<p>I regret to inform all of you parents that we have lost our cell phones. Here is the info. </p>
<p>Fourth Class Cadets are not authorized to use cell phones until after Parents Weekend. After Parents Weekend, Fourth Class Cadets may only use cell phones on the weekend until ACQ on Sunday (Monday for three-day weekends). After prog, Fourth Class Cadets who are not on academic probation may use cell phones during the week.”</p>
<p>Due to the fact 4 degrees last year were given cell phones for use all the time, the fact that we can’t even talk to our families for nearly another month isn’t going over well. Heck, I’d hesitate to say the cynicism is rising quite nicely. Anwyays, just so you people that need to know, well, know. Also, if I ever get time, I’ll try to post a BCT guide for all the potential cadets.</p>
<p>It could always be worse... My class (and classes before us) wasn't allowed to have cell phones at all our first year. ;)</p>
<p>Just take things in stide. If you're already becoming cynical less than 24 hours after receiving your shoulderboards, you're in for four years of pure hell, which you are choosing for yourselves. It's true that there will be things at the Academy that happen that you will disagree with or that will make you unhappy, but those things don't MAKE you cynical. Cyncism's a choice.</p>
<p>We have e-mail and all internet contacts to the outside world. So, just having no phone isn't such a big deal. I'm quite excited to have my care packages and food to be honest! Just stick it out, only 3 weeks.</p>
<p>There has been some discussion before about VOIP, but I have a question. Will cadets be able (allowed) to use things like Yahoo Messenger to talk over the Internet? If so, when?</p>
<p>West, things are going back to how they used to be. Compare your privleges to the full spectrum of USAFA history, and you still have it on the easier side. </p>
<p>If you want to be miserable for all of freshmen year, just focus on all the injustices and unreasonable treatment you recieve. Trust me, there'll be plenty of it. I spent much of my freshmen year so enfuriated by a few upperclassmen and unreasonable leadership decisions that I quit caring or trying to perform well. Some of these people were undoubtebly poor leaders who only knew how to discourage and destroy motivation, so I blaimed my lack of motivation on them. But this was wrong of course, I always had the option of doing the right thing. Remeber this, when you have no control over anything around you or even your own life, you can still control your own attitdue. But even this you can give up. Don't.</p>
<p>He's completely right! Look on the bright side of life and laugh a bit. Simple things are funny. I walked past our CQ desk 5 times in 5 minutes, greeting the 3 dig there each time. By the 4th time we both were smiling and she was laughing. Simple pleasure you know.</p>
<p>So when are you allowed to use cell phones? I'm sorry, I don't understand some of the cadet lingo ;D And what all is blocked on your laptops? Is it just instant messenger? I don't even use IM...kind of a waste of time.</p>
<p>Cell phones will not be allowed at all until after parent's weekend (about a month away I think). Even then, they will only be allowed on weekends. Other stuff blocked on our internet connection includes porn and anything illegal.</p>
<p>surfnkid - yeah, actually as im typing this im talking with a cadet at the academy. They say that programs like AIM are blocked, but the block isnt enforced and that simply changing the port the program uses (for non computer literates...changing a 3-4 digit number in settings) allows it to become active. </p>
<p>Actually there is a facebook group called "you can have my AIM when you pry it from my cold dead fingers." They just dont want to get cut off from the outside world...</p>