TAMU Questions

Lawman32RPD

10-Year Member
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Jan 29, 2011
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308
I have a question for those of you either in the TAMU Corps of Cadets or who have sons - daughters - friends in the TAMU Corps. What do you know now about the Corps that you wish you had known as Fish year began? The "been nice to have known / wish I had known" might be related to things to bring - or not bring; it might be the types of PT to excell in or the kind of shape to be in; it might be a time management skill; how to break in the shoes and boots; it might be things or situations to look out for or to be prepared for; it might be good advice like Bruno's (paraphrased) admonition to prepare academically and physically while still resting up some. Put differently, what from your experience would it be a good thing for an incoming Fish to know?

Similarly, to those of you who are parents of TAMU Cadets - any advice, words of wisdom, cautionary tales, etc for incoming Fish parents, and is that advice gender specific?

Thank you in advance for your attention and assistance.
 
Parent here: Book rooms early - REALLY early - during football season. And if you're able, go ahead and buy season tickets - Kyle grabs you and drags you back.

Make sure you have your camera when you drop your fish off for FOW - it was so much GO GO GO! that I left mine in my purse in the car while helping with the move-in and will regret it forever.

Start looking now for a plain white robe - we ended up spending wayyyyy too much on my fish's - but at the same time, if you find yourself waiting, Bed, Bath & Beyond does usually have some in stock.

There is little room for vanity during your NSC - I've learned the hard way to wear my Corps Parents t-shirt and a pair of shorts and my most comfortable tennis shoes on almost every Aggieland trip. You will walk more than you can imagine, and it will be hot. I wore my go-to comfortable flip-flops and had blisters within an hour, I think. Never again.

Let's see - lesson learned today: If you rent any books from local bookstores, make sure your cadet returns them BEFORE you return home!

From my son:
The only gender-specific advice is that it is definitely a "guy's guy" environment - she'll have some difficulties there, probably. We don't want to just come out and say that it's gender-biased, because it's not - but any female cadet is just going to have a different set of challenges before her. NOT in a dangerous way, mind you. It's just that it's about 80%male to 20% female, and that's going to create some issues, I'm sure.

Tuesday afternoons are a good day to get laundry done.

Also, you end up spending a lot of money on things like shoe polish, shining rags, cleaning supplies, etc. My kid was in fish drill team and that meant an endless supply of new white gloves and miscellany. (And aside, FDT will have a female advisor next year - WHOOP for Mary! WAY TO GO!)

Moleskin really IS that useful, and make sure to save some for March to the Brazos.

If I think of anything else important I'll make sure to let you know.
 
All good advice above. To add a few other things from a Corps mom (and Former Student and Navy vet):

1. When they issue your low quarters at NSC, they advise you to wear them around the house and break them in over the summer. DO IT! The boots they issue for your ACU uniform do not break in very well. Especially for ruck marches if you're Army. After my son suffered horrible blisters with them, we spent $150 to buy him a pair from Blackhawk.com. Also, spend decent money to buy a good pair of running shoes and replace them at least every six months. This above and the mole skin Shanagan mentioned will save your feet!

2. Eat well at lunch time and on weekends. During Corps breakfasts and dinners during the week, the upper classmen will mess with you enough that you might not get your fill. It may be better this next year, though, because the new Commandant has gotten rid of "square meals" for fish.

3. As Shanagan said also, the white robe was hard to find. Start working on that now! When you assemble your supplies from the list they give you, stick with what's on the list. Don't try and bring a bunch of stuff over and above it.

4. Physically, be prepared for more push-ups than you ever imagined. Class sets (115 for your class) are done A LOT! Run, run, run over the summer. You will be very glad you took your pain early rather than waiting to take it all at FOW. Don't be afraid to take naps during breaks in your day once the school semester starts. You will be perpetually sleep deprived if you don't.

5. The best quote I heard regarding the fish year was from my son's Commanding Officer at check-in day... "It's the most fun I never want to have again." It's a very tough year. There's a reason 20% of fish quit the Corps by year's end. But it's a very rewarding experience to say you made it through once you do. I've heard many a cadet that quit say they wish they'd stuck it out. As my son said after he finished his fish year, "Nothing bothers me now. I know I can get through most anything." You've got to enter the experience saying you are NOT going to quit. If you go in with that as an option in the back of your mind, it opens the door to make it easier to make that decision when the going gets tough.

Best of luck and welcome to Aggieland and the Fightin' Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets!:thumb:
 
Blinn TEAM

DS has been offered Blinn TEAM for fall. Anyone have an idea regarding how much it will cost?

By my figures it breaks down to about $20k.

6k Blinn
6k TAMU
8k R&B
 
I believe that the Corps kids in the Blinn Team get the same deals the "full" TAMU Corps kids. In other words, that they get in-state tuition. It is a great program and a superb way to get "full" TAMU membership. The 'down' side is that while the Blinn courses are the equivalent to the TAMU courses the Blinn grades don't show up on the TAMU undergraduate transcript. There is supposed to be a Blinn Team office that should be able to answer most of the nuts and bolts housekeeping questions. The 'up' side to going the Blinn route is that your son will be at TAMU full time, in the Corps, and doing all the Corps things with his new 'buddies'. There is a unit that 'specializes' in Blinn membership but as of a year or two ago 'Blinners' can be in pretty much any unit. There is a regular TAMU bus route that goes to and from the main TAMU campus to Blinn. We already had the old Texas Tomorrow Fund from when we lived in Texas so I'm not a 100% sure on the financing end of the equation. You are, as always, welcome to send me a private message if it helps. Another good place to start is with the Corps office, such as Commander Dulke who handles financial aid issues. Best of luck. Lawman32RPD
 
All good advice above. To add a few other things from a Corps mom (and Former Student and Navy vet):


Eat well at lunch time and on weekends. - Good advise but "Square Meals" still exist as my fish endured this most of this year.

I would add for your sons & daughters to develop good study and organizational skills. The first year is tough and no matter how well your son or daughter has done in HS- college is a totally different. Maybe even take a course or two over the summer to help get them into college study mode and knock out a class. Also, take 15 hours if possible in case a class must be dropped during the semester. You will still have 12 hours.

Don't over pack your fish- get a good sized trunk so that they can store things in there. Fish don't get to have alot and the rooms are small.

Sheets & bed spread will be issued along with all uniforms.

Also, take a look at the TAMU website for Fall 2012 class schedules as freshman will sign up for all class during new student conference. Be prepared to be busy during this time. My EDU.com is a great reference for courses, professors and general information.

Choose your unit wisely and ask lots of questions during NSC -

Good Luck to all
 
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