After getting back home we‘ve had some time to look back on the whole trip to drop off DS for I Day. Things I think I think:
- Travel: Getting there Tuesday was a beneficial. Heard many stories of families encountering air travel issues. We happened to have a morning flight that avoided weather. The extra $ spent on additional Airbnb night was well worth it in case we would have had to audible to driving.
- Lodging: Booked an Airbnb near the stadium as pricing for units within walking distance to the Yard were a bit bonkers. We were really happy with it as it was in much better shape than the unit we rented near gate 1 a year ago for summer seminar. Getting around Annapolis on Wednesday was relatively easy.
- Bus: We decided to park at the stadium and take the bus for I Day. In hindsight we probably should have just tried to park at the Noah Hillman Public parking garage. We think we would have gotten a spot based on DS report time of 7:15. The bus ride took about 20 minutes to go a little bit more than a mile. Also, the lines to get back on the buses at the end of the night reminded us of Magic Kingdom after the fireworks. We decided it was short enough to hike it back from Alumni Hall.
- Mid Store: It truly helped emotional and mental health as “retail therapy”. After DS report time our family went straight to store. It probably sounds silly, but my getting your parent mid store card with your name already on it makes you feel special and welcomed.
- Plebe spotting: We were one of the families that waited on the east side of Bancroft for our DS to come out of Chauvenet Hall and get released to the detailers. It may sound ridiculous, but the two hour wait to spot him was worth it. It helped to know he had gotten through Alumni Hall and confirmed in our minds that his paperwork had been in order. We don’t come from a military background, so the first view of your kid in uniform was overwhelming. I’ll never forget the combination of shock and pride I felt at that moment.
- Parents: Amazing how friendly everyone was. We met three sets of parents in our DS’ company by lunch time.
- Lunch at Hospital Point: Highly recommend. Food from Mission BBQ was excellent and it was really nice to get in some open green space. The founder of Mission BBQ was there and took time to congratulate our family personally. The whole picnic and expo was extremely well done.
- Oath: Recommend skipping trying to save seats. We had spots on the bleachers. It pretty much turns into a free for all the closer you get to 6:00. Instead I would just stand over by the East area of T court. Thats where the Plebes march in and the views from that area decent because it’s a bit elevated.