Roller coaster I: Get Us (The Parents) Through Plebe Year - Class of ‘26 🎢

[IronmanDaremo]

Okay, I like the idea of this kind of thread. So I'm going to start one for the upcoming class of 2026!!

My son is back from his freshman (preparatory ) year at UMBC now, and enjoying his short summer break. Got up and finally went for a run today to start to get back in shape for reporting on 6/30.

Trying to give him a sense of what to expect on I-Day, and the weeks following. We're going to go down to the yard for a walk in a few weeks so he can really see the campus and get some sort of orientation.

 

[ProudPapa2026]

I am starting to see the front of the line for getting on this Roller Coaster

 

[Capt MJ]

I am starting to see the front of the line for getting on this Roller Coaster

Not close enough yet to hear the screams! 😱

 

[HopefulDad2026]

Report time and official PTR letter is out for DS. Alpha not yet.

 

[LST271]

0800 for us. I can't believe how exciting this is.

 

[IronmanDaremo]

15 days and a wake up! It's getting closer folks!

Son is asking me a LOT of questions ...... some I have the answers to, others I don't.

I'm going to try to teach him hospital corners on the bed soon. I figured if he knows some of the stupid crap, it will make being able to focus on the other stuff easier. He already has a decent foundation on marching/drill from NROTC, but he can still use some work.

 

[Heatherg21]

15 days and a wake up! It's getting closer folks!

Son is asking me a LOT of questions ...... some I have the answers to, others I don't.

I'm going to try to teach him hospital corners on the bed soon. I figured if he knows some of the stupid crap, it will make being able to focus on the other stuff easier. He already has a decent foundation on marching/drill from NROTC, but he can still use some work.

Well, the good news is they will teach him everything he needs to know.

 

[Heatherg21]

I am starting to see the front of the line for getting on this Roller Coaster

Just make sure you don't get in your kid's Coaster car.

You get in a different Coaster car on a slightly different track.

 

[IronmanDaremo]

Just watched the I-day youtube video for c/o '25.

Damn allergies.

 

[justdoit19]

15 days and a wake up! It's getting closer folks!

Son is asking me a LOT of questions ...... some I have the answers to, others I don't.

I'm going to try to teach him hospital corners on the bed soon. I figured if he knows some of the stupid crap, it will make being able to focus on the other stuff easier. He already has a decent foundation on marching/drill from NROTC, but he can still use some work.

Pass along, that both of my boys entered with ZEROOOOOO in the “prep” department. Other than the physical fitness. They didn’t prepare and study for placement exams. No learning hospital corners or memorizing reef points.

And they did fine. They did amazing.

Tell him to focus on friends and making memories he can tick into his mind, to pull from during the summer. That will go farther for him than knowing hospital corners or anything else. Fill up his soul, especially with only 2 weeks left. So excited for ‘26!!

Some probably relieve anxiety by prepping…I know we are all different.

 

[LT360]

Pass along, that both of my boys entered with ZEROOOOOO in the “prep” department. Other than the physical fitness. They didn’t prepare and study for placement exams. No learning hospital corners or memorizing reef points.

And they did fine. They did amazing.

Tell him to focus on friends and making memories he can tick into his mind, to pull from during the summer. That will go farther for him than knowing hospital corners or anything else. Fill up his soul, especially with only 2 weeks left. So excited for ‘26!!

Some probably relieve anxiety by prepping…I know we are all different.

Exactly...DS reflected that he wished he had been slightly better prepared physically but more importantly that he would have spent more time with friends and family. The two-three weeks prior to I-Day he really withdrew as he thought he was preparing himself. When instead he wished had spent time with friends and had memories to pull him through the rough patches of PS. Alas he survived and is now relishing those memory making times he has with new friends at the Yard and looks forward to seeing some old friends during leave in Block 3.

 

[IronmanDaremo]

Son is running in the evening with one of his old x-country/track teammates, and his GF is back at school for her summer session, so he is visiting with her periodically. And definitely getting a healthy dose of his royal highness (his 3-1/2 year old baby bro)! He'll probably be happy to get away from all the tantrums and screaming of that one! With a household of 5 humans (we just kicked the 22 year old out of the house, or there would have been another), 3 dogs, 4 cats, and 3 bunnies, he should be used to chaos and noise!

 

[Capt MJ]

Just make sure you don't get in your kid's Coaster car.

You get in a different Coaster car on a slightly different track.

And - on many occasions, the mid’s coaster veers into a tunnel or around a bend out of sight and phone contact.

 

[USNA_STEM_Prof]

Exactly...DS reflected that he wished he had been slightly better prepared physically but more importantly that he would have spent more time with friends and family.

Yup. Not the same thing but before I left for bootcamp I quit my job and had fun that entire summer. It was amazing and I was thankfully self aware enough to know it was the end of my "childhood." As such, I'll always cherish those memories with friends.

 

[Goal2004]

15 days and a wake up! It's getting closer folks!

Son is asking me a LOT of questions ...... some I have the answers to, others I don't.

I'm going to try to teach him hospital corners on the bed soon. I figured if he knows some of the stupid crap, it will make being able to focus on the other stuff easier. He already has a decent foundation on marching/drill from NROTC, but he can still use some work.

Not close enough yet to hear the screams! 😱

We have you Capt MJ as our light in this thread 🌞

 

[Goal2004]

0800 for us. I can't believe how exciting this is.

8:30am. Yay!!

 

[Capt MJ]

We have you Capt MJ as our light in this thread 🌞

Yep, that’s me with my hair blown back every time I wave at a passing rollercoaster. Exciting times. Happy to serve.

 

[USNAhopeful2025]

15 days and a wake up! It's getting closer folks!

Son is asking me a LOT of questions ...... some I have the answers to, others I don't.

I'm going to try to teach him hospital corners on the bed soon. I figured if he knows some of the stupid crap, it will make being able to focus on the other stuff easier. He already has a decent foundation on marching/drill from NROTC, but he can still use some work.

Pretty sure my girl made her bed only a couple of times this past year. Slept on top of the bedding all year. I asked her at Christmas to change her sheets and make her bed. It looked horrible. Still don’t think she knows how to make a hospital corner!!!

 

[MidCakePa]

I'm going to try to teach him hospital corners on the bed soon. I figured if he knows some of the stupid crap, it will make being able to focus on the other stuff easier. He already has a decent foundation on marching/drill from NROTC, but he can still use some work.

I say this with respect for your good intentions: Don’t bother. Let the SA take care of this. Thousands have entered SAs with no experience and did just fine. In fact, excelled. Learning all this from cadre/detailers is part of the deal. Showing up “prepared” takes away from the plebe/doolie experience and may even invite attention for being “that guy/girl.”

Instead, focus your time on enjoying each other’s company, free from SA-related stresses. You won’t regret it.

 

[Navyboy17]

I say this with respect for your good intentions: Don’t bother. Let the SA take care of this. Thousands have entered SAs with no experience and did just fine. In fact, excelled. Learning all this from cadre/detailers is part of the deal. Showing up “prepared” takes away from the plebe/doolie experience and may even invite attention for being “that guy/girl.”

Instead, focus your time on enjoying each other’s company, free from SA-related stresses. You won’t regret it.

Echoed... detailers will have them learn all of the dumb crap and everyone will do just fine. My recommendation is the same as MidCakePa's: tell your future mid to enjoy the last of their civilian days for a while and spend them with their family!