<p>I was wondering if anyone could their personal experiences with Plebe Summer and Plebe Year? I'm aware that it's tough and a lot of BS is involved, but I just wanna know if it's tolerable.</p>
<p>Over the past 4 plebe summers there were as few as 15 …outta 1220 plebes …who chose to leave. There’s your answer. If you wanna stay, you will. In sum …it’s highly tolerable.</p>
<p>There is a joke among midshipmen that it’s harder to voluntarily leave the US Naval Academy than it is to get in and it’s sort of true too. You will have to trudge through mountains of paperwork and administration to process out, including interviews and the like. </p>
<p>Plebe Summer is definitely challenging and many don’t quit simply because everyone worked so hard to make it there. And while plebe summer forms the core of a lot of discussion about this place it’s honestly just a speck in time at the academy. Six weeks is nothing. Plus if Seaman Jones can get through basic, usually Tom EveryClub McAwsomeson can get through it too.</p>
<p>You’ll never get physically forced to failure and rebuked if you try. It’s just one big lesson in respect, attention, and listening.</p>
<p>So personal experiences. Hmm.</p>
<p>I mostly remember funny stories from my plebe summer. Here’s one:</p>
<p>One time our platoon commander was messing with one of my squad mates as our company was standing at attention in the p-way. He said “You know who you are! You’re the Black forest Gump!” (not too politically correct huh?) Right then, PACOM, a four star admiral and commander of US Pacific Command, rounds a corner with Capt. Klunder (the previous commandant) and a group of LT staff officers. For the first time we saw our detailers scared and snap to attention. PACOM cracked a few jokes though and after he left we all cracked up from the tension of the brass. The platoon commander was laughing with his hands in his face and all military bearing was lost. It was great.</p>
<p>Moral of the story is while we were always locked on and uptight, situations like that will happen. Yeah we’re professionals, but we’re all people too (even those firsties) and below the surface the evil detailers are fun loving college kids.</p>
<p>This post is insanely long but one more thing. Just remember on that first day when the detailers are yelling at you, inside their heads they are thinking, “Oh my gosh it’s working. I can’t believe it.” Then they go back to their rooms and laugh about the day with their friends.</p>
<p>zoo … really great, insightful posts!:)</p>
<p>I was just appointed to USNA. I am going to go, mostly because I don’t want to regret not going if I went to a normal school. I’m excited, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a litle scared - I have no idea what I’m getting into!</p>
<p>Your candor is to be applauded! Trepidation can be a positive thing, but not sure it’s a worthy reason to accept. If you meant what you’ve written, re: your reason for going? You may want to talk w/ some folks who are knowledgeable of USNA and of you. </p>
<p>Congrats on receiving one of the coveted slots.</p>