Plebes Dropping Already

Most Plebes have spent time away from home. This is different then going off to camp for a week or a month. This is... I am no longer a kid, I am an adult and my new home is here. Actually with other schools adjusting things I think it will make plebe year easier as they won’t see as many photos of their buddies doing whatever at State U. They are in an oh goodness moment. Every new Plebe has them. Usually mom and dad are not privy to it. Trust me when I say parents knew very little about what we did at USNA not all that long ago. They will have another one big moment when ROM ends. About a week into they will think ROM wasn’t so bad! With ROM they have much more time to sit and think and dwell upon this all. If they are quitting now, honestly it’s not the right place for them. ROM is boring and not fun, but it isn’t hard.

Once they get moving again with Plebe Summer it will help to form that bond of classmates. For those of us who have been there and done that, we know that these two weeks or even the prospect of being locked down to yard liberty until Thanksgiving isn’t a big deal. To a Mid, this is tough. The 4 years at USNA prepares them for these future years at sea and deployments. There is a carrier at sea right now that hasn’t had a port visit in nearly 6 months. These Sailors are working 8-16+ hour days, shift work and trying to find a single minute of alone time is nearly impossible. I did a nearly 1 year deployment and another 8.5 month one. No R&R or mid tour breaks. All combat zones. This is the reality of what their future holds and why us old grads emphasis that this is the military, not just a college when candidates are applying. I know for parents new to this it can be concerning, strange and odd. They will all be okay and be ready to join the Brigade of Midshipmen in August. Even though Plebe Summer will be harder, it will be much better once they can come together as a company and they will feel like they are all in this as one.
 
Heatherg21 said:
I concur with what @justdoit19 said. Our 2 letters from our plebe arrived Monday, dated 2 July. He is bored out of his mind. No roommate, strict company not allowing emails or google message (I am fine with that, expected it).
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Hey Heatherg21, just wanted to share with you that we received basically the same letter from our DS dated July 1. Alone, bored to death, spent 7 hours folding his clothes over and over, with no way to talk to anyone and feeling depressed. Since then, his upperclassmen have given him permission to email us a few times (ours went to our spam, so everyone should check theirs), and each message has gotten more positive. Not that his circumstances have changed significantly--still tons of time with nothing to do and mostly spent in his room--but he's made a few friends (sitting in their chairs in the passageway with masks on spaced apart), has had a little exercise, and he and his roommate have made up ways to entertain themselves (something about bowling with oranges and powerade bottles). Even as he recognizes that parents weekend may not happen and he may not leave the yard for quite some time, he's still getting more optimistic. From his most recent email, "I've been talking with the guys about what might happen this fall, and none of us would be surprised if they only give us yard liberty instead of being allowed out in town, but we'll have to see what that means for church. If we are actually stuck here, I'll probably try to order our own spikeball and cornhole set. Plus, I think we could still check out the sail boats and go golfing at the USNA course, so we could still find some things to do. That or we just set up saturday intramurals."

I write this because I am hoping this will encourage a few of you concerned parents who have only gotten that single sad letter. The kids are encouraging each other. They are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Oh, and I wanted to add, during my Iday (1995) a girl suddenly screamed "get me out of this place" during the ceremony. We never heard from her again, so I guess she got her wish. Kids have been leaving early in the process for decades, I imagine. When our class gets together, we still laugh about that.
 
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mld99 said:
Alone, bored to death, spent 7 hours folding his clothes over and over, with no way to talk to anyone and feeling depressed. Since then, his upperclassmen have given him permission to email us a few times (ours went to our spam, so everyone should check theirs), and each message has gotten more positive. Not that his circumstances have changed significantly--still tons of time with nothing to do and mostly spent in his room--but he's made a few friends (sitting in their chairs in the passageway with masks on spaced apart), has had a little exercise, and he and his roommate have made up ways to entertain themselves (something about bowling with oranges and powerade bottles).
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That doesn't sound so bad to me compared to some of the things I went through growing up. But I won't bore anyone here about my past experiences or how I got through them. I will however do my best to prepare my DS to deal with adversity.
 
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Our first two letters from our DS were very positive - but that only covered the first two days. He even liked the MREs, said he has plenty of food (and he's usually a bottomless pit)! He mentioned he has a 662 page book on "Ships and Aircraft of the US Fleet" to keep him occupied if he gets bored. He also said that he and his roommate have devised a workout plan in their rooms using the shower bar and wash buckets filled with water bottles. According to USPS Informed Delivery, we're getting another letter today, so it will be interesting to see if the tone is still upbeat.
 
mld99 said:
but he's made a few friends (sitting in their chairs in the passageway with masks on spaced apart), has had a little exercise, and he and his roommate have made up ways to entertain themselves (something about bowling with oranges and powerade bottles).
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Never underestimate the power of Midshipmen to keep themselves entertained. Two of my favorites were "dong ball" -- it was kinda a cross of rugby and basketball, you scored by throwing a tennis ball at the alarm bell that was centered in the main passageway of the Company area (that was played Friday nights of youngster year; no one wanted to study then !), and another unnamed game where two roomates sat in front of open windows, and tried to throw the tennis ball or hacky sack through the window (as the other played goalie). If the ball went out the window, the run outside to recover it was timed.
 
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Your post-HS/college kid could be running a roadside vegetable stand, like our DD’s high school best female friend is doing right now ... wondering how her college is going to do classes in the fall. It’s a nice vegetable operation. I know the family that runs the farm, and they like her running the operation, but she’s ready to move on with her college and career and life.

There are a lot of civilian college kids in a drifting rudderless boat right now. I think our kids have it great down on the Yard. A little isolation and meditation will do them good.
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mld99 said:
Hey Heatherg21, just wanted to share with you that we received basically the same letter from our DS dated July 1. Alone, bored to death, spent 7 hours folding his clothes over and over, with no way to talk to anyone and feeling depressed. Since then, his upperclassmen have given him permission to email us a few times (ours went to our spam, so everyone should check theirs), and each message has gotten more positive. Not that his circumstances have changed significantly--still tons of time with nothing to do and mostly spent in his room--but he's made a few friends (sitting in their chairs in the passageway with masks on spaced apart), has had a little exercise, and he and his roommate have made up ways to entertain themselves (something about bowling with oranges and powerade bottles). Even as he recognizes that parents weekend may not happen and he may not leave the yard for quite some time, he's still getting more optimistic. From his most recent email, "I've been talking with the guys about what might happen this fall, and none of us would be surprised if they only give us yard liberty instead of being allowed out in town, but we'll have to see what that means for church. If we are actually stuck here, I'll probably try to order our own spikeball and cornhole set. Plus, I think we could still check out the sail boats and go golfing at the USNA course, so we could still find some things to do. That or we just set up saturday intramurals."

I write this because I am hoping this will encourage a few of you concerned parents who have only gotten that single sad letter. The kids are encouraging each other. They are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Oh, and I wanted to add, during my Iday (1995) a girl suddenly screamed "get me out of this place" during the ceremony. We never heard from her again, so I guess she got her wish. Kids have been leaving early in the process for decades, I imagine. When our class gets together, we still laugh about that.
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Thank you. I am trusting the process and his focus and drive. He wrote himself a 'remember the why' letter before he left. This was definitely his dream, we are just along for the ride. There are far worse places he could be. I did see pictures on fb yesterday of mids out doing pt. They looked sweaty, happy and that did make me smile and feel better.
We haven't had any more news beyond the first day so no idea what he may have designed for a workout or entertainment. Kid built a forge and a massive pneumatic hammer, as well as a 60mm cannon before he left so I wish USNA good luck with him! We had many discussions prior to departure about not harboring any illusions as to the fall and any trips/liberty etc. USNA has done this for 175 years, covid won't derail it.
 
strictlyws said:
Does anyone know if waitlisters could get the pleebs who dropped out spots?!
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Negative, because the Plebes all need to do the 2 week ROM in Bancroft before training, which starts in one week now. It’s frustrating to see but attrition during the summer happens every year.
 
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Well ... a lot went into the decision to apply, continue with the long and arduous process, and if you’re lucky, receive and accept an appointment.

I hope I don’t offend anyone, but there are some loose screws somewhere if you give this up.

Btw .... I was taught well by my parents, finish what you started no matter how bad or ugly it gets. I got projects around the house and property here that I wake up the next day and I rethink what I did, and change the whole thing. You work all day, you get dog tired, and a good night of sleep will clear your head. That’s why you never make an important decision when you are agitated and tired .... Sleep on it, and rethink it in the morning.

DD was taught “Never Quit”. It’s hammered in.
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