There isn't too much difference between the fall and the spring CVWs. Small differences may exist like the weather, events that only occur that semester (e.g. the Brigade Boxing Championship), and what sports are in season. Also, the Plebes might be a bit more discombobulated in the fall. They are learning about the Academy and how it works while they are hosting drags. Come springtime, Plebes have a better handle on the Plebe stuff and the Academy in general.
My general wisdom to all CVW attendees:
1. The CVW exists for you to test drive USNA. It is not there for you to show your host plebe and company (and other constituencies) how qualified you are. Nobody is writing an evaluation. Along with that, being humble, having a sense of humor, and not dressing to stand out (JROTC/CAP/USNSCC/other uniform, revealing clothing, offensive/politically charged clothing) is how to get the mids to like you. We are going to ask about you naturally, so saying you run XC and track is all well and good. Mentioning how you were the team captain as a freshman and have been an All-American two years running (no pun intended) violates the first rule of being humble. Again, that is a hypothetical, but the underlying principle remains.
BIG GOOD DUDE/DUDETTE PRO TIP: If you bring mids food (like brownies or cookies from home), the mids will become your best friends. You're instantly in our good graces. King Hall food is hit or miss, so any quality home cooking is valuable.
2. Be honest when people ask you questions and be honest with yourself. This kind of goes along with #1, but if people ask about how you are feeling about USNA or what your #1 school is, then tell them the truth. Again, we all chose to be at USNA for one reason or another, but we want you to make the best decision for you. And a lot of us were in the position where we had to choose between multiple really good options and/or just trying to figure out what USNA was all about. Nobody is going to be mad if you say Army or Yale is your #1 target school.
3. Don't be passive. A lot of drags will just latch on to their host and do whatever they do. That's fine, but you also miss out on some of the things USNA offers. If there is a sport you want to play at Navy, a major you want to see, an extra-curricular you are interested in (like Glee Club for Special Operations Team for example), or a warfare community/MOS, ask. Usually, your host can pass you off to a mid who does what you want to see or can set up a meeting if they don't do it themselves. Some stuff is restricted for liability reasons (like sailing), however. Also, as with anything, you will get great hosts and horrible hosts. People volunteer and people are voluntold to host. Some will go out of their way to make sure you have the experience you want. Others will just do their everyday or will pawn you off. Don't take anything personally though. Some people are having a rough week or are so busy with a test coming up or some military event that making sure you see the Crypt of John Paul Jones is a little bit lower on their priority list.
4. Keep in touch with your host if you can. Keep them updated on your progress. If you join the Brigade, there is one familiar face who is an upperclass that won't be yelling at you, unless they are on your company training staff. Outside USNA, it is a small Navy/USMC. My first host hooked me up with a great group of friends and a Bible Study down in Pensacola after I commissioned. My second host was in my squadron during Primary Flight Training.
