Yes, I Day seems so far away. Lots of emotions then and still now. I continue to be in awe of my DS. I only wish he would tell me more about what he is doing.
When there is an opportunity to talk, ask targeted questions that allow room for stories, especially if you have DS and a few friends. Less taxing and exam-like than “tell me about your day.” What’s the most annoying thing you have to deal with? What’s the silliest/funniest thing you’ve seen? What are you most excited about getting involved with? What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your classmates? Who’s the biggest jerk among the upper class in your company, and why? Who’s been the best leader to you? What’s the hardest thing about military life so far? What’s the best thing you have eaten? Worst? How has being a real mid differed from what you experienced at your CVW or NASS? Most interesting thing you’ve done in class?
He is 10 times busier than what he thought was being busy in HS. He doesn’t have much control over his life right now (that gets better as he gets more skilled at being a mid). He is faced with the pressure of prioritizing his time among mandatory class time (no sleeping late or skipping classes here), academic tasks, athletic requirements plus keeping himself in shape, company duties, plebe duties and pro knowledge, any roommate challenges, any ECAs he manages to jam in, and endless unplanned “mandatory fun” and “voluntold opportunities” that will upend whatever plan he thought he had for the day. Somewhere in there, he eats, sleeps and talks/texts with family and friends. He thinks fondly of all the sleep he got at PS.
He is learning to thrive under pressure, adapt on the fly, discipline himself, make hard choices, coach himself through the tough spots and push himself to operate at a level that he did not know existed and that he could function. This will stand him in good stead in the cockpit, on the bridge, or any other high-stakes situation.
Meanwhile, depending on what you’ve got going at home, this flown eaglet’s absence may open up more time for you and your pursuits. One of the USNA mids we sponsored was an only child. With him well-launched, his mom took up photography and attended formal classes, something she’d always wanted to do. They live in rural Nevada, and her stunning nature photos now grace stationery and prints in boutique stores (and one of our mid bedrooms). The sponsor mid, now a successful junior officer, was amazed and impressed by his mom’s latent talent, and advanced their relationship as he appreciated her from an adult perspective.