Getting Cold Feet

justdoit19 said:
‘Normally’, Napsters/Foundation students report a day early….they have specific paperwork, etc to take care of. They are to report in a specific uniform (khakis and blue shirt, as I recall). They also have a Supes reception that evening. That’s been the ‘normal’ way…always up for change!

But the next day, when it all begins on Iday, and everyone else reports, they will be processed into their non-descript whites just like every other plebe. Unidentifiable. The only way to know will be through conversation. Which doesn’t happen much day one until they get to their rooms lol. Newly reported plebes won’t know a Naps/Foundation plebe from any other plebe from a visual look.

Any plebe that gets a Napster as a roommate, is a lucky plebe.
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I agree with the whites like everyone else for the actual IDay.

But I saw pictures from last pleb summer , and the plebs were all wearing tshirts , and the Napster s wore a tshirt of a different color from others, that identified them as Napsters.


And of course I can’t find a single example to post now :)
 
Small Team Bacsi said:
“I am critical for diminishing their fears…”

I was trying to lessen their fears. I was certainly not trying for the opposite. I was trying to put their fears into prespective.

My comments were also aimed at them.
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I totally understand the point you’re making, but I think it’s tangential to OP’s concerns. The considerations of whether to attend a service academy go far beyond whether one is able to hack it and tolerate the stressors involved. It’s not just about being resilient in the face of adversity, it’s about personal desires as far as lifestyle. I bet most people who are seriously considering USNA could make it through (It’s really just about endurance and whether you genuinely want to be here) but there’s also a question of “Should they?”. Is it right for them as opposed to other commissioning sources, which have their own challenges but still allow for a normal college experience. The stressors are expected no matter how one commissions. Whether the immersion of the Academy is the right fit for someone depends on other factors IMO.
 
Capt MJ said:
Real Mid Kierkegaard, are you mere days away from your USNA suck ending before embracing whatever career path suck awaits, leavened by a bit more autonomy and sense of actually serving and getting out into Fleet or Corps? Or do you have more “prison term” to serve?

It’s such a pleasure to read your and fellow Real Mids’ words with deckplate insight, invaluable peer commentary.

This week I spent time/talked with/texted with a justly distinguished ‘52 grad, a ‘09 sponsor son just back in area from a command tour, a ‘04 sponsor daughter heading to a command tour, a ‘10 sponsor daughter who just separated, and a few others - none of them regret their USNA decision, all of them remember the suck factor, but they are immensely proud they made it through.
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Breaking free from Bancroft in T-minus, well, a handful of days now. So proud of the Class of 2022.
 
Kierkegaard said:
I totally understand the point you’re making, but I think it’s tangential to OP’s concerns. The considerations of whether to attend a service academy go far beyond whether one is able to hack it and tolerate the stressors involved. It’s not just about being resilient in the face of adversity, it’s about personal desires as far as lifestyle. I bet most people who are seriously considering USNA could make it through (It’s really just about endurance and whether you genuinely want to be here) but there’s also a question of “Should they?”. Is it right for them as opposed to other commissioning sources, which have their own challenges but still allow for a normal college experience. The stressors are expected no matter how one commissions. Whether the immersion of the Academy is the right fit for someone depends on other factors IMO.
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I agree as far as deciding if a SA is for you. It’s not for everyone. But that not the case with this OP.

The OP clearly stated that they are nervous and fearful as IDay approaches. That attending is a life long dream. And they plan to attend.

They are nervous and fearful and are looking for reassurance ——they have not stated that a SA or the military is not what they want. They are concerned if they can handle it.
 
Small Team Bacsi said:
I agree with the whites like everyone else for the actual IDay.

But I saw pictures from last pleb summer , and the plebs were all wearing tshirts , and the Napster s wore a tshirt of a different color from others, that identified them as Napsters.


And of course I can’t find a single example to post now :)
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During plebe summer?? Are you sure it wasn’t detailers? Or maybe TAD recent grads? Maybe sailing instructors for example?

NAPS that have reported for Iday, with their plebe class, wearing a Naps shirt to identify them as a helper, as a member of their new plebe class during their plebe summer, would be a new one for me. For the very reason that one of the goals of plebe summer is that all plebes, are the same. And are nothing. To quote my firstie during plebe summer ‘plebe means lower than dirt’ 😂
 
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Kierkegaard said:
Breaking free from Bancroft in T-minus, well, a handful of days now. So proud of the Class of 2022.
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When do y’all get to physically leave? We are all so excited here in the cheap seats for your next chapters, next adventures!! Brings back memories of these times in my own life. Getting to the real good stuff. Nice paycheck. Housing. Real jobs and responsibilities. So happy for ‘22. Can’t wait to see you all seated at Memorial Stadium in 27 days 💯!!
 
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justdoit19 said:
During plebe summer?? Are you sure it wasn’t detailers? Or maybe TAD recent grads? Maybe sailing instructors for example?

NAPS that have reported for Iday, with their plebe class, wearing a Naps shirt to identify them as a helper, as a member of their new plebe class during their plebe summer, would be a new one for me. For the very reason that one of the goals of plebe summer is that all plebes, are the same. And are nothing. To quote my firstie during plebe summer ‘plebe means lower than dirt’ 😂
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You get full and total points for this one. I stand corrected.

I checked with the mom I knew who had seen the same pics I saw and she said—-what are you talking about ?

She said what I had seen must have been plebs wearing their tshirts they had gotten as naps students. Not shirts they had gotten at the USNA identifying them as napsters.

I like my version of the story better but it does appear to be totally wrong. :)


Thanks for the correction
 
Point is the same! Naps/Foundation/Prior Enlisted are valued mates!!
 
justdoit19 said:
During plebe summer?? Are you sure it wasn’t detailers? Or maybe TAD recent grads? Maybe sailing instructors for example?

NAPS that have reported for Iday, with their plebe class, wearing a Naps shirt to identify them as a helper, as a member of their new plebe class during their plebe summer, would be a new one for me. For the very reason that one of the goals of plebe summer is that all plebes, are the same. And are nothing. To quote my firstie during plebe summer ‘plebe means lower than dirt’ 😂
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Small Team Bacsi said:
You get full and total points for this one. I stand corrected.

I checked with the mom I knew who had seen the same pics I saw and she said—-what are you talking about ?

She said what I had seen must have been plebs wearing their tshirts they had gotten as naps students. Not shirts they had gotten at the USNA identifying them as napsters.

I like my version of the story better but it does appear to be totally wrong. :)


Thanks for the correction
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I seem to recall that our daughter was wearing a NAPS logo shirt when we dropped her off in front of Mitscher Hall in the summer of 2020. NAPSters class of 2020 reported 2/3 days earlier than their HS direct Plebe classmates too.

Maybe @Capt MJ can confirm what the guidance is for NAPSters on this one.

You can’t really tell in the cropped photo if she is wearing a white NAPS logo printed on the back, but I recall her wearing it:
 

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Dr. Strange Love said:
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I seem to recall that our daughter was wearing a NAPS logo shirt when we dropped her off in front of Mitscher Hall in the summer of 2020. NAPSters class of 2020 reported 2/3 days earlier than their HS direct Plebe classmates too.

Maybe @Capt MJ can confirm what the guidance is for NAPSters on this one.

You can’t really tell in the cropped photo if she is wearing a white NAPS logo printed on the back, but I recall her wearing it:
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Correct…but once plebe summer gets underway? After everyone reports and are in processed? They are all in the white uniform. She didn’t remain in this uniform throughout all of plebe summer, to be identified as a Napster. Also, when she was dropped off (as was my youngster), this particular year, they did some ISO/ROM-ing. And had a staggered drop off. C/O ‘24 was an anomaly.

To clarify for readers, during the 6 week summer session, everyone will be wearing the same uniform. The white plebe uniform. Detailers are not, and are not plebes. Don’t make that mistake 🥴😬🫣
 
Navy_Simp said:
Let me preface this by saying I am going to go, if for no other reason than because I don’t want to regret not going.

I accepted my offer of appointment back in December, and going to USNA has been a dream of mine for years. But as we rapidly approach I-Day, and the realization of what I’m about to do is setting in, I’m becoming more nervous about what this all entails. I am not from a military family, and am also a first generation college student. I have no experience in either of these fields and have nobody in my close circle who relates to what I want to do. I think I do want to be in the military, and I know the USNA is a great institution, but the way people describe it is just…saddening?

I’ve heard about the cynicism, the collective suck, and the grind of being there. Does being at USNA really suck that bad? My goal isn’t to have fun in college, but I am still a human who wants to be thrown a bone every now and then. What’s the point of going to USNA if I am to be miserable for 4 years of my life?

Perhaps it’s just my nerves getting to me about plebe summer but this is the biggest commitment I’ve ever signed up for in my life, and I want to make sure it’s right for me.

Any insight into the environment, challenges, and wellbeing of mids at USNA would be highly appreciated. Also, are any other 2026 Appointees feeling this way?
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My best advice is to not come. We do not want to deal with plebe summer washouts. If you are already this soft about it and haven't even started the process, you will be a mess during your time here. You do not have great potential here. People will lie to you, butter you up about how you "learn to enjoy the suck!" and other dumb nonsense. This is a stressful environment and you need a strong vision in order to succeed at the academy. I do not want to read your sorry ass jodels at 2 AM about how stressed you are. Go to a different school. We do not want you
 
usnamidshipman33 said:
My best advice is to not come. We do not want to deal with plebe summer washouts. If you are already this soft about it and haven't even started the process, you will be a mess during your time here. You do not have great potential here. People will lie to you, butter you up about how you "learn to enjoy the suck!" and other dumb nonsense. This is a stressful environment and you need a strong vision in order to succeed at the academy. I do not want to read your sorry *** jodels at 2 AM about how stressed you are. Go to a different school. We do not want you
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Don’t act like you were not nervous before you reported here for I-Day.

It’s not on you to decide who you want or don’t want, it’s on you to help everyone.
 
usnamidshipman33 said:
My best advice is to not come. We do not want to deal with plebe summer washouts. If you are already this soft about it and haven't even started the process, you will be a mess during your time here. You do not have great potential here. People will lie to you, butter you up about how you "learn to enjoy the suck!" and other dumb nonsense. This is a stressful environment and you need a strong vision in order to succeed at the academy. I do not want to read your sorry *** jodels at 2 AM about how stressed you are. Go to a different school. We do not want you
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"We" - Ha! Don't think I or others were lying in their previous posts. Good luck on your finals.
 
usnamidshipman33 said:
My best advice is to not come. We do not want to deal with plebe summer washouts. If you are already this soft about it and haven't even started the process, you will be a mess during your time here. You do not have great potential here. People will lie to you, butter you up about how you "learn to enjoy the suck!" and other dumb nonsense. This is a stressful environment and you need a strong vision in order to succeed at the academy. I do not want to read your sorry *** jodels at 2 AM about how stressed you are. Go to a different school. We do not want you
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Yikes man, looks like the cynicism has gotten to you. See you next month!
 
usnamidshipman33 said:
My best advice is to not come. We do not want to deal with plebe summer washouts. If you are already this soft about it and haven't even started the process, you will be a mess during your time here. You do not have great potential here. People will lie to you, butter you up about how you "learn to enjoy the suck!" and other dumb nonsense. This is a stressful environment and you need a strong vision in order to succeed at the academy. I do not want to read your sorry *** jodels at 2 AM about how stressed you are. Go to a different school. We do not want you
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Midshipmen need shipmates who are supportive. There is not likely a single midshipmen in all of approx 176 years who didn’t dislike the academy at one point or another. And speaking on the behalf of other midshipmen isn’t a good look.
 
usnamidshipman33 said:
My best advice is to not come. We do not want to deal with plebe summer washouts. If you are already this soft about it and haven't even started the process, you will be a mess during your time here. You do not have great potential here. People will lie to you, butter you up about how you "learn to enjoy the suck!" and other dumb nonsense. This is a stressful environment and you need a strong vision in order to succeed at the academy. I do not want to read your sorry *** jodels at 2 AM about how stressed you are. Go to a different school. We do not want you
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Troll?
 
usnamidshipman33 said:
My best advice is to not come. We do not want to deal with plebe summer washouts. If you are already this soft about it and haven't even started the process, you will be a mess during your time here. You do not have great potential here. People will lie to you, butter you up about how you "learn to enjoy the suck!" and other dumb nonsense. This is a stressful environment and you need a strong vision in order to succeed at the academy. I do not want to read your sorry *** jodels at 2 AM about how stressed you are. Go to a different school. We do not want you
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Shipmate are we really doing this? It’s pretty naiive to think that those who are successful here never experienced self-doubt. During training for Plebe Summer Detail, Colonel McCarthy specifically said “I want you to make them question their decision to come here” and we were pretty good at that if I do say so. OP hasn’t given me any signs that they’re likely to DOR over Plebe Summer (Much of this
seems like common butterflies), but even if they do, we absolutely will deal with it. There’s an SOP for that, and we have Tango company for a reason. Idk if you’re trolling or just had a rough week but some of what you said was needlessly vitriolic and not the right way to anonymously represent the Brigade online.

Now I do agree that the Academy is unforgiving and a lot of cliché advice about how “It’s tough but you’re setting yourself up better than you could anywhere else” and “There’s a lot of fun/cool opportunities” and “the friends you meet will make it all worth it” etc are just not necessarily true for everyone, and one should only come here if they are ready to make a lot of sacrifices. The OP makes some accurate observations and should do some serious soul-searching and seek counsel from parents/teachers/coaches/ministers/scoutmasters or whoever they can trust for sound mentorship, and ultimately make the decision that’s best for them, whether it’s going or not.
 
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