Plebe Summer Typical Day

USNAwaterpolo

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Oct 17, 2009
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Just so that i can be as prepared as possible for July 1st (besides getting in the best shape possible), I was just wondering if a current/former mid could talk about the typical day in Plebe Summer is like. I know it is extremely hard, with a lot of yelling, physcial training etc. I just want to know what a typical schedule is. Do you get Sundays off? Thanks!
 
No you don't get any "days off."Typically you are told to get out of bed at 530 and come out into the hallway (passageway for the serious types). You get a few minutes to do the necessary hygiene steps. You go to PEP from there, I think that is from 6 to 735ish. You get a few minutes to shower and do some admin business then go to formation at 8. After that is breakfast and then some sort of morning activity, whether it be a lecture or a swim class or drill. If one of these isn't scheduled, your company will go into Bancroft and get tortured until the upper class get bored. The post lunch routine is much like the after breakfast routine. Later in the summer you get to go to sports period, which is a nice break from the hall. Around 1800 is dinner. After dinner you'll go do drill, go watch some boring movie about Naval Heritage, or get your first introduction to one of USNA's worst experiences...a Forrestal Lecture. The 30 minutes from 9-930 are yours. Blue and Gold - think of it as a meeting where you get yelled at and/or praised - is from 930-10ish. Then you go to sleep.

Plebe summer isn't hard. Plebe summer is boring. Very, very boring. Groundhogs Day.
 
Here's what I know -- I'm sure a parent or more recent mid can elaborate.

Most days start with reveille at 0545. You then have PEP from 0600-0730. That is followed by quick shower and then morning meal formation and morning meal. The morning is filled with a series of evolutions that could include: marching, swimming, honor lectures, validation tests, sailing, damage control, obstacle course, shooting, confidence course, getting measured for uniforms, etc. You then have noon meal formation and noon meal. The afternoon is filled with more evolutions of the type listed above. There is evening meal formation and evening meal. In the middle of this are chow calls, rates, room cleaning, watch, parades, and I'm sure other stuff. Lights out is probably around 2130.

You get Sunday morning off. In my da, they let you "sleep in" until 0745. Many mids choose to attend chapel (you can only go in the yard during the summer) but it's not required. I can't remember what we did Sunday afternoons; I don't think we had yard liberty but also don't remember really aggressive activities. Hopefully, someone else can enlighten me.

There were some "fun" events such as bonfires, the obligatory Orioles baseball game (we didn't get it b/c it was a strike year!), swimcalls (swimming for fun), and I'm sure a few things I've forgotten.

Honestly, you can't really "prepare." You'll have way more to do than you can possibly do, but that's sort of the point. :smile:
 
Im a current mid (The Great Class of 2013).

Everything that has been said is pretty accurate - Sundays they normally wake you up around 0745ish and let you go to church or tidy up your rooms/uniforms. There is also Donut Hour on Sunday mornings which gives you a chance to hang out with your fellow plebers, detailer free, while eating some weakness. After 1200, Plebe Summer is back on in full. Gray space, briefs, etc. go on for the rest of the day.

Like what the first poster said...the best preparation you can get is to watch Groundhog Day. Days go in and out and it all kind of blends together...

Good luck, run a lot, and see you during reform next year...

Shipmate
 
Plebe Summer is about endurance and survival -- groundhog day is the best way to sum it up. The thing to remember is to push through and not give up -- it is a mental game. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

It will prepare you well for deployments -- where it is groundhog day for 6+ months and you are told do 1,000 things and all of them are a number one priority. You will get yelled at, put down, told you can't do your job properly -- but then you recall all the times this happened during Plebe Summer or while at USNA -- and how you dealt with it and you move on and work your behind off as if nothing happened.

I am currently on my second deployment to USNAVCENT/C5F AOR and only graduated 17 months ago.

For those 1/C (if you read this post) that have questions about service selection and SWO, message me. I am more than willing to make some time to answer questions.

Beat NOTRE DAME!!! I want to annoy another JO that is a ND grad.
 
Hi,

I wasn't there but my daughter described it to me as a very strange sleep away camp.

I think it helps if you can find a way to keep a sense of humor about what you are doing.

GoNavyMom
 
As a SWO JO you get put down on a daily basis? Sounds worse than Camp Tecumseh.
 
Be prepared to go HUNGRY. My son is a very lean 6' 2" and the overwhelming theme in his 11 letters during PS was "SEND FOOD!!!!", which I did, and lots of it, but he still managed to lose 5 lbs.

He also mentioned that he and his roommates had to get up several times every night to use the restroom because the detailers really made sure the plebes were well hydrated.
 
I never felt hungry. To add to the midnight bathroom trips, I would go to the bathroom to snap #2 during the night. Who wants to be rushed when they're handling their business? Something to think about.
 
I never felt hungry. To add to the midnight bathroom trips, I would go to the bathroom to snap #2 during the night. Who wants to be rushed when they're handling their business? Something to think about.

I'm not so sure I needed to know that ... TMI! :smile:
 
During plebe summer do plebes get to take ibuprofen or potassium pills or other supplements for muscular relief? I tend to cramp up after serious PT if I don't stretch enough or have not enough bananas.

Also is there some kind of night watch that plebes on duty will have to stay up for during plebe summer?
 
Yes and yes. Have your folks mail you motrin early on. They won't take it away. After the first week or so, plebes start standing night watch in pairs. Its boring and you lose some sleep but whatever, thats how it is. You can't have an alarm so the poor soul who has watch before you will come wake you up when the time is right.
 
Actually what you said isn't true.
They don't have night watch anymore.. at least this year they did not.
Also, they don't let you keep any medicine that is sent. They will take it away. My company did at least.
But they will issue you some medicine. You can always ask for some in your thought of the day. They will provide it for you.
Or you can go to the pep tent in the morning. i know alot of ppl got ibeuprofen from there.
 
Good thing they finally got rid of night watch. Didn't really serve any purpose. Cadre were always up watching sportscenter anyways. PEP tent is for the weak.
 
My son's company was told not to have any meds, supplements sent from home. But they could get what they needed.
 
During plebe summer, you will get more sleep than any other time at USNA. If you choose SWO, it will be the most sleep you get throughout your career.

I am glad they got rid of the night watches during PS. I think USNA (if they haven't done already) should re-organize the watches to fit logical means.

Marvin,
It depends on what billet you have onboard -- also depends on commanding officer's leadership style. There is a lot of politics involved with command -- enough sometimes to where the correct answer is the not the true answer (you have to have the courage and present the "true" one, even when unpopular). I think part of the problem of why JOs are being hammered is because it is immediate "on the job" training with absolutely zero training beforehand.
It would be nice if USNA modified service selection to occur during spring of 2/C year and spend a majority of 1/C year geared to the Fleet -- I said this when I was at USNA and I will say it again as a JO. My Dept Heads went to SWOS (6 month version) and they learned a lot. When they showed up to their ship, they applied the knowledge to practical experience -- this would make the qualification process a lot smoother.

I will say that a great positive of going SWO is the immediate leadership and impact/responsibility on the lives you have. For a 23-25 year old to be able to run the ship on the CO's and taxpayer's behalf is an awesome/important responsibility.
 
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So I suppose if SWO newbies went to SWOS before they showed up to the ship, there would be less back stabbing and less ritual sacrifice of the ensigns on board?

I slept a ton after plebe year. Barring the occasional parade, Bancroft Hall is a crypt from 1400 until evening meal. My plebe year roomate used to nap on the floor under his desk.
 
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