Life at the Academy

MombaBomba mentioned being an introvert. Of all the lifestyle requirements of an SA, this is the area that concerns me for DS. He is a true introvert which was described to me once as drawing energy from inside yourself; other DS is an extrovert that gets his energy from interactions with others. My introverted DS needs his time alone to recharge. He is good with doing homework in that time, or reading the news, or whatever, but at least so far in life he has needed some quiet time without other people to recharge the batteries. Is that even possible at an SA? Would anyone care to comment on life as an introvert at an SA?

If DS can get himself through the summer training, and the nonstop be-with-people every second, he will be fine. The academic year affords opportunities for solo workouts, quiet time with the books and laptop in study spots, etc. Introverts can find their recharge time. Sundays during the summer training usually offer an opportunity to stand down a bit. Go to Sunday service! A blessed hour to worship or be left alone with your thoughts.

When I was on USNA staff, we knew the introverts struggled the most with Plebe Summer, while the extroverts dived happily (relatively) into the pressure cooker. It wasn't the physical or mental demands they struggled with, just the cataclysmic shock to the way they processed daily life. There is awareness of that. I would say this is true regardless of SA, though my experience was USNA. Very importantly, as I think any SA grad would attest, the summer training is not what the rest of plebe/doolie/swab year and the other 3 years are like. Those summer months of hell are designed to sweat a disparate group of high achievers into a cohesive group bonded in shared experience.

Learning some meditative techniques might help. I am not talking saying "om," but having some tools he can fall back on when he has 10 minutes to himself to breathe deep, empty his mind and just take a moment. Being mindful of those opportunities, when he is feeling like he needs to get out of there, and being self-aware in managing his stress, will be key.

I test as an introvert, but the Navy taught me how to adapt and operate as I needed to as a leader and teammate. I had all kinds of ways to find my alone time. Many, many successful senior leaders are introverts by nature. It takes all types to make up a well-rounded officer corps.
 
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Lets see, over the past year, my DS who is a 2nd(Junior) has taken a two week sail on a yacht from Annapolis to Boston and back, ridden in a Jet fighter, gone to lots of Football games, Skiing, Ice Skating, and Bush Gardens with his Company. Not to mention Snowball fights, Concerts from top Country singers, etc...

But then again, it is not unusual for me to get a call at 2100 his time on a Sunday night, as he is trying to stay awake and kill some time before the sidewalk briefing at 2200. he had an exam this past semester on a Saturday before he came home. The long hours are a killer, but he was always one of those who required A lot of sleep, and took naps (No Naps worried him more than any single issue as he headed out for Plebe year :) ) So if he can get through that part of it so can you.

There is Life after Plebe Summer!
 
MombaBomba mentioned being an introvert. Of all the lifestyle requirements of an SA, this is the area that concerns me for DS. He is a true introvert which was described to me once as drawing energy from inside yourself; other DS is an extrovert that gets his energy from interactions with others. My introverted DS needs his time alone to recharge. He is good with doing homework in that time, or reading the news, or whatever, but at least so far in life he has needed some quiet time without other people to recharge the batteries. Is that even possible at an SA? Would anyone care to comment on life as an introvert at an SA?

They have Academic Call to Quarters (ACQ) when they're supposed to do homework, etc. The upperclassmen have to leave them alone during this time. My DD can also be introverted and needs her quiet time. Its usually during this period that she can decompress. There are actually quite a few introverts at the Academy (according to my daughter), some are even a little socially awkward. :)
 
I am a big time introvert. Most people would never guess that about me, but I am. I need my time away from others to recharge daily. As a Mid or Cadet you will figure out how to find that alone time. Some run, others fine an empty classroom to study, others go out to a bookstore and just read. It's hard living with 1-2 rooms mates and always being around people. If my room mate studied in the hall, I didn't. Senior year my room mate went to the library every night until midnight. It was great, get back from practice and room to myself for hours! Sometimes I would take a walk and sit on the sea wall. Some weekends, I got a hotel to myself or if my room mate was gone just sat in my room, read, slept, watched movies. Introverts figure it out.
 
One of DS's best friends came to the Academy as a VERY introverted home schooler (not that all home schoolers are introverted of course). My wife and I had the privilege of meeting him on one of our trips out. DS relayed how he was so introverted but, like Capt MJ and others have said, once he made it through BCT he adapted well and excelled. The great thing is that his squad-mates understand him and have helped him come out of his shell some but also give him his space and respect that part of his personality. It is amazing how they come together as a team and work together in their daily interactions with each other.
 
We sponsor mids, several a year, have for years. On their first tour of the house, I point out to them places where they can go and shut the door if they need alone time, or where they can go if they want to chat and hang out. I tell them what time dinner is, and I leave them alone unless they come find me. My DH and I figure out pretty quickly who's "intro" and who's "extro."

One of our sponsor sons would come over and disappear for hours, enjoy himself quietly at the dinner table while others talked more, but would get in a hilarious zinger here and there. No surprise, he went subs, and is now a civilian engineer. Some years after graduation, he told us the peace and quiet at our house and our understanding of him were one of the things that got him through. He did just fine.
 
Thank you for your info Were you saying that if you are high maintenance the academy would not be a good thing? I take care of myself a lot of the times and I thought that would be a good thing for the academy. Thank you again for posting!

High maintenance meaning needing the finer and/or funner things in life, needing constant attention and feedback, not being able to make do with the basics or less, constantly looking for others to do things for you or assist you. The attitude of "being too good" for x, y or z. Those are all examples of high maintenance people.

At the Academy, especially your freshman year, being able to find enjoyment and appreciation for the "basic" or "simpler" things in life will go a long way to helping anyone through the 4 years. If you are unable to find enjoyment and/or appreciation for or in some of the "basic or simpler things" in life, you may not be happy at the academy. Some people need fancy meals, high fashion, going out on the town, etc.. They can't imagine life without it, and would be miserable giving up that kind of lifestyle. People who require those things will most likely not be a good match. There is a difference between enjoying those things and requiring or expecting them as your due.

People tend to seek out ways to balance their life. Some people use physical activity to blow off steam while others go out clubbing. If your "stress coping" mechanisms require things like "clubbing", "partying", "just taking the car out and driving around" etc., then the academy probably isn't the right place because those opportunities are severely limited.
 
MombaBomba mentioned being an introvert. Of all the lifestyle requirements of an SA, this is the area that concerns me for DS. He is a true introvert which was described to me once as drawing energy from inside yourself; other DS is an extrovert that gets his energy from interactions with others. My introverted DS needs his time alone to recharge. He is good with doing homework in that time, or reading the news, or whatever, but at least so far in life he has needed some quiet time without other people to recharge the batteries. Is that even possible at an SA? Would anyone care to comment on life as an introvert at an SA?

I know of several "introverts" at USAFA. It really depends on the "degree" of introvert and how well they cope with being out of their element. My DS does seek alone time to recharge. He is still at USAFA and plans to make it through and graduate. Having to share a room was a new experience for him. The problem with doolie year is they are basically fish in a fish bowl. Mine figured out ways to get through it and deal with the lack of privacy/alone time. He learned a lot about himself and developed coping skills. From a parent's perspective, doolie year seems to be about "adaptation." It's not just learning about how to handle new/different situations, but also about how much one can tolerate and for how long. Doolie year seems designed to keep cadets off kilter and out of their comfort zone.
 
I know that they have knowledge tests and heard that you would have a book, The Contrails, or something like that, which has all that you need to know for the tests. Is that true, and if so, how/when does one get the book?
 
I know that they have knowledge tests and heard that you would have a book, The Contrails, or something like that, which has all that you need to know for the tests. Is that true, and if so, how/when does one get the book?

This is true. Knowledge tests are weekly and determine whether you are restricted the following weekend or not (based on personal score and average as the frosh class in your squadron).

Contrails is issued after basic and you will carry it with you everywhere.
 
While waiting to find out if I was appointed to the academy I heard about this forum and I had a few questions about the academy from people who have gone through it very recently. One of my concerns is that I won't be able to enjoy myself during college and my time will be spent getting yelled at or doing school work all the time. Can anybody attest to that? Am I wrong or will I have time to be a normal human being?

I was also wondering how much dating and relationships of that sorts goes on at the academy. I haven't found anywhere talking about it or if dating is even allowed while your at the academy.

As a 4-degree and before recognition, I would guess that it is nothing like regular college in terms of "having fun". However, you will find ways to enjoy your time and you will have a lot of "fun" memories that are shared with others here. Some of the upperclassmen refer to USAFA after recognition as "Air Force University" and say that it is nearly like a regular college, but I cannot personally attest to that (yet!, 20 days...). There will be opportunities to be "a normal human being", and if you prove to the upperclassmen that you are willing to work hard and do what is expected of you, you will be treated more as a person than just as a doolie. You won't be friends with the upperclassmen, but if you have a good reputation with them, they will not look for ways to yell at you.

I hope this helps, if you have any specific questions please ask-I'll do my best to answer!
 
As a 4-degree and before recognition, I would guess that it is nothing like regular college in terms of "having fun". However, you will find ways to enjoy your time and you will have a lot of "fun" memories that are shared with others here. Some of the upperclassmen refer to USAFA after recognition as "Air Force University" and say that it is nearly like a regular college, but I cannot personally attest to that (yet!, 20 days...). There will be opportunities to be "a normal human being", and if you prove to the upperclassmen that you are willing to work hard and do what is expected of you, you will be treated more as a person than just as a doolie. You won't be friends with the upperclassmen, but if you have a good reputation with them, they will not look for ways to yell at you.

I hope this helps, if you have any specific questions please ask-I'll do my best to answer!

I should clarify, having a good reputation with upperclassmen will not let you get away with anything or lower your standards, but they may leave you alone a little more if you prove that you can handle your business. E.g. if you show that you will pass your knowledge tests, then there is no reason for anyone to talk to you about passing knowledge tests; whereas, if you consistently fail knowledge tests, upperclassmen will need to help you figure out a way to pass, leading to more attention.
 
Contrails is issued to you. You can buy old editions here: http://shop.usafa.org/products/bookstore/contrails#.VsaJBdCGOT8

No need to buy it beforehand, however, as everyone will be learning the information together. (Just look up the Reef Points thread to see what I mean)

Keep in mind that the Contrails can change from year to year . That's why new ones are printed each year.

Don't try to start memorizing everything in them before you get there, either. The cadre will realize & give you a pretty hard time about it. The only thing I would recommend memorizing are the 7 basic responses. Everything else, just learn as you go with the rest of your classmates. Help each other out - that WILL impress the cadre.
 
I can confirm that contrails for the class of 2020 is undergoing some pretty intense revisions from previous years. The content will be pretty similar, but the layout and presentation of the information will be somewhat different.
 
I should clarify, having a good reputation with upperclassmen will not let you get away with anything or lower your standards, but they may leave you alone a little more if you prove that you can handle your business. E.g. if you show that you will pass your knowledge tests, then there is no reason for anyone to talk to you about passing knowledge tests; whereas, if you consistently fail knowledge tests, upperclassmen will need to help you figure out a way to pass, leading to more attention.

Are the knowledge tests only during BCT or throughout the whole year? For some reason the knowledge is what I'm most scared about when I think about attending any Academy.
 
Are the knowledge tests only during BCT or throughout the whole year? For some reason the knowledge is what I'm most scared about when I think about attending any Academy.

There are knowledge tests during both BCT and during the academic year. To my knowledge, the ones during the academic year are the only ones that factor into your MPA (an upperclassman could probably know that better than I). Don't be scared, they are just another part of life here and are only a small part of 4-degree year. Overall, not a reason to worry
 
Are the knowledge tests only during BCT or throughout the whole year? For some reason the knowledge is what I'm most scared about when I think about attending any Academy.

Throughout the year up until a week or so before recognition.

Knowledge tests should not be at the top of your "things to worry about" list.
 
Keep in mind that the Contrails can change from year to year . That's why new ones are printed each year.

Don't try to start memorizing everything in them before you get there, either. The cadre will realize & give you a pretty hard time about it. The only thing I would recommend memorizing are the 7 basic responses. Everything else, just learn as you go with the rest of your classmates. Help each other out - that WILL impress the cadre.

Ok that makes sense. How long does it usually take to memorize the information? I tend to be really good at memorization but if this takes me longer to memorize, it would be good to know that I would be on the same timeline as other doolies there.
 
Ok that makes sense. How long does it usually take to memorize the information? I tend to be really good at memorization but if this takes me longer to memorize, it would be good to know that I would be on the same timeline as other doolies there.


Varies from person to person. Some people can start studying the day of the test, study straight for a few hours and be fine. Others have to spread out more studying over the course of the week. The hardest part is memorizing quotes that have to restated verbatim (exact same words, exact same punctuation), as any discrepancy causes you to lose all credit for the question. Generally people have to write out the quote repeatedly.
 
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