<p>Good Luck To Everyone On R-day!!!! :) :)</p>
<p>goodstudent--you'll be fine. Abs heal very quickly. You should be good to go in 3-4 days. Just don't exercise your abs for that time. </p>
<p>Sponsor-family wise, you can pick up an unofficial sponsor (as opposed to the one that USMA assigns you). My sponsor family is literally like my real family. They make life bearable. They have big parties after every football game, let me come up and spend the night whenever I want (when I have a pass, that is), let me do laundry, and basically just treat me like a member of the family. A lot of sponsors will tell you to call them if you ever want to come up or need something. In 99% of the cases, they really mean it. I met my sponsor through a military club, which, by the way, I would highly suggest participating in if you want extra training and a chance to make some really tight friends (though you'll make those no matter what). Working with the various military clubs put me waaaaaay ahead of the game when I went to CTLT this summer (for those of you that don't know, CTLT is when a Cadet goes to a normal Army unit and either shadows/becomes a Platoon Leader for a month or so). </p>
<p>2012, you'll do fine. The vast majority of Cadets yell/haze because they want to make you better. R-Day is what you make of it--if you're mentally preparing yourself to be yelled at and not do anything right, you'll be ok. And don't worry about screwing up, because you will--everyone does.</p>
<p>And on a separate note, I'm sure I'll see most, if not all of you out there. When Operation Rising Storm comes around, I'll be the short female Cadet with 4 bars yelling at you to get on the helicopter. Time flies--you'll be where I am in 3 short years. I can't even tell you how quickly it passes. Good luck.</p>
<p>how do you get a sponser?? and does everyone get one?</p>
<p>marines4me, thanks for your reassurance. Our son will be in good hands, no doubt about that. I can't say that I am completely ready to let him go, but I know it is time. That doesn't mean it is any easier on a mom's heartstrings, though. So while I am missing him, I will think about your words of wisdom and choke back some of my tears, and know that as you are yelling at him to get on that helicopter, it is time for him to spread his wings and fly. </p>
<p>Boy, this is hard!</p>
<p>xcpetersen, everyone gets a sponsor at the beginning of their plebe year. One will be radomly chosen for you unless someone specifically requests you. This normally occurs when you make a favorable impression on the family that hosts you on the ice cream social between the first and second details of beast.</p>
<p>On a seperate note, 2012 don't let life here at the academy get you down. As a member of the CCC (Cadet Chain of Command) I can personally tell you that everyone here this summer wants to see you succeed. Just remember that there is a reason why we are hard on you guys. Keep your sense of humor and don't get overly depressed and you will do just fine. Good luck and I look forward to seeing you all on Monday, I'll be the guy forming you into files after the bag tagging station and before the bus ride from Ike to Thayer.</p>
<p>thanks!! :)</p>