Emotions at the academy

I posted this in another forum last year. I might have even posted in this forum. Can't remember. Anyway; just so some of the parents and future applicants realize how emotions can change. This is a bit humorous, with an underlie of truth. Hope it brings some perspective:

**********************************************************************************

1) Get accepted to the academy: EMOTION: HELL YEA!!!!!
2) I-Day: EMOTION: Why do I feel like I'm going to puke?
3) 1st half of BCT: EMOTION: Well, at least I'm not the only one who looks ********. Please look at someone else besides me. PLEASE!!!!
4) 2nd half of BCT (Jack's): EMOTION: This ain't so bad. This part is pretty fun. GOD, I'm so tired. What the hell did I get myself into???? Please let me sleep!!!!
5) Last week of BCT: EMOTION: I'm almost there. This is the hardest part. After this, the rest of the academy will be a breeze. (Delusional thoughts. Probably the lack of oxygen and sleep)
6. A-Day: EMOTION: YES! I'm really a cadet now. All the others will respect me now. (More lack of oxygen and definite lack of sleep)
7. Classes Start: EMOTION: What? Who? Where? When? ARGGGGG!!! MY HEAD HURTS.
8. Mid-term: EMOTION: Holy crap! What if I forget? What if I fail? What will my parents think? Can I get kicked out for this? ARGGGGG!!!! Head Still Hurts
9. Thanksgiving break: EMOTION: Yes!!! Out of this place! Do I really want to come back? State U looks really good right now. My friends at home seem pretty happy. What about me????
10. Back to school getting ready for finals: EMOTION: This sucks!!! I don't need this crap!!! I can transfer my credits and go to another school. God why am I doing this???
11. Finals Finished Christmas Break: EMOTION: PEACE and GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN!!!! Yea, it sucks there, but that's 1 semester down and 7 more to go. Put this place out of my mind.
12. Return to academy: EMOTION: Take a deep breath. New Room Mates; Cool. Different classes. Cool. Still cold and dark a lot. That sucks. Well, I guess I can give it one more semester. See what happens.
13. R-DAY: EMOTION: I really AM a Cadet now. They actually DO RESPECT me. "At least a little bit". OK; it could be worse.

REPEAT STEPS 7-12; seven more times. Throw in a spring break before the end of #2,4,6,and 8. Throw a Summer break prior to 3,5, and 7. Stamina grows stronger each semester. See the light at the end of the tunnel. Every couple of days remember how much this place sucks. Every OTHER couple of days remember that this place ain't so bad. Every once in a while realize that this place is pretty cool. ALWAYS REMEMBER WHY YOU WANTED TO COME HERE AND WHAT YOUR GOAL IS.

Great post!

literally the first thought and words out of my mouth this morning when my alarm went off were "this sucks."

but it sucks sooo good

That is why you have to be mentally prepared and strong. I think football has helped me with that the most, I have just learned to never give up.

I love that Christcorp. Awesome post for everyone. Thanks for sharing that emotional roller-coaster with us all.

Thanks,

Brian Andre

I'll be lucky to experience the 1st emotion!!! Lul

bsa07eagle said:

I love that Christcorp. Awesome post for everyone. Thanks for sharing that emotional roller-coaster with us all.

Thanks,

Brian Andre

Click to expand...

hey just word to the wise-don't post your name online in forums like this. just leave it as eagle or whatever. you never know who comes on here and what they can do with just a name.

Awesome CC... I read this last year before I recieved that big envelope. And now after reading it again, its even better.

MChansard said:

literally the first thought and words out of my mouth this morning when my alarm went off were "this sucks."

but it sucks sooo good

Click to expand...

^^ Ain't that the truth. From my point of view, mornings are always the worst. Revellie still scares me (even though we're out in the halls calling minutes). And TAPS still is the happiest and most somber song in the world. You gotta love the Academy

one room of 4digs in our squad woke up to us calling the 30th minute today, so they left their room all messy and all when they fell out. Since we were warned about this earlier, now we get to fall out in the hallways at 0515 every morning until Comm's Challenge or something drastically changes in our performance. Gotta love USAFA

I think it is kind of funny that when people apply to the Academy they are way excited and want to go there alot. But when they actually get there they hate it and just want to go home. I guess everyone just wants to be an Air Force Officer that bad, I know I do!

Drew_22 said:

I think it is kind of funny that when people apply to the Academy they are way excited and want to go there alot. But when they actually get there they hate it and just want to go home. I guess everyone just wants to be an Air Force Officer that bad, I know I do!

Click to expand...

One, it should be a gut check to make sure you really are prepared for life here. The life you have as a senior in high school is 180 degrees away from you life as a 4 degree. Secondly, and most importantly, none of us here hate it. We find some things funny, some things stupid, and many things to complain about. That's life. We're all still here though. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Usually that little bright spot and the reasons you decided to come here are what let you do that one extra pushup, study those extra 5 minutes for a class, things like that. I and most of us on here, if not all, don't hate USAFA. We just hate what we have to do sometimes.

I know this doesn't have anything to do with the topic, but isn't the 2015 class gold?

yellow

Drew_22 said:

I think it is kind of funny that when people apply to the Academy they are way excited and want to go there alot. But when they actually get there they hate it and just want to go home. I guess everyone just wants to be an Air Force Officer that bad, I know I do!

Click to expand...

Uh thats not true at all. I dont "hate" this place at all. Some things suck but its so worth it

I think it's just semantics. Hate may not be the same meaning that others have, but even as I mentioned in my original post on this thread, every student/cadet at least one time, will question their being there. And they will think it sucks. And they will have second thoughts. And for a brief moment in time, they may even hate it. But all of this is normal. And not to tie this into one of the other threads, but many students at traditional civilian colleges/universities go through the exact same thing. They might not be woken up at 5:30am, but they question being there. They second guess their choices. They look at the grass that their friends are standing on and think that maybe the grass is greener over there. But guess what???? This has so much LESS to do with the academy, the school, the military, the style of life, etc.... than it does being 18 years old. Sorry; not dogging you all. Remember; I use to be 18 at one time also. (Before Al Gore invented the Internet). And I went through the same things you all did. As have your parents, Firsties, commissioned officers, teachers at school, and everyone else. The difference is: We know that you have to go through it.

So; the only real advice I can give for those anticipating the academy, or who are currently there now and having all these crazy thoughts is:
1) Every person before you had these same thoughts. Maybe at different levels, but they all had them. and
2) It is perfectly natural to feel the emotions listed. It's not just the academy. It could be at State University or Harvard.
3) And the reason it is perfectly natural, is because it's part of growing up. Welcome to having to be responsible for your own actions. Welcome to becoming an adult.

And in the next couple of years, you will have to decide on what type of career you want to pursue. And all those dreams of flying jets will become more practical. Maybe you still want to apply for flight school, but now you are looking at it more seriously. Do I really want a 10 year commitment? Maybe my major should be something I can get a job in if I decide to only do 5 years and get out? When I graduate, I'm not going to be going home 3-4 times a year to see my parents, family, and old high school friends. By the time your 2nd christmas is over at the academy, you'll start realizing that you have a lot less in common with those you went to high school with. When you go home to visit family, you'll visit old friends even less. You realize that once you are commissioned and get to your first base, you'll rarely see ANYONE from back home. (FWIW: I literally saw my family about once every 3-4 years.)

Point is; all these emotions at the academy is just the first stage of having to do things on your own; being responsible for your own actions and choices; and having no one else to really help you with these decisions. At the end of your 1st year at the academy, you will be about as mature as a senior in a civilian college. By the time you graduate the academy, you will be light years ahead of your civilian peers. This is just the beginning.

In the immortal words of "Styx"; "Welcome to the Grand Illusion". 1977: Yes, I'm old. But these words rang SO TRUE back then. They put the military and my life into perspective. Maybe some of you might relate to it: Best of luck. Mike......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW8TlrYhBxk

Welcome to the grand illusion
Come on in and see whats happening
Pay the price, get your tickets for the show
The stage is set, the band starts playing
Suddenly your heart is pounding
Wishing secretly you were a star.

But dont be fooled by the radio
The tv or the magazines
They show you photographs of how your life should be
But theyre just someone elses fantasy
So if you think your life is complete confusion
Because you never win the game
Just remember that its a grand illusion
And deep inside were all the same.
Were all the same...

So if you think your life is complete confusion
Because your neighbors got it made
Just remember that its a grand illusion
And deep inside were all the same.
Were all the same...

America spells competition, join us in our blind ambition
Get yourself a brand new motor car
Someday soon well stop to ponder what on earths this spell were under
We made the grade and still we wonder who the hell we are

Dennis DeYoung = badass

I am in Oshkosh WI on Business and I found out today that Three Dog Night is playing a concert here tomorrow night. That is going to be great. I also found out that Styx is playing next week on Thurs night. I am also going to be here next week but leaving before the concert. I would like to see them again. The last time was 1983 or 4 during the Kilroy was here tour.

Thanks Christcorp,

Whenever you post, I rush to read it every time. You have never ceased to entertain me with your (as you call them) "novels." I think it is a really good thing to keep in mind that you are the one that is changing, not really everyone else at home. That is one of the main reasons (not the top, but it is still on the list) that I want to go to the academy, to become a responsible leader of character. It just reminds me of how far I have to go.

Later,

Brian

flyersboy114 said:

Uh thats not true at all. I dont "hate" this place at all. Some things suck but its so worth it

Click to expand...

Well I didn't mean "hate" in the sense of the word. My word choice was wrong. I just meant that it is cool that people are willing to go though alot of hard things to achieve what they want. And some of the things that they have to do they don't like. That is what I meant I didn't mean that they hate the Academy.

Wow,

That yellow is bright Drew. I was blinded when I first looked at your post.

lol