My Last Minute Advice to the Class of '18

GoNavyPro

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Alright as y'all are about to be within two weeks of I-day and lose all of your hair, I have a few pointers I wish I had known or at least thought about before my plebe summer.

1. Don't take the detailers too seriously
During the times when you have a detailer in your face insulting your worth and trying to make you feel like absolute garbage, there's going to be that one day where nothing is going right and you're going to feel like the detailers are singling you out. Don't take personal offense to it, understand that's their job. They're trying to stress you out and have you and your fellow plebes come together as a family. Don't take anything they say personally cause they'll do it to everyone eventually.

2. Take advantage of your NAPsters and Prior Enlisted
There are going to be plebes in your company that has gone through NAPS and have been prior enlisted. They are going to be your saving grace during plebe summer because while you're trying to figure out how to fold your clothes right, how to make a proper bed, how to handle the stress, etc., they have already been through that for at least a year. They can show you the ropes of how to get things done and the tricks to getting them done efficiently. On a different note, don't be that one kid that thinks they're better than the NAPster because you got into the academy directly from high school. They've put in just as much work, if not more, to get to the academy.

3. Just because you're a Plebe, doesn't mean life has to suck
Plebe year gets a bad rep that everything is going to suck. Is it the best year, no. But it's the year you'll make better friends than you ever did back home, make memories that you'll be recalling with each other for the rest of your time at the academy, and go through events that only plebes get to go through.
For example, myself and a few company mates made videos of certain things like Sea Trials and 100s Night and other events that you'll never forget doing as a plebe like Army Week.

Sea Trials for the Class of 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epQx0Rn688w
Hundreds Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAKkBZQ3-s

Sure you can't control the circumstances of your situation during plebe year, but you can control your attitude towards it. Plebe year is what you make of it and it can be fun or horrible, you decide.

4. Lastly, Always remember why you decided to go here
Everyone goes to the academy for different reasons but there should be a underlying reason to serve your country. Train harder and suffer now so others and those serving under you won't later. As my plebe summer detailer put it, "If that's not a good enough reason, then I'm sure one of the other 16,000 kids who applied to the Naval Academy and didn't get appointed would be more than happy to take your spot."
Just keep things in perspective and remember that they can't stop time. It'll all be over eventually.

Take this as you will. Hope it helped. Good luck '18, look forward to seeing how y'all do.
-Mid Class of '17
 
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Thank you for your words of advice and encouragement.

I'm sure I'm not the only plebe who's nerves are starting to kick in, but when we hear positive affirmation like this, it ceases the nerves ever so slightly. Plus, 80,000 alumni have survived, so I'm sure we can too!

Look forward to meeting my new brothers and sisters come July 1st!

Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
 
Alright as y'all are about to be within two weeks of I-day and lose all of your hair, I have a few pointers I wish I had known or at least thought about before my plebe summer.

1. Don't take the detailers too seriously
During the times when you have a detailer in your face insulting your worth and trying to make you feel like absolute garbage, there's going to be that one day where nothing is going right and you're going to feel like the detailers are singling you out. Don't take personal offense to it, understand that's their job. They're trying to stress you out and have you and your fellow plebes come together as a family. Don't take anything they say personally cause they'll do it to everyone eventually.

2. Take advantage of your NAPsters and Prior Enlisted
There are going to be plebes in your company that has gone through NAPS and have been prior enlisted. They are going to be your saving grace during plebe summer because while you're trying to figure out how to fold your clothes right, how to make a proper bed, how to handle the stress, etc., they have already been through that for at least a year. They can show you the ropes of how to get things done and the tricks to getting them done efficiently. On a different note, don't be that one kid that thinks they're better than the NAPster because you got into the academy directly from high school. They've put in just as much work, if not more, to get to the academy.

3. Just because you're a Plebe, doesn't mean life has to suck
Plebe year gets a bad rep that everything is going to suck. Is it the best year, no. But it's the year you'll make better friends than you ever did back home, make memories that you'll be recalling with each other for the rest of your time at the academy, and go through events that only plebes get to go through.
For example, myself and a few company mates made videos of certain things like Sea Trials and 100s Night and other events that you'll never forget doing as a plebe like Army Week.

Sea Trials for the Class of 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epQx0Rn688w
Hundreds Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAKkBZQ3-s

Sure you can't control the circumstances of your situation during plebe year, but you can control your attitude towards it. Plebe year is what you make of it and it can be fun or horrible, you decide.

4. Lastly, Always remember why you decided to go here
Everyone goes to the academy for different reasons but there should be a underlying reason to serve your country. Train harder and suffer now so others and those serving under you won't later. As my plebe summer detailer put it, "If that's not a good enough reason, then I'm sure one of the other 16,000 kids who applied to the Naval Academy and didn't get appointed would be more than happy to take your spot."
Just keep things in perspective and remember that they can't stop time. It'll all be over eventually.

Take this as you will. Hope it helped. Good luck '18, look forward to seeing how y'all do.
-Mid Class of '17

+1
 
Thanks everyone, and one more quick tip:

Bring as much Gatorade back to your rooms from meals during plebe summer. Cause they don't serve Gatorade during the academic year so to have a stock pile for academic year would be to your advantage. My 1st set detailer told us that and we had like 20 extra Gatorades stored up for the academic year and was totally worth it.

If you don't like Gatorade, then sorry : )
 
Thanks everyone, and one more quick tip:

Bring as much Gatorade back to your rooms from meals during plebe summer. Cause they don't serve Gatorade during the academic year so to have a stock pile for academic year would be to your advantage. My 1st set detailer told us that and we had like 20 extra Gatorades stored up for the academic year and was totally worth it.

If you don't like Gatorade, then sorry : )

They do serve Gatorade during the academic year. Just not everyday and not enough for each person to have a whole bottle to themselves.
 
Alright as y'all are about to be within two weeks of I-day and lose all of your hair, I have a few pointers I wish I had known or at least thought about before my plebe summer.

1. Don't take the detailers too seriously
During the times when you have a detailer in your face insulting your worth and trying to make you feel like absolute garbage, there's going to be that one day where nothing is going right and you're going to feel like the detailers are singling you out. Don't take personal offense to it, understand that's their job. They're trying to stress you out and have you and your fellow plebes come together as a family. Don't take anything they say personally cause they'll do it to everyone eventually.

2. Take advantage of your NAPsters and Prior Enlisted
There are going to be plebes in your company that has gone through NAPS and have been prior enlisted. They are going to be your saving grace during plebe summer because while you're trying to figure out how to fold your clothes right, how to make a proper bed, how to handle the stress, etc., they have already been through that for at least a year. They can show you the ropes of how to get things done and the tricks to getting them done efficiently. On a different note, don't be that one kid that thinks they're better than the NAPster because you got into the academy directly from high school. They've put in just as much work, if not more, to get to the academy.

3. Just because you're a Plebe, doesn't mean life has to suck
Plebe year gets a bad rep that everything is going to suck. Is it the best year, no. But it's the year you'll make better friends than you ever did back home, make memories that you'll be recalling with each other for the rest of your time at the academy, and go through events that only plebes get to go through.
For example, myself and a few company mates made videos of certain things like Sea Trials and 100s Night and other events that you'll never forget doing as a plebe like Army Week.

Sea Trials for the Class of 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epQx0Rn688w
Hundreds Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAKkBZQ3-s

Sure you can't control the circumstances of your situation during plebe year, but you can control your attitude towards it. Plebe year is what you make of it and it can be fun or horrible, you decide.

4. Lastly, Always remember why you decided to go here
Everyone goes to the academy for different reasons but there should be a underlying reason to serve your country. Train harder and suffer now so others and those serving under you won't later. As my plebe summer detailer put it, "If that's not a good enough reason, then I'm sure one of the other 16,000 kids who applied to the Naval Academy and didn't get appointed would be more than happy to take your spot."
Just keep things in perspective and remember that they can't stop time. It'll all be over eventually.

Take this as you will. Hope it helped. Good luck '18, look forward to seeing how y'all do.
-Mid Class of '17

This is great advice. By the way, is this John from 27th Company???

-Rising Youngster
 
Thanks for the advise. I hope to put it to use next year. Are you in 19th company? I was a drag with 19th and saw some of your videos with the people I was with.

Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
 
Thanks for the advise. I hope to put it to use next year. Are you in 19th company? I was a drag with 19th and saw some of your videos with the people I was with.

Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app

Yeah I am. That's also why the video say "Free 19" at the end of the sea trials video.
 
Great advice on here. At this point enjoy the last few weeks of summer. Don't over think this. I have said in the past that access to all this information is great, but can also be bad. Some people are stressing over minor details and want to know everything that will happen. Regardless of how much you know... it won't really matter. The hard part of Plebe Summer is the exhaustion, leaving home, bonding with new people, learning to work with others, heat, tired in every way possible. You can't prepare for every single aspect of the summer. In fact I think the best prep is what we did many years ago prior to all these forums and the Internet and what you are doing now... we worked out alot. For some, Plebe Summer won't be that hard, others will find it very hard. You will break it down meal by meal, day by day and then realize you can make it through. Before you know it, you will standing in your summer whites with your parents. The AC year is very different and some will do better than others during the year. It is a very long year. You will have ups and downs. Enjoy the ride. It prepares you well for the rest of your time at USNA and into Active Duty. Take advantage of the opportunities that the Academy gives you.
 
Oh yeah... do you know what the Free 19 comes from? I was there when this started.
 
Alright as y'all are about to be within two weeks of I-day and lose all of your hair, I have a few pointers I wish I had known or at least thought about before my plebe summer.

1. Don't take the detailers too seriously
During the times when you have a detailer in your face insulting your worth and trying to make you feel like absolute garbage, there's going to be that one day where nothing is going right and you're going to feel like the detailers are singling you out. Don't take personal offense to it, understand that's their job. They're trying to stress you out and have you and your fellow plebes come together as a family. Don't take anything they say personally cause they'll do it to everyone eventually.

Don't take it personally, but do take it seriously. I made the mistake as a swab of thinking "this is just a big game." In some ways it is, but your performance is monitored and your detailers and classmates are watching. It's rarely personal, but it's [almost] always serious.

2. Take advantage of your NAPsters and Prior Enlisted
There are going to be plebes in your company that has gone through NAPS and have been prior enlisted. They are going to be your saving grace during plebe summer because while you're trying to figure out how to fold your clothes right, how to make a proper bed, how to handle the stress, etc., they have already been through that for at least a year. They can show you the ropes of how to get things done and the tricks to getting them done efficiently. On a different note, don't be that one kid that thinks they're better than the NAPster because you got into the academy directly from high school. They've put in just as much work, if not more, to get to the academy.

If you're the NAPSter or prior enlisted, help out your classmates, they will look up to you. But what all plebes should remember is, once the school year starts you're all entering a new world together. The skills NAPSters and prior enlisted learned at NAPS or in the fleet will not all carry over to the academic year. Watch out for each other and realize, while your experienced classmates had more of a clue at the beginning of plebe summer, nothing is a given once the school year starts.

3. Just because you're a Plebe, doesn't mean life has to suck
Plebe year gets a bad rep that everything is going to suck. Is it the best year, no. But it's the year you'll make better friends than you ever did back home, make memories that you'll be recalling with each other for the rest of your time at the academy, and go through events that only plebes get to go through.
For example, myself and a few company mates made videos of certain things like Sea Trials and 100s Night and other events that you'll never forget doing as a plebe like Army Week.

Sea Trials for the Class of 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epQx0Rn688w
Hundreds Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAKkBZQ3-s

Sure you can't control the circumstances of your situation during plebe year, but you can control your attitude towards it. Plebe year is what you make of it and it can be fun or horrible, you decide.

True! I don't remember much about my swab summer or 4/c year. That may have been a good thing.

4. Lastly, Always remember why you decided to go here
Everyone goes to the academy for different reasons but there should be a underlying reason to serve your country. Train harder and suffer now so others and those serving under you won't later. As my plebe summer detailer put it, "If that's not a good enough reason, then I'm sure one of the other 16,000 kids who applied to the Naval Academy and didn't get appointed would be more than happy to take your spot."
Just keep things in perspective and remember that they can't stop time. It'll all be over eventually.

When the going gets tough, it's good to remember that the pain you're going through is temporary and there is a bigger, more important goal. Focus on that. Think long-term.

Take this as you will. Hope it helped. Good luck '18, look forward to seeing how y'all do.
-Mid Class of '17

GoNavyPro, this is a great list. I would add something from my experience as a swab (at CGA) and as a cadre.

No one can tell you that you do or do not deserve to attend the Naval Academy. Through your hard work in high school, NAPS or the fleet you have earned your spot in your class. You have as much claim to a spot at the Naval Academy as your classmates and your detailers. Never let anyone cause you to doubt that, or to doubt your worth. And NEVER take it upon yourself to decide if someone else has earned his/her spot too. They have.

Once you realize that, you should all understand that now you're trying to be worthy of a commission. Not all of your classmates will be, but its up to you to help them along and hold yourself accountable.

You're worthy of being a plebe and a midshipman. The next four years will be you earning that commission, a commission you need to be worthy of too.

Good luck! :thumb:
 
GoNavyPro, this is a great list. I would add something from my experience as a swab (at CGA) and as a cadre.

No one can tell you that you do or do not deserve to attend the Naval Academy. Through your hard work in high school, NAPS or the fleet you have earned your spot in your class. You have as much claim to a spot at the Naval Academy as your classmates and your detailers. Never let anyone cause you to doubt that, or to doubt your worth. And NEVER take it upon yourself to decide if someone else has earned his/her spot too. They have.

Once you realize that, you should all understand that now you're trying to be worthy of a commission. Not all of your classmates will be, but its up to you to help them along and hold yourself accountable.

You're worthy of being a plebe and a midshipman. The next four years will be you earning that commission, a commission you need to be worthy of too.

Good luck! :thumb:

You were in the Coast Guard correct? Although your advise, I am sure, is appreciated I think the advise from a former plebe would give a better perspective
 
You were in the Coast Guard correct? Although your advise, I am sure, is appreciated I think the advise from a former plebe would give a better perspective

Someone who has BTDT in a service (even if it's the "wrong" one) might have more valuable input than just a "former plebe." Just a thought.

As a grad who has been nowhere and done nothing, good stuff from both GoNavyPro and LITS.

Except for the Gatorade thing. Sadness is being a detailer and thinking "Maybe today they won't take every bottle and I can finally get one for myself!" and your plebes taking every. Last. Gatorade. From all of King Hall. And then seeing them get all annoyed because they have two seabags worth of Gatorade at the end of the summer and have to lug it to the opposite end of Bancroft.
 
There is a caveat that comes with relying on a NAPSter or a prior enlisted.

They may or may not be of much help. You'll need to be a good judge of character to determine whether they are the type of person who will be helpful. Just because they went to NAPS or were prior enlisted does not mean they are that type of person. I know it's not popular to say this (but I will any way) - a vast majority of the NAPSters are recruited athletes. There are a percentage of them that are at the academy primarily because of their sport, being a naval or Marine Corps officer is just something they see as something they'll have to do after graduation. Again, not all of them are like that - but certainly some of them are.

Remember, there is a reason they went to a preparatory school and you didn't.

Like the NAPSters, the prior enlisted have already been through a boot camp environment. So, they will also already know how to salute, march, handle a rifle and make a rack. Believe me, these will be the least of your problems. These things are easily mastered for a majority of people. It's not rocket science. Later, when Plebe Summer is over, it will be rocket science; and then many of them will be asking for your help.

They will know some Navy terms like "deck" (not floor), "bulkhead" (not wall) and "ladder" (not steps). They'll know to call their hat a "cover". meh! It's not a big deal; although you may think it's a big deal. It's not.

It's mostly boot camp stuff that they'll know. That advantage will quickly evaporate. The presumption that they are better shipmates, more dedicated, more professional and better leaders & teachers than those directly out of high school is a stereotype that, personally, I never observed.

There will be a lot of really sharp people in the class of 2018 and those sharp people will not be disportionately NAPSters or prior enlisted, I can tell you that right now.

Some will be really good - some, not so much ... just like all the others.
 
My advice is to rely on your classmates -- in general. Every one of you has certain talents and, in time, you'll come to learn what they are.

Some people look great at uniform inspection every time! Some always look like they slept in their uniform -- despite diligent efforts to look good.

Some can strip and wax floors like you wouldn't believe. Others can polish shoes to a blinding shine or tie the tiniest knots in ties. Still others can fold T-shirts and roll socks and have the tidiest wardrobes.

Others memorize with ease while some can do calc proofs or chem problems without batting an eye.

Some excel naturally at chow calls -- others will be struggling into December.

Some march like West Point, others re barely able keep in step. Some ace the PRT every time and others struggle each and every time. Some swim like fish and others sink like rocks.

While you probably CAN get through USNA "alone," you'll find it a LOT easier to start relying on classmates to help you. Most mids are more than willing to help out their classmates b/c they know that, someday for some evolution, they'll need that help in return.

Bottom line is that most mids are good at a lot of things but very, very, very few are great at everything. Don't be afraid to ask for and accept help and, in turn, be willing to share your talents with others.
 
You were in the Coast Guard correct? Although your advise, I am sure, is appreciated I think the advise from a former plebe would give a better perspective

Haha, well let's see, the "USCGA 2006" line under my screen name, the "USCG vet." and "USCGA alum" references in my profile and the Coast Guard Academy ring photo as my avatar are likely good indicators that I was in the Coast Guard (and by way of simple math, as a Coast Guard Academy cadet when the Coast Guard Academy used NAPS for its cadets that needed a little extra schoolin').

A USNA alum will naturally give the best advice about specific aspects of USNA, but academy graduates, in general, know "what it takes" to get through plebe summer or swab summer or beast or whatever the zoomies call it. It's the same story at each school. The details are different but the story is the same. So while I'm confident I know what it takes to get through USNA's plebe summer, I'm also confident a USNA graduate or current midshipman knows what it takes to get through USCGA's swab summer.

But thank you for your parental input.
 
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