advice:

I-Day is a flurry of activity in the beginning of the day when you drop off your soon to be mid. As parents, you have 8+ hours of dead time in the middle to account for. At the end of the day is the swearing in ceremony and the final 60 minutes on Stribling walk to say goodbye to your plebe.

The beginning and end of the day events are scripted and have set times. The key to the day is what do you do with that 8+ hours of dead time.

Weather - The weather in Annapolis in July will likly be very hot and very humid. Finding places with AC will become important. As suggested Dalgren or the museum are some options.

Mid-store - The mid-store on I-Day is like going to a Costco or a Sams club with a huge sale on. Once you go in you will be hard pressed not to walk out with a least $300-500 worth of NAVY stuff. The problem is you have to carry that stuff around all day. My suggestion would be to shop the mid-store early and head back to the hotel to drop off the bags of stuff.

The brief in Alumni Hall - It's worth the time and suggest you go.

Picnic - It's an OK time and you do end up talking with other parents but overall I found that families tend to stick together and there is no great bonding experience. If you decide to do something else for lunch, no big deal.

Swearing in Ceremony - Seating and viewing are at a premium. Suggest go early and stake out a spot.
 
newnavymom: As you walk in to the tent, I seem to recall they took your tickets for the picnic. The booths are inside.........
 
So, jennyp . . .:confused: I need things spelled out for me.

We need to pay the $20/head in order to go into the area where I can get the info and freebies being dispensed by various organizations.

I'm ok with that; I just want to know up front.

Janet
 
we didn't eat at the picnic 3 years ago and had no trouble going wherever we wanted and getting access to whatever we wanted.
 
There you go, jbowman. I cannot imagine they would restrict you from the booths, but was just saying that they are inside the tent and if I recall correctly, they took our tickets as we entered. And handed me a tote bag at the same time. I remember the "BBQ" to be ok. Not J. Cody's or C&S (did I get that right?) but good just the same.
 
If I remember correctly Booths under the tent are free to everyone. You don't need to pay for the picnic food to access the tent. There are a lot of people giving away information and free stuff. Navey Federal, Alumni Association, maybe a helicopter static display etc. etc... If you have ever been to a conference for your company it is just like that. Wander through and get all the information you need.
 
You know, looking back on it, I have NO IDEA what my parents did all day on I-Day. I don't even remember if we got to see them after the Oath of Office -- I THINK we did. Unfortunately, they're no longer alive, so I can't ask them.

During the day, do what YOU want to do. Don't worry about what you're "supposed" to do -- no one cares. If the picnic sounds good to you, do it. If it sounds crappy, skip it.

IF you choose to try to catch sight of your mid coming off the bus or whatever, please realize that it's meaningful to you, not your mid. He/she will be so focused on what's going on, trying to do the right thing, etc., that the very LAST thing he/she will think about is trying to see you. If it happens, you may get a smile, but that's about it. Again, I have NO memory of seeing my parents between the time they dropped me off at Halsey (in our day) and . . . not really, after the Oath.

I definitely remember many other great times, like eating an ice cream sundae to celebrate my 18th BD just before going back for Hell Night.:smile:

Be there for the drop-off and the post-Oath visit. Relax! Your child will do fine and be fine. And you'll justifiably be very proud!
 
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