Current Plebe With Some Media Rates, AMA

randomplebe

Kings Point '25
Joined
Aug 11, 2021
Messages
30
Current plebe that has some media rates for the evening, ask me anything about indoctrination or life as a plebe. I know there's not a lot of resources out there about life here sometimes so I would be happy to help. :)
 
Application in review, been to campus twice for visits in the last 4 months, DS is excited. All seems great and most questions answered. The one part they all seem to skip and gloss over is the dorm. Tell me about dorm life. How are roommates paired up? Is food and drink allowed in the room? Can you get an extra pillow or 2? Tell me about this sleeping ontop of the made bed with a towel? Seems crazy and I am sure there is a method but for all the mental and physical work these young men and women put in, recovery has to be important.
 
Application in review, been to campus twice for visits in the last 4 months, DS is excited. All seems great and most questions answered. The one part they all seem to skip and gloss over is the dorm. Tell me about dorm life. How are roommates paired up? Is food and drink allowed in the room? Can you get an extra pillow or 2? Tell me about this sleeping ontop of the made bed with a towel? Seems crazy and I am sure there is a method but for all the mental and physical work these young men and women put in, recovery has to be important.
On a greater sense it depends on what company they're sorted into which is mostly "random" with some exceptions for band kids and some recruited athletes. Roommate pairing for the first two trimesters is typically random and for third tri I will ~hopefully~ be able to pick my own roommate.

Food and drink are allowed with obvious restrictions, no sweets or junk food and most classes don't earn caffeine back (it's a rate.) The class of 2025 earned caffeine back in like early September if I remember right. If you're smart you can find ways to sneak food through the mail, as long as it's not out then you can't get in trouble for it unless there's a special inspection (incredibly rare)


Extra pillows and stuff doesn't really happen haha, you can get one sent to you but I wouldn't simply because it takes up limited space and the pillow here is fine.

I sleep with my foot blanket and so does my roommate, folding it takes like two seconds. During indoc I know a lot of kids that slept with towels and I did for a few nights but ultimately you're so tired you'll fall asleep without a towel if you don't have one. Personally, I wouldn't pack a towel for indoc again, as it wasted space and didn't make much of an improvement on my life.

If your DS wants anyone to talk to before indoc just PM me and I would be happy to talk to him
 
On a greater sense it depends on what company they're sorted into which is mostly "random" with some exceptions for band kids and some recruited athletes. Roommate pairing for the first two trimesters is typically random and for third tri I will ~hopefully~ be able to pick my own roommate.

Food and drink are allowed with obvious restrictions, no sweets or junk food and most classes don't earn caffeine back (it's a rate.) The class of 2025 earned caffeine back in like early September if I remember right. If you're smart you can find ways to sneak food through the mail, as long as it's not out then you can't get in trouble for it unless there's a special inspection (incredibly rare)


Extra pillows and stuff doesn't really happen haha, you can get one sent to you but I wouldn't simply because it takes up limited space and the pillow here is fine.

I sleep with my foot blanket and so does my roommate, folding it takes like two seconds. During indoc I know a lot of kids that slept with towels and I did for a few nights but ultimately you're so tired you'll fall asleep without a towel if you don't have one. Personally, I wouldn't pack a towel for indoc again, as it wasted space and didn't make much of an improvement on my life.

If your DS wants anyone to talk to before indoc just PM me and I would be happy to talk to him
Thanks Randomplebe. Really Appreciate it. Any suggestions on indoc Prep? Or things you wished you would have done prior to July 10th.
 
Also, we are trying to understand the lingo, i am often embarrassed to ask but what is a rate? You have Media Rates? Caffeine is a rate?
 
Thanks Randomplebe. Really Appreciate it. Any suggestions on indoc Prep? Or things you wished you would have done prior to July 10th.

As far as indoc prep goes just make sure he's running a lot. I saw a lot of kids that were physically unprepared make it through but your fitness can increase or decrease the difficulty of indoc.

Please for the love of god study the fundamentals of Calc and maybe chem and physics, so many of my friends are failing at least one of these classes.

Personally, I wish I spent more time with my folks before I reported. I live 1,500 miles away and I was working a job up until maybe three weeks before I left. Just encourage your DS to enjoy being a highschooler and push him to go do "teen things" for as long as he can because once you're here, a lot changes. That was my experience with it, ymmv.


Also, we are trying to understand the lingo, i am often embarrassed to ask but what is a rate? You have Media Rates? Caffeine is a rate?

Yup. A rate is a privilege and can be taken from you at any time.
 
Last one and I will stop bothering you. What are Sat and Sun like for Plebes.

You're not bothering me at all haha so Saturdays are really relaxed, the class of 2025 has gotten liberty way more than average so just don't count on having liberty all that much.

With that being said, Saturday's we usually can sleep in a little to like 8 or 9 depending on your training staff, and then you're free to do as you please for the entire day. A lot of my friends work out, catch up on school work, read a book or clean.

Sunday's are pretty similar to Saturday's except you have a PKT later that evening, there's a lot that goes on at a PKT but I am not going to spoil that for your plebe to be haha ;)
 
Liberty = an opportunity to go off campus. It could be a day pass or an overnight pass. In general, Freshman are required to be back before 6pm on a Sunday before a school day. This weekend, there is no school tomorrow so it is a little different.

PKT = Plebe knowledge test. It is a weekly military knowledge test that the class completes. It is frequently "failed" as a class and is an opportunity for extra physical training (PT). The class is required to pass 10 (as an entire class) before they can be "recognized."

Recognition = the end of the "Plebe" year or better known as when you become human again. You do not get yelled at, can wear civilian clothes, and can be treated like the upperclassman at the school. This is generally around March - May before this happens and USMMA has criteria for the class. USAFA just has an event around Spring Break, and USNA has a week during graduation week.
 
Liberty = an opportunity to go off campus. It could be a day pass or an overnight pass. In general, Freshman are required to be back before 6pm on a Sunday before a school day. This weekend, there is no school tomorrow so it is a little different.

PKT = Plebe knowledge test. It is a weekly military knowledge test that the class completes. It is frequently "failed" as a class and is an opportunity for extra physical training (PT). The class is required to pass 10 (as an entire class) before they can be "recognized."

Recognition = the end of the "Plebe" year or better known as when you become human again. You do not get yelled at, can wear civilian clothes, and can be treated like the upperclassman at the school. This is generally around March - May before this happens and USMMA has criteria for the class. USAFA just has an event around Spring Break, and USNA has a week during graduation week.

for recognition we have a ton of steps we have to achieve before we’re able to be recognized and recognition is completely at the mercy of the upperclass training staff.
 
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