Here is a question that is sorta related (ok, not really). Can someone tell me the basic itinetary for parents on I-day?
I wrote this last year after Iday:
Random Iday Thoughts/opinions and nonsense ramblings....
I would say overall Iday was harder for the entire family then we expected.
A general description of the day:
We dropped son off at his assigned report time (9:15am). We took him to the Alumni Hall hugged him goodbye and he went into the Hall. We tried to catch glimpses of him on the United States Naval Academy Yard throughout the day. But we couldn't find him (luckily friends found him and took some photos). We searched for him (no luck), went to the parents picnic (you buy tix in advance -the form is in the PTR packet), meandered around and watched other kids having to scream their rates from the roof of the midstore (it was a bummer because I knew this would be hard for my son-he later told us that this was very hard for him), we took a tour (go to the room that simulates being on a ship-I literally got seasick and had to leave), went to a parent briefing and then got him food at Chick & Ruths Delly for after the oath. basically we wandered around in a hot-sweaty-daze.
At 6:00pm we watched him march in with 1,000 other plebes take the oath and then we met for our allotted 45 minutes to say our goodbyes.
The good…
Preparation as parents:
When you get closer to report time parents get information about a class specific (in our case 2017) parents only face book page. We joined. It was RIDICULOUSLY HELPFUL. As a parent you get all of the information you need to make the entire process easier. From knowing what to have them pack to what you should bring. The moderator has four current/past mids and is full of great information and patiently re-answers every question asked multiple times. The number one thing that I had for me was a big floppy hat. The sun was very hot. They tell you that you will do a lot of walking. Everyone’s idea of a lot is different. I would say we walked 15 miles on Iday alone. We partnered up with good friends for the wkend who also had a 2017 and that mom guessed the same mileage. This was not a day for the younger aged siblings or the grandparents who would have trouble with the heat and walking. It is
18 hours straight in the sun and walking uphills, over bridges, up/downstairs.
The bad…
At 6:00pm we watched him take the oath, and then we met for our allotted 45 minutes to say our goodbyes. He met us at our designated spot
completely bald with the ugliest glasses you've ever seen. We sat down on a disposable plastic table cloth and had the small picnic dinner we had brought him (thank goodness we were told to bring him dinner because he hadn't eaten the entire day. (they do get a boxed lunch but because his report time was so late he never got to it)
During our 45 minute goodbye picnic he told us how hard it was. He was stoic. There were other plebes
crying and you could see them, so it could have been worse but is still seemed really bad to me (His mama). We were later told that some kids left right then and there.
My son was not really prepared. Honestly I read this forum all the time so I new and I warned him over and over and even showed him some posts from this forum, but he didn't comprehend or process or get it. He thought it would be like NASS (he reported that to be the best wk of his life). It was nothing like NASS. He thought it would be hard but didn't think it would be hard for
him. Surprise. He had a very late report time which made things much harder (no food the entire day, always one step behind where he needed to be etc). He didn't to get his room yet, so hadn't yet meet his roommates, didn't know where his wallet was (and this stressed him out), they made him throw his contacts in the trash and he was mad about that. He wasn't overwhelmed by the yelling, he got yelled at by Russian coaches all day long (and I am a yeller) BUT He didn't like the feeling of failing at everything he did
all day. I know this was hard for all of the kids. And I know the purpose of it. But it is a bit hard to watch.
I couldn't believe how much they already learned in one day. And there were already some differences. He kept asking what time it was. (in the past he considered 15 minutes late to actually be early).
But overall, it was harder than he expected which made it harder than I expected. Honestly that night my husband had nightmares and I had to keep waking him up. So I guess we weren't prepared either. Hopefully we will get a letter home that will be better or maybe when he gets to call home…
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AS an update....we never did get that letter home. One OTHER way he wasnt prepared is that he honestly didnt know how to address an envelope. seriously?!? He put name,town and state, and that was it. We didn't hear from him until the first phone call two weeks later. He handed me those letters on PPW.
And as another update: my plebe now loves it there!