I would also like to know the answer to this, my mom seems to be worried that I wont be treated well while there.
The hardest part for many women is the fine line b/t "being one of the guys" and maintaining your femininity. I found that the women who tended to be happiest and most successful were "one of the team" rather than "one of the guys" and yet were comfortable being women (not just mids) when that was appropriate.
The biggest thing that you can do as a woman to prove yourself, especially early on, is to BE IN SHAPE, especially when it comes to RUNNING. Take it from someone who was physically fit (not overweight), could do pushups and situps and swim, etc. but could not run well for the life of me. It was noticed.
So, ladies out there, if you do nothing else between now & I-Day, work on your speed and endurance in running. Be able to run 7:00 minute miles or better for 3-5 miles and you'll be golden. You don't have to outrun the guys -- you just want to be in the pack with the women (and be able to outrun the slow guys). I cannot stress this enough.
As for everything else, don't stress. Women now make up nearly 25% of the brigade (as compared to 8% in my day). There are lots of other women in your class and in the brigade as a whole. You'll be fine from a safety standpoint, a harrassment/hassling standpoint . . . and you'll make female and male friends for life.
So, ladies out there, if you do nothing else between now & I-Day, work on your speed and endurance in running. Be able to run 7:00 minute miles or better for 3-5 miles and you'll be golden. You don't have to outrun the guys -- you just want to be in the pack with the women (and be able to outrun the slow guys). I cannot stress this enough.
7 minutes? Uh, oh im in big trouble for a person thats never played a sport. How do I even get down to a 7 minutes mile? just run?
7 minutes? Uh, oh im in big trouble for a person thats never played a sport. How do I even get down to a 7 minutes mile? just run?
Check with the track coach at your h.s., even if you don't run track. Tell him/her your goals and where you are now in terms of running fitness and ask for help with a program. (The USNA one works well too).
The key is NOT to quit in June. It's very easy once you start graduation week, beach week, whatever week to start sitting around and munching popcorn. Be sure to stick w/your program until a day or two before I-Day.
Guys should be able to run 6:00-6:15 miles for 3-5 miles to keep up with the middle of the pack of guys. I think the only thing worse than a slow female runner is a guy who is slower than the mainstream girls (not the female trackletes).