What to do before entering the academy?

SemperExcelsius

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ATTN ALL C/O 2013 candidates/appointees!

I am recommending we start this thread to begin a list of ideas for what to do before entering the academy in June/July. Things that we would usually not be able to do at the academy.

Current cadets/plebes and alumni... Was there anything your Senior year that you wish you could have done before entering the academy?

I would love to see some ideas :shake: And nothing illegal of course :thumb:

I'll start it off:
1.) Sleep More
 
2.) Gamble! Today was my 18th birthday, so my parents got me 18 one-dollar scratch tickets, and my mom wants me to go to a casino this week and try some games before I go off to West Point
 
Some appointees might not be 18 before entering the academy. :thumb: If I am appointed to the class of 2014, I won't turn 18 until late-October of that year.
 
From a mother's view.... and things I remember "I" did before I left home, and then the USA to live in Okinawa.

Spend some "extra" special time with family and friends.

Have your mom/grandmother/dad/grandfather cook some of your favorite foods.

Eat at your favorite local restaurants.

Spend some "extra" special time with family and friends.

Go thru your belongs and decide what to box up and what to give away. Clean your room. :biggrin: (yeah I am such a mom)

Spend some "extra" special time with family and friends.

Make sure you have EVERYONE's addresses and Make sure they have yours.

Spend some "extra" special time with family and friends.

Visit the cemetary (if you have family or friends there) NOTE: not everyone does this so I add it because if you do, this last trip will be important.

Help your folks/grandparents around the house with the "big" tasks that you usually help them with, and maybe teach a younger sibling how to do it?!)

Spend some extra time with your parents.. Especially your mom:smile:
 
THANKS JC! Awesome suggestions :thumb: What would we do without moms?

Keep em coming! I hope to have a list that I can check off before I head off...
 
Put your name on the prayer list at church. Clean your car and service it and

decide who is going to drive it a bit while you are gone. It isn't good for it to sit idle. Or, sell your car.

Do something special alone with each one of your younger siblings - ice cream date, movie, or mini-gold in the month before you leave.

Write yourself a letter saying why you are doing what you are doing and what your hopes and dreams are. Seal it and give it to your folks. Ask them to keep it for you and send it to you if you ever get so discouraged that you are thinking about quitting.

Double your workout time.

Drink so much water that you think you are going to float away.

Get your wisdom teeth out if necessary.

Pray for yourself, your family, your class, and deepen your relationship with God.
 
"Get your wisdom teeth out if necessary"

Really? How do you know if it's necessary or not? (I don't think my wisdom teeth are anywhere close to ready to be ripped out of my jaw. I hope this doesn't say anything about my state of mine :shake:)
 
you know they are ready when your dentist give you a panoramic x-ray. They could be growing sideways, wrapping their roots around your nerves.......
 
Ask your dentist. Keep in mind....in will be FREE once you're at an academy. For many, it needs to be done and is caught during the "pre-commissioning physical". I had mine done senior year, nothing terrible, hung out with classmates back at the clinic for a night in a hospital bed until they were sure there was no adverse reaction to the medicine.
 
I second working out twice as hard, I know I'm definitely doing that.

-work on your memory. (I have awful short-term memory, and I wouldn't want my squadron to be doing push-ups 24/7 because of me.:thumbdown:)

-take your girl/guy out on a special date. (you need some memories to reflect on during BCT, I'm sure.)

-enjoy not getting yelled at.:thumb:
 
Definitely have some fun, because after you report, that "carefree fun" you had in the past, will become very, very foreign. HAVE FUN....that's what you should do (don't break any laws).
 
My dad said that when he was at the academy from '74- '78 they had steak and lobster at dinner every Friday. I don't think they do that anymore :biggrin:
 
I think that's happened twice since I've been here. And it was Snowcrab rather than lobster.
 
I'm definitely going to miss steak then...:(
I eat chicken like every other day so I'm prepared for that haha. What kind of chicken do they serve (at AFA)? I'm guessing no fried chicken. What about porkchops? Pizza? is there a place where I could see their menus? It seems like with the lack of variety we eat here (pretty much pasta and chicken) it wouldn't be so bad at the academies. I'm getting hungry now.
 
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