<p>A friend of my son just finished his first day (maybe "got through" is a better descriptor) - at least that is the cell-phone report from this new plebe's parents. We now have an address and have started card and letters to mail, but what tips are there for what mail is most desired by the plebes (but acceptable) including packages (and what they can include that won't be confiscated or get them too much "attention") during plebe summer? </p>
<p>As much as we kidded about sending "pink" envelopes and such before he went, we know he will appreciate our sending him what he wants, will appreciate, and what he can share. I know his needs are well-taken care of!</p>
<p>A year or so ago, a very funny father posted a message about how he agonized over lengthy, multi-page essays he sent to his plebe nearly daily. At the end of the year, he asked his kid whether his wisdom had proved helpful. The reply was something like, "I never had time to read them. I just liked knowing you wrote." </p>
<p>I think the best advice re: letters and cards is short and cheery, including photographs, comics, newspaper clippings, etc. My plebe liked getting cards and postcards w/ local landmarks. </p>
<p>Re: packages, you can read elsewhere that they're often opened in front of the cadre and peers, so anything embarrassing is visible to all. Food is usually shared. Packages aren't picked up daily and are stored somewhere hot, so avoid perishables and meltables. Healthy stuff was most appreciated by my plebe last year: dried fruit, energy bars, a water bottle and those little packets that flavor water, jerky, etc. </p>
<p>You're very kind to pitch in w/ your son's friend.</p>
<p>Any notes from home- cards- perhaps an "inspirational saying" on a note card- all seem to be appreciated. Just stay away form anything that can be considered "sexually suggestive" and you will be fine. Just keep in mind, magazines with a bathing suit cover, or muscle man magazines- can all be "viewed" as offensive by some.... so just be sure to keep things Leave-it-to-Beaver clean!!</p>
<p>Nothing electronic, no flashlights. No watches or other time-keeping devices. No candy, gum, chips, or other "junk" food. No soda. No OTC meds or vitamins, no GNC products, no RED Bull.</p>
<p>Powdered gatoraide, tang, crystal light, iced tea, etc- all good.
granola, cereal bars, protein bars, trail mix- all good.
dried fruit, canned fruit (flip-top containers- and send a plastic spoon) - good.
peanut butter..... my plebe lived on jars and jars of it over the summer- good!!! (just send a long a box of plastic spoons)
home-made brownies or cookies- ok, but just send a lot because they will be expected to "Share".... and depending on the company and their "sharing" practices, the box may have to make it around the circle of plebes first before the intended recepient gets to take one! (I always threw in some extras for the cadre just in case!)</p>
<p>throw in a few empty zip lock bags- great for everything. </p>
<p>oh.... sports scores!!!!
our plebe was dying to know scores!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>are plebes not allowed to wear watches?</p>
<p>The USNA Guide says to get them a watch. But the detailers yesterday were saying to plebes --</p>
<p>You don't need a watch--WE WILL TELL YOU WHEN PLEBE SUMMER IS OVER!</p>
<p>;-)</p>
<p>Make the notes short/to the point. Not much time for them to read. Photos of anything are appreciated. We scanned in photos from his yearbook of friends and put together an 8.5 x 11 of them. He still hangs it on his corkboard on his desk area. Inspirational sayings are good. Ours also liked particular Bible verses that were on perseverance/fortitude/courage. Some cartoons. When I had any empty space in a care package that I needed to fill, I'll use the sports page to be the "stuffing". He knew in advance I would do this, so every inch of his package had something good in it for him. He, too, liked the scoreboard for his favorite sports teams. Nonsense news from local papers was also good. (Ours has a local "police beat" that we all find humorous, so sending a few of them along was sometimes good.)
In a letter, if there's something timely going on that was especially newsworthy, I might send it. He was able to use a few of these in his weekly reports. In care packages...ours wanted protein...so, we sent beef jerkey, cheese/crackers, containers of peanut butter with crackers (his roomies didn't have PB allergies. Might be good to check first...) Cracker Jacks (as a joke.) One package was nothing but an assortment of power bars (various brands/types). I've also sent an "AW NUTS" package...full of various kinds of packages of nuts. Was shared and enjoyed. One package we sent mid-summer (when we knew Plebe hack would be setting in) was a Vitamin C pack...dried pineapple, juice boxes w/Vitamin C fortified...anything focused on Vitamin C. (except actual vitamins) Also put in small Kleenex packs, etc. I also included goofy things...inexpensive trinkets like you'd get at a small kid's party (fake medals on r/w/b ribbon, etc.) (At Halloween, during the AC Year, I sent a box of Halloween merry-making stuff...noise makers, paratroopers that have the little plastic parachutes that open, etc. That box was a huge hit in his company. They had a toy paratroopers race/flight from the top floor of Bancroft, with 100+ mini paratroopers racing to the ground...) In the middle of the summer we also did a Home Base Gazette...a goofy newsletter with photos of us at the house, cleaning closets, dogs being lazy, and wrote totally false story lines to go with the photos. Guess that one was read aloud, because it was so totally off the wall. Just be inventive, and think of what would make your Mid smile/laugh, or what they would find particularly meaningful. Each is different, and enjoys different things.</p>