Mailing School Supplies To Yourself?

Kiowa

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
31
I know during BCT we're not allowed to receive packages. However, are we allowed to receive packages afterwards? Such as before, or at the beginning of, the Academic year? :confused:

I have some school supplies I'd like to mail to myself (my calculator, protractor, compass, blank notebooks, 3-ring binder, etc.) to save money on re-buying them. :smile:

I was wondering if I'd be able to receive it on time...or more importantly, if doing such a thing would be disallowed?
 
Well, two things:

1.You won't need a graphing calculator freshman year, you have to use the issued honorlator for your classes. I don't think you'd need a protractor or compass either (if you want to have them with you it's not an issue, just more stuff to keep in your room.)

2.At least this year, the cadet store ran out of a lot of school supplies during transition week. The post office also gets SUPER backed up during this time so there's no real guarantee you'd have your stuff by the first day of school. It might be easier to send your stuff to a sponsor and ask them to drop it off to you or ask family members if you have someone coming out for Acceptance Day. I just place little trust in the post office during the first week and a half of a semester.
 
Well, two things:

1.You won't need a graphing calculator freshman year, you have to use the issued honorlator for your classes. I don't think you'd need a protractor or compass either (if you want to have them with you it's not an issue, just more stuff to keep in your room.)

2.At least this year, the cadet store ran out of a lot of school supplies during transition week. The post office also gets SUPER backed up during this time so there's no real guarantee you'd have your stuff by the first day of school. It might be easier to send your stuff to a sponsor and ask them to drop it off to you or ask family members if you have someone coming out for Acceptance Day. I just place little trust in the post office during the first week and a half of a semester.

If not the Post Office, how about UPS/FedEx'ing a package? I think I saw it costs a few bucks to pick up at the location, but is it any better do you think?
 
I reiterate BK's comment that a) school supplies run out and b) mail post-BCT is a nightmare. Last year I sent a box to my cadet at the end of July and she didn't actually receive it in her hands until the week before Parents Weekend due to the mail backlog. I also took a bunch of school supplies with me to A-Day just to make life a bit easier for my cadet and it was a good thing since the C-Store ran out of almost everything, even notebooks. Regarding Pak Mail, I think that might be a bit better, but my cadet had a hard time getting there during the hours it was open. So I agree that sending them to a sponsor family is a good alternative.
 
the thing about pak mail (FedEx/ups) is that it's only open for a couple, very strange hours during the day. it's hard to get there, especially as a 4 dig.


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Yeah, PakMail can be hard, especially if you have afternoon classes-it's only open in the afternoons and can be nearly impossible to get to if you have to go straight to a training session, intramurals, or practice after class. You'll get good service from them, though, and pickup is cheap ($3 I think.)
 
If I am able to make it to A-Day, what are some of the supplies you do recommend I bring to my DD?
 
Honestly, whatever they use to take notes and stay organized now. Notebooks, 3 ring binders, etc. Pens/pencils/highlighters are good too...if they have decent study habits now they should have a pretty good idea of what they like to have around.

Planners are good and something the Academy stopped issuing to freshmen last year and I don't think the c store had any either. That was the biggest thing I wished I had the first two weeks of school.
 
If I am able to make it to A-Day, what are some of the supplies you do recommend I bring to my DD?

I brought notebooks, good pens, good mechanical pencils and lead, post-its in a variety of sizes and colors, an assortment of highlighters, scissors, stapler and staple, tape, 18 inch ruler (something about needing it for SAMI bed making), some sharpies and I believe some poster gummy stuff to use on the bulletin board (instead of tacks). Plastic tub for snacks (don't ask me the size but I know it's been discussed here before). My kid was required to use a planner in high school so got used to a particular kind so I found one for her. This is in addition to the blanket so she didn't have to mess up her SAMI bed and a shower caddy.
I'm a bit of an over-planner, but then again so is my daughter so she was grateful to have the stuff and not have to deal with the C-Store. This falls into the "nice to have from mom" but not the "need to have from mom" category. The cadets will figure it out if you can't help them with this stuff.
Hope that helps, and good luck!
 
It does help! Thank you. I have copied the two shopping lists and will hit Target before heading out to USAFA.
 
I like the idea of mailing your things to your sponsor family and having them drop them off. That seems like it would be the most-likely-to-get-to-you-in-time.
 
typically doolie day out. In some cases, however, the sponsor they have for doolie day out is only their sponsor for that day and they have different sponsors for the rest of their time as a cadet. I personally dropped some of my stuff off at a family friend's house the night before I day and then picked it up when I got a chance to go off base. that being said, you might not have it for the first week or two of the academic year.


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When do we get our sponsor's contact information?

It'd be good to contact them and find out if they'd allow me to send items to their house beforehand. :smile:
 
Are we issued a planner to organize our assignments, activities, etc? If not, can we bring our own and are there any color/ size restrictions on them?


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Are we issued a planner to organize our assignments, activities, etc? If not, can we bring our own and are there any color/ size restrictions on them?


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Last year they did not issue planners, however they did issue them in years past. to be safe I would bring one. there are no size or color restrictions.


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