TAMU Two Weeks In

Lawman32RPD

10-Year Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
Messages
308
Our Fish is now two weeks into TAMU (one week of Freshman Orientation Week [FOW] and one week of classes). So far so good. A&M won it's first football game, so our Fish is happy. Our Fish reported that Midnight Yell was a good time, as well the First Yell event the evening before. Our Fish is getting used to the rigors of a Senior Military College and, like I said, so far so good. It's a maturation process. I had to smile to myself when our Fish was grousing a bit about always being told what to do etc (it was an ironic smile on the inside - along the lines of 'really now, do tell, who'd have thought ?).

Our Fish reports a conversation with a friend who is a Plebe at West Point this year. While Beast was much more intense than what our Fish went through in FOW our Fish reports that A&M is making up for it with a lot of "structured learning opportunities" now. As RahVaMil once pointed out, all of the SMC's have their pluses and minuses. Our Fish reports frustration in trying to establish contact with "non regs" in classes, something our Fish says is also reported by other Fish in the same unit. As someone with no direct experience in the military or military education (I'm just an old street cop turned federal prosecutor) I remarked how I expected this would change over the year, that the 'non reg' freshman were probably just as bewildered by the Cadets as the Cadets were by the non regs. I also remarked that I expected that this was one of the more challenging things about going to TAMU, the less structured, more relaxed 'traditional' college environment was there smacking the TAMU Cadets in the face all day every day in way that it didn't other settings.

Our Fish also remarked how it was hard to listen to others, be it at TAMU or friends from high school, complain about a 9 or 10 am class; or how tired they were, stuff like that. I had the same wry smile on the inside - again along the lines - well, what did you expect. Self control, a trait not often associated with me, won out and I didn't say much of anything other than to let our Fish vent. During the Parents Meeting with the Commandant and the Cadet who is the Corps Commander he (the student) offered us the perspective of his father. The advice was along the lines of "Remember, it'll be a roller coaster ride, and you as parents are along for the ride, but remember, you're in a separate car". With the vast universe of two weeks experience I'd say that advice was spot on.

I hope everyone had a good Labor Day weekend. I've learned so much from ya'll over the years that I lurked around absorbing I really just want to say thanks to everyone. Best Wishes to all. Lawman32RPD
 
I surely appreciate getting to read your post.

Our son is a junior in H.S. we are headed to JCAP at TAMU here in two weeks. Wonder if we will be experiencing the same things your family is in two years?
 
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