VMI: Hotel is booked for Matriculation, Oath, and Family Weekend

emptynest2021

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Feb 10, 2019
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It's finally getting real! There is no way that I am missing these events in my DS's college career. I might need to find some friends down there! Visiting isn't going to be cheap. LOL So worth it though.

Just had to share my enthusiasm since I am fortunate enough to live a few hours away to be able to share in these occasions.
 
Lexington is a great little town. Great food scene.

Staunton is also a great alternate if Lex is booked up or too expensive.

Matriculation, New Market Oath, Parents' Weekend, Home Football Tailgate are all great events for parents to "share" in with your new "Rat" ...

You will find on Matriculation Day you have 499 additional children ... It will be a great day ... A hard day ... Full of emotion and difficulty ... But also immense pride ... The "call down" and the "march up" are emotional ... along with their entry into barracks and "meet your cadre" ... They will work through "Hell Week" on their own.

New Market will be a special day after Hell Week is done ... No more looking like a gaggle sauntering in a walk ... They will march and doubletime in step ... and when they walk they will walk with a purpose ... they will reenact the charge on the battlefield, take their cadet oath and receive their shoulderboards ... they will be proud ...

Parent's Weekend will be equally special as they will be into their academic semester ... They will be the same as you remember, and they will be very different ... They will be tired and need sleep ... Help them to keep the reasons for coming to VMI in mind and the end goal in sight ...

Then tailgates, Thanksgiving, and Christmas .... and eventually Breakout ... Followed by 3 additional years ...

It will be a hard, but great journey ... It won't be "fun" like a "normal" college ... life preparation seldom is ... But it will be worth it ...

Best wishes to you and yours

Welcome to an extraordinary family!
 
Lexington is a great little town. Great food scene.

Staunton is also a great alternate if Lex is booked up or too expensive.

Matriculation, New Market Oath, Parents' Weekend, Home Football Tailgate are all great events for parents to "share" in with your new "Rat" ...

You will find on Matriculation Day you have 499 additional children ... It will be a great day ... A hard day ... Full of emotion and difficulty ... But also immense pride ... The "call down" and the "march up" are emotional ... along with their entry into barracks and "meet your cadre" ... They will work through "Hell Week" on their own.

New Market will be a special day after Hell Week is done ... No more looking like a gaggle sauntering in a walk ... They will march and doubletime in step ... and when they walk they will walk with a purpose ... they will reenact the charge on the battlefield, take their cadet oath and receive their shoulderboards ... they will be proud ...

Parent's Weekend will be equally special as they will be into their academic semester ... They will be the same as you remember, and they will be very different ... They will be tired and need sleep ... Help them to keep the reasons for coming to VMI in mind and the end goal in sight ...

Then tailgates, Thanksgiving, and Christmas .... and eventually Breakout ... Followed by 3 additional years ...

It will be a hard, but great journey ... It won't be "fun" like a "normal" college ... life preparation seldom is ... But it will be worth it ...

Best wishes to you and yours

Welcome to an extraordinary family!
Thank you for your words of wisdom FalconA! I have read more posts than you can imagine in anticipation. I even found your original post stating DS got his appointment! Wow, not too much longer before he graduates!!

I think I am almost ready for this to happen.
 
everything FalconA said - keep looking around for hotels - they do tend to jack the prices up and unfortumatly reservations need to be made early. Family Weekend some reserve a year in advance.

You will definitley suddenly have 499 more kids once they march out of Cameron Hall on matriculation day. 4 years of cheering, praying for each and every one of them !!!

Some of my very best friends are parents of my son's Brother Rats, an unexpected bonus. It's an experience only other VMI parents will understand.
 
everything FalconA said - keep looking around for hotels - they do tend to jack the prices up and unfortumatly reservations need to be made early. Family Weekend some reserve a year in advance.

You will definitley suddenly have 499 more kids once they march out of Cameron Hall on matriculation day. 4 years of cheering, praying for each and every one of them !!!

Some of my very best friends are parents of my son's Brother Rats, an unexpected bonus. It's an experience only other VMI parents will understand.
Can’t wait to meet the “family”! See you all in August!
 
Are Oath, Matriculation and Family weekend all days that parents should try to attend? My DS will be a rat for the upcoming year so I am new to the important dates. Are these dates published yet as I want to book my hotel room if it is a problem reserving one.

Thanks!
 
Are Oath, Matriculation and Family weekend all days that parents should try to attend? My DS will be a rat for the upcoming year so I am new to the important dates. Are these dates published yet as I want to book my hotel room if it is a problem reserving one.

Thanks!
Here’s the link to the page with more information on events and traditions. We’re only about 3 hours away, so not that big of a deal for us.
 
Are Oath, Matriculation and Family weekend all days that parents should try to attend? My DS will be a rat for the upcoming year so I am new to the important dates. Are these dates published yet as I want to book my hotel room if it is a problem reserving one.

Thanks!

YES!!!! . . . if you can . . .

I would prioritize in this manner . . . #1 Matriculation (17 August 2019) . . . #2 Family Weekend (11-13 October 2019) . . . #3 New Market Oath (1 September 2019) . . . #4 Any home football game for Tailgate.
 
Are Oath, Matriculation and Family weekend all days that parents should try to attend? My DS will be a rat for the upcoming year so I am new to the important dates. Are these dates published yet as I want to book my hotel room if it is a problem reserving one.

Thanks!

YES!!!! . . . if you can . . .

I would prioritize in this manner . . . #1 Matriculation (17 August 2019) . . . #2 Family Weekend (11-13 October 2019) . . . #3 New Market Oath (1 September 2019) . . . #4 Any home football game for Tailgate.


I would caveat that with football weekends are great but may be better as an upperclassmen. Rats should be standing in the Corps section throughout the games and many of them are tempted if they have guests to break the rules and go sit with family or friends which in some ways works against the system they should be learning. Also, keep in mind as a cadet tail gates were really only about an hour of time between Saturday parade and time to form up for march down. On the flip side typically as an underclassmen if not restricted it works out that you can go out after the game so that is a good time to have folks visiting.

For places to stay, I grew up in the area so I would say in preference look to Lexington, Staunton/Waynesboro and then Roanoke. If looking in Lexington they have a few B&Bs and some chain stuff but don't forget the Natural Bridge Hotel which is about 10 minutes from post. Staunton has several chain hotels and a few places like the Stonewall Jackson. They also have a good selection of restaurants. Roanoke is about 45 minutes south and is a bit larger city with a regional airport if you are traveling a distance.
 
Are Oath, Matriculation and Family weekend all days that parents should try to attend? My DS will be a rat for the upcoming year so I am new to the important dates. Are these dates published yet as I want to book my hotel room if it is a problem reserving one.

Thanks!

absolutely make these if at all possible. book your hotels now - especially for family weekend, people book a year ahead for that. Crazy but true !

Don't worry if you can't make some of these - someone WILL adopt your rat and he will be taken care of. I don't think I have ever gone to visit my cadet and not had extras for dinner or chilling at the hotel.
 
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