Q & A - Norwich University

Michael_T

NU '26
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Messages
692
As my freshman year comes to a close, and through the immense amount of help I've received through almost now 3 years... I thought I may be able to put that back forward into the community, and if anyone were to possibly have any sort of questions; about Rookdom, what 1st Semester may look like, or even something as simple as debating about choosing Norwich as your SMC of choice, I can help out, without giving too much information away of course ;)

I remember when I used to count down the days, and it's ridiculous to think, theres 137 days till the next cycle of Rook Arrival; August 20, 2023.

Trust me when I say, it sounds cliche, but those days will go by FAST
 
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Thanks for offering advice. If I fly home for Thanksgiving and Christmas break, how does everyone get to the closest Airport?
 
Thanks for offering advice. If I fly home for Thanksgiving and Christmas break, how does everyone get to the closest Airport?
So, there is a company - Vermont Tour and Charter; in which it may get a bit expensive, $45 each way, and that's the way many students will transport from campus to the airport, or there are options if you establish friendships with upperclassmen, who may be able to offer you a ride.

Personally, I'm not sure where you're from, but I know quite a few friends of mine, didn't bother going home for the Thanksgiving Break, as it is shorter, and some individuals stayed with friends closer by, overall theres' many options as to what you can do/where to stay during these breaks.

Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions!
 
Thanks for this discussion. Our daughter may start there this fall, and after her visit to campus the other weekend, we were wondering the same thing!
 
Thanks for the info. One other question, is there free time during the Rook year to lift weights through the week or is your schedule pretty packed?
 
Thanks for the info. One other question, is there free time during the Rook year to lift weights through the week or is your schedule pretty packed?
Absolutely! The gym will always been open, and you'll have access to it throughout your first year. Schedules will mostly be dependent on your major. Honestly though, I would highly suggest you go to the gym, or join a speciality unit as a candidate, just do anything to mainly be out of barracks, especially before your Recognition, whenever that may be.
 
Thanks for this discussion. Our daughter may start there this fall, and after her visit to campus the other weekend, we were wondering the same thing!
Parent here, the families have been amazing this year and support each other in any way possible. This includes coordinating rideshares, having extra kids to their homes for the shorter breaks. As a parent I couldn't be happier with the level of parent and family support offered by both new and veteran parents.
 
Thanks for offering advice. If I fly home for Thanksgiving and Christmas break, how does everyone get to the closest Airport?
Burlington is 40 minutes away. Thereis a shuttle service from NU to Burlington airpot. Depending on your final destination there may be connector layovers. Rook year Thanksgiving and Christmas my son had to spend the night at connector airport due to missed connections and delays. But these road bumps is where your cadet learns to "problem solve" their way home.
Manchester is an option as well.
Boston Logan is where my son tries to fly out of. He will get a ride with a Rook sibling or Rook cousin from Mass.
My son flies home Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break.
All the majors fly out of Boston Logan so there are 3 direct flights every day to Houston.
 
Shuttle also brings you to the Amtrak stop in Montpelier, which is about 15 minutes away. $20 dollars. Train goes thru CT and into NYC.
Thanksgiving is a full week break which makes traveling easier for most.
 
Parent here, the families have been amazing this year and support each other in any way possible. This includes coordinating rideshares, having extra kids to their homes for the shorter breaks. As a parent I couldn't be happier with the level of parent and family support offered by both new and veteran parents.
To add to this; I was fortunate enough to stay with some Alumni during Thanksgiving, especially as it was a shorter break, it was so much more efficient than simply going back home to Indiana
 
Michael, thanks so much for answering questions. My DD is going to be a rook this fall. I have so many questions. The rook packing list looks like we are going to need a U-haul but the vibe of the whole arrival day sounds minimalist.
1. Can you describe what rook arrival is like? For instance, she wants to play club ice-hockey...so she is going to arrive as a rook with all these school supplies, linens, cleaning supplies, room supplies, hockey gear (goalie pads, big bag, sticks). Is there a time where parents can help them get all the stuff into the barracks? Is there a "pre-arrival time" before she is in the rook arrival uniform to check in?
2. Is the iPad and a keyboard sufficient or should we get a separate laptop? MAC or Windows friendly campus?
3. Ironing board...full size or something else?
4. Linen Service or not?
5. Does she need to contact her desired ROTC branch and get established prior to getting there or do you choose after arrival.
6. Her goal is to commission in the Marines. If she chooses a Marine specific boot that has the Marine EGA imprinted on it will that get her in trouble?
 
Michael, thanks so much for answering questions. My DD is going to be a rook this fall. I have so many questions. The rook packing list looks like we are going to need a U-haul but the vibe of the whole arrival day sounds minimalist.
1. Can you describe what rook arrival is like? For instance, she wants to play club ice-hockey...so she is going to arrive as a rook with all these school supplies, linens, cleaning supplies, room supplies, hockey gear (goalie pads, big bag, sticks). Is there a time where parents can help them get all the stuff into the barracks? Is there a "pre-arrival time" before she is in the rook arrival uniform to check in?
2. Is the iPad and a keyboard sufficient or should we get a separate laptop? MAC or Windows friendly campus?
3. Ironing board...full size or something else?
4. Linen Service or not?
5. Does she need to contact her desired ROTC branch and get established prior to getting there or do you choose after arrival.
6. Her goal is to commission in the Marines. If she chooses a Marine specific boot that has the Marine EGA imprinted on it will that get her in trouble?
stick with the Rook arrival list, don't add or subtract
I wouldn't wear anything with the EGA, remember there will be Jr and SR who just got back from PLC juniors or PLC seniors from the summer and they weren't allowed any EGA till after PLC-SR graduation. Be the "grey woman".
bring a laptop too
don't do linen service waste of money she needs to do her own laundry anyway washers and dryers are free
 
stick with the Rook arrival list, don't add or subtract
I wouldn't wear anything with the EGA, remember there will be Jr and SR who just got back from PLC juniors or PLC seniors from the summer and they weren't allowed any EGA till after PLC-SR graduation. Be the "grey woman".
bring a laptop too
don't do linen service waste of money she needs to do her own laundry anyway washers and dryers are free
I kind of figured that was the case with the EGA...I told her you have to earn it first.
 
Michael, thanks so much for answering questions. My DD is going to be a rook this fall. I have so many questions. The rook packing list looks like we are going to need a U-haul but the vibe of the whole arrival day sounds minimalist.
1. Can you describe what rook arrival is like? For instance, she wants to play club ice-hockey...so she is going to arrive as a rook with all these school supplies, linens, cleaning supplies, room supplies, hockey gear (goalie pads, big bag, sticks). Is there a time where parents can help them get all the stuff into the barracks? Is there a "pre-arrival time" before she is in the rook arrival uniform to check in?
2. Is the iPad and a keyboard sufficient or should we get a separate laptop? MAC or Windows friendly campus?
3. Ironing board...full size or something else?
4. Linen Service or not?
5. Does she need to contact her desired ROTC branch and get established prior to getting there or do you choose after arrival.
6. Her goal is to commission in the Marines. If she chooses a Marine specific boot that has the Marine EGA imprinted on it will that get her in trouble?
Alright, I'll answer this as best as I can.

1) Rook Arrival - as the time comes closer to August 20th, there will be a schedule of that day's events. There will be a certain time for arrival, in which you will have a specified time where you come to campus, and move your stuff in, your DD will be issued, her Rook Cover, Name tapes, Rook Book, etc. You should just take the time to drop off the bags in her room, and not bother emptying anything out, as that will be figured out once you leave your DD with the cadre, and throughout Rook Week.
After this, you'll have a set amount of time to walk around campus, you will can be with her around this time. I believe it is around 1200 or 1300, where you will be directed to Shapiro Field-House, and there will be certain things that occur, before you say your final goodbyes, and leave your DD with the cadre, and you will not hear from her till, at least till Rook Week is over.

2) I would HIGHLY recommend another laptop, as usually the iPad isn't enough - the campus is friendly for both Mac, and Windows, but take such factors as major into consideration, such as if she is a CSIA major, I would recommend a Windows device.

3) For the Ironing board... I've been able to use both the full-size, and a table top, although I only brought a table-size since I had to fly to Vermont from Indiana. Overall, post-Rook Week, I recommend a full-size, it'll just make your life easier, and you can also share with roommates, so I had only 1, and it was split amongst 3 Roommates.

4) DO NOT bother with the linen service, I am not familiar with a single person who purchased the service, as it is quite the waste of money. DD can simply wash and dry the sheets, and whatnot using the laundry room.

5) Contacting her ROTC branch isn't really necessary, in-terms of before arrival, I only did, simply to clear up some questions I had prior to arrival. There should have been sent a form, or at least indicated what branch DD plans to pursue on the original application to NU.
- I would make sure she does her research on if she plans to pursue PLC, or the NROTC Batallion (they're quite different in retrospect)


6) Wearing the EGA, on the boots, isn't really a problem, I know of individuals who are also pursuing a USMC Commission who aren't contracted yet, but they still wear the EGA boots. It's really just a personal preference, like for myself pursuing USMC, I did not choose to wear EGA boots. I entertained the idea of earning the right to wear something as symbolic as the EGA!

I hope this answers your questions! Feel free to reach out more if needed. You can also Private Message me, or I can call as well!


Feel free to really use me as a resource, as I will be leaving to bootcamp for USMC Reserves, in July now, and I won't be back on campus till January next year!
 
Boots! Are the ones that Norwich recommends any good? Would like to get them soon so they get broken in. Should we get the temperate ones and winter ones now or wait for winter ones until needed?

Thanks for starting this thread. All of the questions above have helped us here too.
 
Boots! Are the ones that Norwich recommends any good? Would like to get them soon so they get broken in. Should we get the temperate ones and winter ones now or wait for winter ones until needed?

Thanks for starting this thread. All of the questions above have helped us here too.
My son wears Oakleys for on post and Danners or Rockys for the field.
 
Boots! Are the ones that Norwich recommends any good? Would like to get them soon so they get broken in. Should we get the temperate ones and winter ones now or wait for winter ones until needed?

Thanks for starting this thread. All of the questions above have helped us here too.
I've used these personally: https://www.amazon.com/TACTICAL-RES...4&sr=1-1-9eb59ba4-cd99-4f87-9222-b322340b23c8


They've treated me well, and I've seen quite a few others wear them as well.
 
Love reading these posts. I remember back in 2014 when I was a high school senior and researching Norwich University on this very same forum. I had the intention of going to Norwich for a year then re-applying to the academies but ended loving it so much that I stayed. Fast forward from graduation and I am 5 years into my Air Force career at a base with 10 other Norwich grads. Talk about a small world!
 
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