What to pack for I day and send in care packages

howacupcake

howacupcake

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
247
I thought maybe we could start a list. Basic items, then what to send in package #1, package #2, package #3, etc...
 
I really strongly recommend you and your parents contact the local Naval Academy Parents' Club to get the straight word on what the midshipmen seem to need and appreciate most, from food to cleaning gear. Seriously, these clubs are a wealth of information about how to cope with becoming an absentee parent. Contact your AC for contact information for the local club. The one in Northeast Ohio hosts picnics, banquets, a Christmas Formal, Army/Navy game transportation, etc, in addition to knowing which cleaning supplies work best on Navy uniforms, how to pack, how and when to mail, etc. Best wishes.
 
I-Day: as little as possible. My plebe carried only a small sling type back pack with hair brush, female plumbing supplies, copy of admissions paperwork on flash drive (Note: that was not a good idea as USB devices are not permitted; a CD would have been better), cell phone and charger ( battery removed and all placed in a heavy duty plastic bag labeled with name and company – and they still managed to lose the charger).

1st package: Tide Sticks (we had to mail order them as they sell out fast.), Gold Bond, compression shorts if you wear them, bobby pins, stamped self addressed post cards or note cards as time to write letters is limited. We had our DD’s friends write short notes of encouragement or remembrances and included a few in each package. One I recall was: “The Naval Academy, Wow! If I had an imaginary friend that’s where he’d be going.” How can that not bring a smile to even the most worn-out plebe?

Skip the treats until after the first phone call or letter as by then you'll know what your company allows.
 
Once my son was appointed, I began buying cards. Funny ones. Inspirational ones. Etc. Sent one every day with a news clipping, photo from home or growing up years, etc. He could have three photos up on the bulletin board at one time, so got to have some to rotate.

Care packages: powdered gatorade was a requested item.....the sleeves of powdered stuff. Hard to find. Healthy snacks: nuts, power bars, Clif bars. Seems my plebe requested lots of safety pins. They pinned down their sheets so as to not have to remake the bed daily.

I would include a few Starburst or skittles too for a sweet fix that would not melt. Mine doesn't eat a lot of sweets....hardly any these days. Plebe summer they run, run, run. I would have never believed my kid could lose weight, but he lost 20 over the six weeks. His shoulders mostly. I wouldn't have believed he had an ounce to lose.

Also "Body Glide"......had to go to a running, athletic store to find. Prevents or helps prevent chafing.

Here's a link to a good thread from the past:

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=12739&page=3&highlight=care+packages


Also, use the search function on this forum (upper right corner) and it will lead you to past threads on various topics. Another way to satisfy curiousity is to go to threads from a year ago and see what the hot topics of the day were.....many will apply to you at this point!

Have fun!
 
You could effectively show up naked and with zero possessions on I-day and be okay, but since most people don't want to do that for some reason...

On I-Day: Keep in mind this is a bag you will drag around for half the day then toss into a storage room and essentially never see for the next six weeks aside from the stuff they will let you keep in your room. Small backpack with at most a couple extra pairs of underwear/bras, compression shorts (issued ones aren't that good), paperwork if you need it, cell-phone and charger in separate bag labelled with your name, and some tampons.* If you wear contacts/glasses, wear your civilian glasses on I-Day and keep a set of contacts with plenty of solution in your bag along with an extra pair of civvie glasses. Usually they have BCGs ready to go for you, but if they don't you have to wear what you brought (and no contacts until PPW).

*Without grossing the dudes out too much: it depends on you whether or not you'll need them and you do get issued some, but if you have a brand/style you like I'd bring them.

Care packages: Gatorade packets or other juice mixes are CLUTCH. You can't put them in your canteen, but you get issued a nalgene and having something to sip on at night that's not water can be a great feeling.
Since the plebes no longer get box juices in King Hall (which is a travesty, but that's another story) and are basically force-fed Gatorade ice tea mixes or something similar might be better than just Gatorade mix.

Mini Clif bars and other small snacks that aren't (completely) junk food are good too. Candy is nice, but it's just sugar and doesn't do a whole lot for you. Think foods that don't make crumbs, break easily, get caught in teeth, etc.

Non-food items are really not necessary at all. Plebes get issued tide pens/shout wipes/all that crap. Hold out on sending non-food items until the first phone call and then decide what you want/need.
 
Juice boxes are amazing!

My parents had been told to send lots of cookies so I could share with other plebes. Don't do that. It seems like a good idea to send a ton of cookies to make everyone happy, but it's not.

And care packages are great, but letters are where its at.
 
Hurricane, jadler, or another current/recent Mid: What about Plebes/taking a lighter on I-day? Would they be allowed to keep it? That's one thing my Mid wanted that I couldn't send (against the law). Her company seemed to have limited opportunities to go to the Mid Store that summer.
 
You might also want to send packets of cran-juice powder. There are lots of flavors, cran-grape, cran-cherry, cran-peach, etc.
 
2012mom? said:
You might also want to send packets of cran-juice powder. There are lots of flavors, cran-grape, cran-cherry, cran-peach, etc.
Click to expand...

Powders are a no-go. You get one canteen and almost no chances to fully clean it. Your drink will taste good at first, but after you fill up your canteen again, it will have the nasty watered-down taste and this won't go away for days. It may be better after plebe summer, but not in the first package during it.
 
One thing that my mother did and I really enjoyed -- sent me clippings from the local newspaper. I know most people today read stuff on-line, but you can print it out and stuff it in the mail. It keeps your plebe up-to-date on what's going on at home!
 
wow these are some great ideas. I wish my parents spent time on the forums instead of me. time for me to make myself some good care packages!:rolleyes:
 
Size of the care package

What is the size of the box do we need to use when sending a care package?
I read somewhere that the box has to fit in the Mid's mailbox.
Also, I understand that parents are not supposed to send birthday cookies/cake during the Plebe summer, but can we send something if my DS's Birthday is after the Plebe summer? What do parents usually do for Plebe's birthday, nothing if we need to avoid our DS getting special attention?
 
Priority flat rate boxes - large
Powders of all kinds (except teas) are great and my plebe loved them. He usually diluted them to about half strength.
DS's birthday was during plebe summer, so hubby and I baked 150 chocolate chip cookies in one box and 125 snicker doodles in another. No card. Well, he did not get any of them. His company did not allow any baked goods. Next care package was stuffed with oreos which he could keep. Each company has it's own traditions and quirks.
 
The first care package we sent had a shoebox sized rubbermaid container filled with protein bars, dried fruit, trailmix, etc. The container was to help keep everything neat and ordery and also to keep any bugs/critters out of the food. We sent ziploc baggies for any food that might not be finished in one sitting. Letters were really key during plebe summer...sometimes we sent funny cards, other times we included pictures of things from home, funny pictures (The Far Side, military humor, etc) we printed from the internet, his favorite comic strip from the paper, and silly checklist letters that his sister and girlfriend made up. One of the things that I read about on this forum that our plebe really appreciated was the body glide anti-chafing sticks.
 
We don't know for sure.....
Since the detailers are not suppose to. . .
However, numerous detailers walk by my son while he was in formation and took great pleasure in informing him that the cookies were excellent!
Meanwhile, son just had to stand there with his eyes in the boat and no expression. Pure torture!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top