<p>My little future plebes. I remembered using this site to ask questions a year ago talking with future classmates about how excited we all were about I-day. Let me tell you something....STOP RIGHT NOW. Go to another college. It is not worth it. And for those of you who think I am full of crap then show up on I-Day and be prepared to give up any decision making ability you have. You will have no lives. All you will do is school work and most of you will barely do that. </p>
<p>But in all honesty if you get accepted and do decide to come here. Make sure you are worth the time and energy of us training you. AND yes all your upperclass train you in one way or another. </p>
<p>A piece of advice for those who are comming. Do ABSOLUTLY EVERYTHING that you have ever wanted to do before you come here. You should be partying every single night and having as much fun as you possibly can before getting here.</p>
<p>Same thing happened last year too. I am sure that the academy will be more trying, more difficult and, for some, a wrong fit. But, people seem to make it through it all every year; the better for it. Isn't it spring break at the academy? :)<br>
NAPS05mom
P.S. If you are a plebe or student at the Naval Academy, your language and style is not exactly honorable. In addition, if you feel you were "hazed" (for lack of better word), then why would you want to turn and inflict the abuse on the next group? Never could understand that one. "Our Mission is Attrition". And so it goes.......</p>
<p>From my second-hand view point, it appears that plebes have an intense love-hate(mostly hate) relationship with the academy during the first year. This relationship mellows a little after the first year and seems to evolve into a mostly love relationship only after graduation.</p>
<p>When our son did an overnight visit to West Point last month, he commented that several plebes gave him the same advice that lyles set out in his posting. "Don't come! It's horrible here! It's not worth it. " Then, as our son was leaving the next day they all wished him well and hoped to see him again.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, the comments didn't seem to have any adverse affect on our son's enthusiasm. In fact he commented that he thought the guys were great and that they were the kind of guys he would get along with. Go figure.</p>
<p>Lyle is real, so am I. Basically, know that this place is nowhere like regular college. I love it here (though I have had a rough time and with herndon only 56 days away things are looking up)! Lyles is a swimmer so his days are ridiculously long and tiring. My advice, however, is if you think you may have a slight chance at playing a varsity/JV sport, attack that ambition during the summer and go practice with that group. It will make Plebe Summer more fun and in the event that you make the team, you will have a great group to turn to. I didn't do this, only to find out that I was good enough to make my sport and am kicking myself 8 months later.</p>
<p>The good days outnumber the bad days 101:100 so were still doing ok.</p>
<p>Hang in there Buffalo. Love the attitude (101 vs 100) :) I know it's not a real comparison because you don't have those upper classmen in your face, but I know my daughter at NAPS has had those ups and downs (sometimes within hours of eachother). I am hoping that NAPS has at least given them baby steps into making life more tolerable at the Academy. You are in the homestretch. Remember to be kind to our kids next year. ;)
NAPS05mom</p>
<p>Lyles has a bad attitude. I think his post says a little more about himself than it does about the academy. </p>
<p>Lyles- why do you have to bring that cyncism here? I think the Academy is worth it, and would make the same decision even if i know what i know now. </p>
<p>Yeah, you're not going to be able to party or drink, but you make more decisions in a day here than you would in a week at a civilian college.</p>
<p>Don't listen to Lyles...he's not the best person to give advice about attending USNA....If you give it your best shot and attitude, you'll be fine...</p>
<p>motivator-
You make more decisions in a day at the Academy than you do at a civillian college in a week? I guess I always thought that plebe year you didn't get to make any decisions; at least that's the way it has been portrayed in everything I have read and heard.</p>
<p>tyleroar,
You have to decide every day if being at the Academy is worth it to you. When you're on watch or duty, you have to decide what's important and how to deal with it. You have to decide how you're going to manage your time and what's going to take priority. You have to decide if you're going to follow the rules or blow it by not doing so. You are being groomed to be a leader and that starts from day 1.</p>
<p>Being a leader is being someone who makes decisions. </p>
<p>During plebe summer, there isnt much of that-- every single thing you do is scheduled and mandatory. </p>
<p>During the ac year there are a thousand things i have to do. I have to decide which tasks are most important, which things to skip, what to say, what to study, etc. </p>
<p>I also have to decide whether or not to clean my roomate's desk area when it gets too messy, or be at class on time. I have to decide whether i can do my math homework, or help a shipmate with their chemistry.</p>
<p>As you get older, you get more responsibility here, and make more decisions that affect not only yourself, but those you're in command of. </p>
<p>Of course, these are all things you do at a civilian school, but more often than not, there isnt the stress or time crunch, and you dont make any decisions that affect other people's lives (at least, not on a daily basis).</p>
<p>I read Lyes post and i didnt even have to look to find out he/she was a plebe. I always heard that Academy life calms down significantly after Plebe year. Thats why they call it Plebe "year" because its only stressful for a year.</p>
<p>Why wouldn't you want to listen to Lyles? Surely one doesn't expect EVERYBODY to have a positive outlook on the Academy. Are those the only views that everybody wants to hear -- no negativity allowed.
I agree he/she may not be the best person to listen to -- how exactly do you judge that on this forum anyway -- but certainly his views have some merit. [My father says you can learn something from everybody, even a fool; even if its just how not to be a fool.]
Beside, assuming he is a mid, at least he is there. For that reason alone I would give his view more credibility than many of the comments made on this site that come from people that haven't actually experienced USNA. [See "I've always heard . . . "]
Even if he/she has a bad attitude -- which is probably true -- at least you can see how a person with bad attitude writes.<br>
In any event, I doubt his/her comments will deter anybody from going if that is what they want to do.</p>
<p>[Is a leader one who makes decisions or one that gets others to believe in and follow the decision that was made? Managers can make decisions. Leaders motivate others to follow.]</p>
<p>if you think the naval academy is only stressful for plebe year, you've got another thing coming. I'm a 2/c and i can tell you that everyone has that same love hate feeling. As the saying goes, "USNA is a great place to be from, a horrible place to be at". </p>
<p>and just so you know, plebes do make tons of decisions, but essentially they are all about time management. I've never met a plebe that could actually finish everything they were supossed to do.</p>
<p>"I've never met a plebe that could actually finish everything they were supossed to do."</p>
<p>And that is exactly the point. In the "real" world, especially in a high stress command position (during war) there are many options one faces, with life threatening consequences. The most proficient leaders must prioritize and give utmost attention to the most important, knowing that other issues must be put aside. This decision must be made quickly and assertively. This is part of military training. Read the the letter posted on USNA-net parents sitefrom a front-line Marine serving in Iraq. It is eloquent and reflective.
CM</p>