I -Day and Plebe Parents Weekend 2021

usnavynurse

usnavynurse

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Does anyone know if there is a thread for schedules for I-Day and Plebe Parents Weekend. Trying to figure out our hotel accommodations and wondering what time the swearing in is for I-Day. Is that when you say good bye to your plebe? Thanks!
 
Parent of a 2020 here, so I Day is still pretty fresh in my mind. Couple of suggestions that we received that were helpful, so thought I'd pass them along.
  • Timing above looks about right, but is always (of course) subject to change.
  • Bring a large blanket or sheet to sit on for post-Induction ceremony. Your plebe will be in their new shiny white uniform, and will be terrified of getting it stained. We set ours out on the grass under a big shade tree right after we dropped the DS off @ 7:30a.
  • Bring some food. The stress of the day and the running around probably means they didn't have much for breakfast, and definitely didn't have time for lunch, so odds are they're going to be hungry. Not meatball sandwiches, though... see previous point about white uniform. You can score a simple sandwich at the Drydock Restaurant after you drop your Mid off, and they'll have it ready for pick up before the Oath.
  • Bring water. Odds are it'll hotter than the filling of a Hot Pocket being nuked in the devil's microwave. And those new uniforms aren't exactly known for their moisture wicking or breathability...
  • There's a big parent meeting in Alumni Hall right before the Oath ceremony. When it ends, a titanic wave of humanity rushes toward Bancroft Hall to get seating for the Oath. If you can, try to sneak out of Alumni a little early to get better seating. We sat in the back to aid our escape. (It was where I was used to sitting in college anyway...)
  • Take out a 2nd mortgage to prepare yourself for the gloriousness that is the Midshipman Store. Last time I went in there for cold medication, and came out with the meds, an Under Armour 1/4 zip, a leash for the dog, 2 t-shirts, golf balls, a X-mas ornament, and a pool toy. And we don't own a pool. Seriously, though, bring a backpack or other easy to carry bag with some room in it.
  • If time and resource allow, try and secure someplace to stay that's within walking distance of the Yard. We stayed in Eastport, about 1 mile away. It allowed us to avoid all the parking and shuttle hassles associated with I Day (and they were pretty brutal last year, apparently). We were able to walk over on I Day, which was awesome: people were out on the front porches waving and shouting encouragement to our son (and us...) It also allowed our Mid an opportunity to relax a bit before beginning the adventure.
That's some of what worked for us. I'm confident others will have other tips and tricks. Hope it helps, and good luck!
 
Typically, there is a picnic on Hospital Point sponsored by the Alumni Association. There's s nominal charge and the food reportedly isn't exceptional (typical picnic fare) but they usually do have freebies from "vendors" such as USAA and it can be nice to meet some of the other parents.

You need to decide whether to spend the day on the Yard or return to your hotel for the day and come back for the Oath. I'd say that parents who: (1) are grads themselves, (2) live in the area, and/or (3) had another kid go through I-Day in years past, generally spend the day doing something else. This is because they don't really need to do all the stuff there is to do on I-Day. That said, I'm sure there are parents in the above categories who stay on the Yard for the convenience of not having to come and go and/or their hotel is a good distance away.

Those who aren't familiar with USNA and/or live far away so things like the MidStore are a treat may well enjoy spending the day on the Yard. You can also walk out in town but, as noted above, it can be REALLY hot so be prepared.

What you won't be able to do is see your child between the time you deposit him/her at Alumni Hall and after the Oath ceremony. [You can hang out at Bancroft for a brief glance but really isn't worth it]. So, you'll have 10+ hours to occupy your time.
 
brewer90 said:
Parent of a 2020 here, so I Day is still pretty fresh in my mind. Couple of suggestions that we received that were helpful, so thought I'd pass them along.
  • Timing above looks about right, but is always (of course) subject to change.
  • Bring a large blanket or sheet to sit on for post-Induction ceremony. Your plebe will be in their new shiny white uniform, and will be terrified of getting it stained. We set ours out on the grass under a big shade tree right after we dropped the DS off @ 7:30a.
  • Bring some food. The stress of the day and the running around probably means they didn't have much for breakfast, and definitely didn't have time for lunch, so odds are they're going to be hungry. Not meatball sandwiches, though... see previous point about white uniform. You can score a simple sandwich at the Drydock Restaurant after you drop your Mid off, and they'll have it ready for pick up before the Oath.
  • Bring water. Odds are it'll hotter than the filling of a Hot Pocket being nuked in the devil's microwave. And those new uniforms aren't exactly known for their moisture wicking or breathability...
  • There's a big parent meeting in Alumni Hall right before the Oath ceremony. When it ends, a titanic wave of humanity rushes toward Bancroft Hall to get seating for the Oath. If you can, try to sneak out of Alumni a little early to get better seating. We sat in the back to aid our escape. (It was where I was used to sitting in college anyway...)Take out a 2nd mortgage to prepare yourself for the gloriousness that is the Midshipman ore. Last time I went in there for cold medication, and came out with the meds, an Under Armour 1/4 zip, a leash for the dog, 2 t-shirts, golf balls, a X-mas ornament, and a pool toy. And we don't own a pool. Seriously, though, bring a backpack or other easy to carry bag with some room in it.
  • If time and resource allow, try and secure someplace to stay that's within walking distance of the Yard. We stayed in Eastport, about 1 mile away. It allowed us to avoid all the parking and shuttle hassles associated with I Day (and they were pretty brutal last year, apparently). We were able to walk over on I Day, which was awesome: people were out on the front porches waving and shouting encouragement to our son (and us...) It also allowed our Mid an opportunity to relax a bit before beginning the adventure.
That's some of what worked for us. I'm confident others will have other tips and tricks. Hope it helps, and good luck!
Click to expand...
brewer90 said:
Take out a 2nd mortgage to prepare yourself for the gloriousness that is the Midshipman Store.
Click to expand...
One of the many items the Mid store will likely be selling will be a " Class of 2021 " shirt. The back of the shirt will have all the plebes' names printed on it. Price was in the $20-$25 range for the 2020 shirts.
 
OP, I assume from your name that you may be active Navy, so that means you have DoD credentials and can access the Yard any day, any time. If that's the case, there's no need to stay within walking distance of the Yard on I-Day, because you should have no problem driving on and parking. My husband is a DoD contractor, so we were able to drive on about 30 minutes before my son's report time and drove off easily at the end of the day, passing the poor souls walking back to the stadium because the shuttles were packed.
 
With the closing of McNair Road for vehicles, joggers and walkers due to construction of Hopper Hall, and the huge influx of folks on I Day, I'd say all bets are off about accessing and parking on the yard on I Day this year. They will even have to figure out a way to get the Plebes from Alumni Hall to Bancroft! I would not count on being able to drive onto the yard this year.

image1.PNG
 
brewer90 said:
Parent of a 2020 here, so I Day is still pretty fresh in my mind. Couple of suggestions that we received that were helpful, so thought I'd pass them along.
  • Timing above looks about right, but is always (of course) subject to change.
  • Bring a large blanket or sheet to sit on for post-Induction ceremony. Your plebe will be in their new shiny white uniform, and will be terrified of getting it stained. We set ours out on the grass under a big shade tree right after we dropped the DS off @ 7:30a.
  • Bring some food. The stress of the day and the running around probably means they didn't have much for breakfast, and definitely didn't have time for lunch, so odds are they're going to be hungry. Not meatball sandwiches, though... see previous point about white uniform. You can score a simple sandwich at the Drydock Restaurant after you drop your Mid off, and they'll have it ready for pick up before the Oath.
  • Bring water. Odds are it'll hotter than the filling of a Hot Pocket being nuked in the devil's microwave. And those new uniforms aren't exactly known for their moisture wicking or breathability...
  • There's a big parent meeting in Alumni Hall right before the Oath ceremony. When it ends, a titanic wave of humanity rushes toward Bancroft Hall to get seating for the Oath. If you can, try to sneak out of Alumni a little early to get better seating. We sat in the back to aid our escape. (It was where I was used to sitting in college anyway...)
  • Take out a 2nd mortgage to prepare yourself for the gloriousness that is the Midshipman Store. Last time I went in there for cold medication, and came out with the meds, an Under Armour 1/4 zip, a leash for the dog, 2 t-shirts, golf balls, a X-mas ornament, and a pool toy. And we don't own a pool. Seriously, though, bring a backpack or other easy to carry bag with some room in it.
  • If time and resource allow, try and secure someplace to stay that's within walking distance of the Yard. We stayed in Eastport, about 1 mile away. It allowed us to avoid all the parking and shuttle hassles associated with I Day (and they were pretty brutal last year, apparently). We were able to walk over on I Day, which was awesome: people were out on the front porches waving and shouting encouragement to our son (and us...) It also allowed our Mid an opportunity to relax a bit before beginning the adventure.
That's some of what worked for us. I'm confident others will have other tips and tricks. Hope it helps, and good luck!
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the great advice and humor!
 
usna1985 said:
Typically, there is a picnic on Hospital Point sponsored by the Alumni Association. There's s nominal charge and the food reportedly isn't exceptional (typical picnic fare) but they usually do have freebies from "vendors" such as USAA and it can be nice to meet some of the other parents.

You need to decide whether to spend the day on the Yard or return to your hotel for the day and come back for the Oath. I'd say that parents who: (1) are grads themselves, (2) live in the area, and/or (3) had another kid go through I-Day in years past, generally spend the day doing something else. This is because they don't really need to do all the stuff there is to do on I-Day. That said, I'm sure there are parents in the above categories who stay on the Yard for the convenience of not having to come and go and/or their hotel is a good distance away.

Those who aren't familiar with USNA and/or live far away so things like the MidStore are a treat may well enjoy spending the day on the Yard. You can also walk out in town but, as noted above, it can be REALLY hot so be prepared.

What you won't be able to do is see your child between the time you deposit him/her at Alumni Hall and after the Oath ceremony. [You can hang out at Bancroft for a brief glance but really isn't worth it]. So, you'll have 10+ hours to occupy your time.
Click to expand...
Good advise thank you!
 
2020Vision said:
OP, I assume from your name that you may be active Navy, so that means you have DoD credentials and can access the Yard any day, any time. If that's the case, there's no need to stay within walking distance of the Yard on I-Day, because you should have no problem driving on and parking. My husband is a DoD contractor, so we were able to drive on about 30 minutes before my son's report time and drove off easily at the end of the day, passing the poor souls walking back to the stadium because the shuttles were packed.
Click to expand...
No longer active, bummer.
 
brewer90 said:
Parent of a 2020 here, so I Day is still pretty fresh in my mind. Couple of suggestions that we received that were helpful, so thought I'd pass them along.
  • Timing above looks about right, but is always (of course) subject to change.
  • Bring a large blanket or sheet to sit on for post-Induction ceremony. Your plebe will be in their new shiny white uniform, and will be terrified of getting it stained. We set ours out on the grass under a big shade tree right after we dropped the DS off @ 7:30a.
  • Bring some food. The stress of the day and the running around probably means they didn't have much for breakfast, and definitely didn't have time for lunch, so odds are they're going to be hungry. Not meatball sandwiches, though... see previous point about white uniform. You can score a simple sandwich at the Drydock Restaurant after you drop your Mid off, and they'll have it ready for pick up before the Oath.
  • Bring water. Odds are it'll hotter than the filling of a Hot Pocket being nuked in the devil's microwave. And those new uniforms aren't exactly known for their moisture wicking or breathability...
  • There's a big parent meeting in Alumni Hall right before the Oath ceremony. When it ends, a titanic wave of humanity rushes toward Bancroft Hall to get seating for the Oath. If you can, try to sneak out of Alumni a little early to get better seating. We sat in the back to aid our escape. (It was where I was used to sitting in college anyway...)
  • Take out a 2nd mortgage to prepare yourself for the gloriousness that is the Midshipman Store. Last time I went in there for cold medication, and came out with the meds, an Under Armour 1/4 zip, a leash for the dog, 2 t-shirts, golf balls, a X-mas ornament, and a pool toy. And we don't own a pool. Seriously, though, bring a backpack or other easy to carry bag with some room in it.
  • If time and resource allow, try and secure someplace to stay that's within walking distance of the Yard. We stayed in Eastport, about 1 mile away. It allowed us to avoid all the parking and shuttle hassles associated with I Day (and they were pretty brutal last year, apparently). We were able to walk over on I Day, which was awesome: people were out on the front porches waving and shouting encouragement to our son (and us...) It also allowed our Mid an opportunity to relax a bit before beginning the adventure.
That's some of what worked for us. I'm confident others will have other tips and tricks. Hope it helps, and good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the information. I could not afford to stay really close ($$$) hotels are very expensive (always?) and we are buying plane tickets and renting a car, so we are 4 miles away. How do you find out about parking and shuttles and all of those details, I've never been there and I'm on my own - if I rent a car will there be parking for me to drop my plebe.
 
What is the info provided in the PTR this year?

Anyone received one could share?
 
HumbleMom said:
How do you find out about parking and shuttles and all of those details, I've never been there and I'm on my own - if I rent a car will there be parking for me to drop my plebe.
Click to expand...

Assuming things are the same as a couple of years ago, you can park at the football stadium and take a shuttle to the Yard. There are a couple of stops on the Yard. We got off/picked up the shuttle at Alumni hall and walked around the Yard from there and that worked fine. You go through a bit of security at the stadium before boarding the bus, but it's no big deal. It is a long, hot day with not a lot to do for a good part of the day. They will have guided tours going, so if you haven't been there before it's worth doing and gives you something to do for a while. We did the Hospital point picnic which usna1985 described well. It's also a good day to walk around and familiarize yourself with the Yard and various buildings to kill some more time.
 
Dadof2 said:
Assuming things are the same as a couple of years ago, you can park at the football stadium and take a shuttle to the Yard. There are a couple of stops on the Yard. We got off/picked up the shuttle at Alumni hall and walked around the Yard from there and that worked fine. You go through a bit of security at the stadium before boarding the bus, but it's no big deal. It is a long, hot day with not a lot to do for a good part of the day. They will have guided tours going, so if you haven't been there before it's worth doing and gives you something to do for a while. We did the Hospital point picnic which usna1985 described well. It's also a good day to walk around and familiarize yourself with the Yard and various buildings to kill some more time.
Click to expand...

There is a very interesting multi-floor Navy museum with thousands of artifacts in one of the buildings- we spent 2 hours there and did not see all the exhibits- wished we could have spent more time at the museum, but 75 year old grandparent was getting tired and there was no place to sit. Mid-store behind Bancroft is another 2 hour exploration/purchasing point. You can also see the crypt where John Paul Jones remains are interred. Weather will be hot and humid, like living in a sauna for a couple of days.
 
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A few key spots to escape heat at USNA... Museum, visitor center and Dahlgren. Go to the top floor of Dahlgren. It's generally one of the few places you can escape the noise and mass of people on a chaotic day and possibly find a seat. Also go out in town, eat, drink relax. I know it's I Day, but for many you will be there 12+ hours with 4 years to go there. Fingers crossed it's a miracle and maybe a nice 85 degree day with no humidity (hey we can all wish right!).
 
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