Candidates and Parents,
As R-Day quickly approaches I thought I would lend some input from a current 2017 cadet that will, not only be working as cadre during Beast Barracks, but also be the bane of your plebe year existence.
This is merely advice and by no means a sure fire way to be successful, but it would behoove many of you to learn from my mistakes, as well as my successes.
1) Like many of you, I couldn't wait for the days preceding R-Day to pass by. What seemed like the beginning of the most exciting part of my life was coming too slowly, and I spent most days just trying to pass the time. Relish that time, embrace it, and make it your most memorable with your family.
Be with your parents, they are your lifeline when times get tough -- and that brings me to my next point.
2) You will be homesick, and that's okay. Don't let that get to you. It's a normal feeling, especially when getting yelled at by your platoon leadership on the near minute basis. It's really easy to fall into a dark place of despair and resentment for the situation you're in. God knows I spent too much time just hating every moment away from my family, when I should have been in awe of the cool stuff I had the opportunity to do. Talking helps. Do it often with the people you trust such as your squad mates, or the counselor assigned to your company. Contrary to popular belief, it will not hurt your cadet career, so babble on! Just don't do it in the hallways.
3) Accept others for their faults, and learn to take criticism. This was perhaps my biggest downfall during my first summer at West Point. I came with idealized visions of what people would be like, what my squad leader would act like, and when that didn't happen I grew resentful. The problem is, that often comes off like "I'm better than you, and you should all work to meet my standard" behavior. Coming from a peer, your squad mates will dislike you for it. Coming from a subordinate, your squad leader will hate you for it. We all have room to learn. Open up to what others have to offer, you're not always right.
Not accepting that from the get-go shot me in the foot. I arrived at Beast ready, motivated, and prepared to give it my absolute all. Unfortunately, a few minor stumbles caused me to spiral out of control, and before long I was the squad "f***-up." Don't let the little mistakes define who you are. Learn from them, regardless of how massive they may seem at the time. Besides, I guarantee you no one remembers the guy that breezed through Beast without ever getting in trouble, but EVERYONE remembers the guy that was given a pet rock by the cadre to help him stay squared away.
In short, it's okay to screw up. The rock's name was "Stella" if any of you were curious.
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However generic any of this sounds, there's a reason for it they call it "generic." It's a lot more common than you think. Good luck with your final preparations. Any questions, ask below, I'll attempt to answer as many as I can.
As R-Day quickly approaches I thought I would lend some input from a current 2017 cadet that will, not only be working as cadre during Beast Barracks, but also be the bane of your plebe year existence.
This is merely advice and by no means a sure fire way to be successful, but it would behoove many of you to learn from my mistakes, as well as my successes.
1) Like many of you, I couldn't wait for the days preceding R-Day to pass by. What seemed like the beginning of the most exciting part of my life was coming too slowly, and I spent most days just trying to pass the time. Relish that time, embrace it, and make it your most memorable with your family.
Be with your parents, they are your lifeline when times get tough -- and that brings me to my next point.
2) You will be homesick, and that's okay. Don't let that get to you. It's a normal feeling, especially when getting yelled at by your platoon leadership on the near minute basis. It's really easy to fall into a dark place of despair and resentment for the situation you're in. God knows I spent too much time just hating every moment away from my family, when I should have been in awe of the cool stuff I had the opportunity to do. Talking helps. Do it often with the people you trust such as your squad mates, or the counselor assigned to your company. Contrary to popular belief, it will not hurt your cadet career, so babble on! Just don't do it in the hallways.
3) Accept others for their faults, and learn to take criticism. This was perhaps my biggest downfall during my first summer at West Point. I came with idealized visions of what people would be like, what my squad leader would act like, and when that didn't happen I grew resentful. The problem is, that often comes off like "I'm better than you, and you should all work to meet my standard" behavior. Coming from a peer, your squad mates will dislike you for it. Coming from a subordinate, your squad leader will hate you for it. We all have room to learn. Open up to what others have to offer, you're not always right.
Not accepting that from the get-go shot me in the foot. I arrived at Beast ready, motivated, and prepared to give it my absolute all. Unfortunately, a few minor stumbles caused me to spiral out of control, and before long I was the squad "f***-up." Don't let the little mistakes define who you are. Learn from them, regardless of how massive they may seem at the time. Besides, I guarantee you no one remembers the guy that breezed through Beast without ever getting in trouble, but EVERYONE remembers the guy that was given a pet rock by the cadre to help him stay squared away.
In short, it's okay to screw up. The rock's name was "Stella" if any of you were curious.
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However generic any of this sounds, there's a reason for it they call it "generic." It's a lot more common than you think. Good luck with your final preparations. Any questions, ask below, I'll attempt to answer as many as I can.