<p>Im starting a thread for questions and answers about how to prepare for Plebe Summer. Feel free to ask questions or give advice about physical conditioning, what to bring, or what not to bring, etc. Some of this information is contained in the permit to report packet, but may require clarification. Mids, candidates, appointees, alumni, parents, please contribute! :)</p>
<p>navychic09</p>
<p>yeah. what should be brought, and what shouldn't?</p>
<p>cheers.</p>
<p>Just follow the list they send you and you should be fine. Leave some space in your luggage or bring an extra duffle bag to carry home all the handout items. Our son came home with two sweatsuits, 6 t-shirts a waterbottle and a portfolio.</p>
<p>aspen, I think navychic is referring to plebe summer and not summer seminar.</p>
<p>For plebe summer, bring extra socks and underwear. Make sure the socks are as close a match as you can to those specified. Bring sneakers (as close to plain white as you can find) that you know fit well, in case the issued ones are a poor fit. You do not want blisters!!!Bring your cell phone as you will need it for the three - 3 minute calls home allowed. Your civilian clothes and phone will be placed in your gym bag and stored. Your parents will take the gym bag home after parents weekend. All other necessities are issued. Do not bring over the counter medicine. But foot powder is recommended (Gold bond). For further information go to the USA-net parents website and go to "plebe summer".
CM</p>
<p>The USNA parent listservs are USNA-net.org or the official USNA parent's list <a href="http://www.usnaparents.com%5B/url%5D">www.usnaparents.com</a>. Both have good information and advice for incoming Plebes. Also, your Permit to Report packet will have what you need to know.
The best way to get ready for Plebe summer is to get in good physical shape by running and swimming. The rest will come once you're at the Academy.</p>
<p>I'm assuming that most female plebes have pierced ears. Does the Academy allow inconspicuous stud earrings? (no puns please!) Also, when I went to have a copy of d's passport notarized, I noticed the passport was issued in 2001, not within the past two years as requested by USNA.</p>
<p>How soon can plebes receive mail/packages after arriving at the Academy? Don't want her to lug dictionary/thesaurus around on I-day.</p>
<p>wstcoastmom</p>
<p>There is a great artical <a href="http://www.usna-net.org/handbook.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.usna-net.org/handbook.html</a> online that has a lot of info. Also if you go to the usna-listserv<br>
<a href="http://www.usna-net.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usna-net.org/</a> and join you can view the achives. I went to last year at this time and saw a lot of good info. There isn't much this year yet since we are all just starting, go to spring 2004.
They suggest having somethings ready to mail out right from Annapolis on Saturday so it arrives on Monday.
We were told not to have cell phone available to plebe until parents weekend. I saw a suggestion to set up 800 # at home. So I did a search and found one for 5.00 a month and it can easily be switched to your cell phones etc. 3 instant # can be stored for ease .So no matter where you are your 800# follows you. This included 100 minutes. I haven't signed up or read all of the fine print yet , but here is the URL ..... Well I can find what I did with it and I have to run to a "Z' car club meeting or I'll be late. I will send it to you later tonight though.</p>
<p>From what I have read, they can receive packages (shoe box size) almost immediately. They suggest bringing their first care package with you on I-day and dropping it off at the post office while they are being processed that afternoon. They should receive it in about two days. That's what we are planning to do. If you they take anything more than required they take it and store it until Parent Weekend. Also, FYI Induction Day this year is June 29th (A Wednesday)</p>
<p>Make sure that the care packages do not contain contraband; they will be checked by the cadre and anything not allowed will be confiscated and destroyed. The first few should be sent in an air-tight plastic shoebox, so the mice can't get in.</p>
<p>Don't forget the American flag (desk size) to avoid being "charged" with "mutiny", and suffering the consequences.
CM.</p>
<p>I know that there is a general schedule of what academy life is like in the literature one recieves, but I assume it's a little different during the day what happens. For example, I assume you don't go to academic classes, but take classes in training, defense, physical preparedness, etc. I think I also saw somewhere that there is a lot of orientation the first few weeks, trying to inform us mids of extracurriculars, sports, rules, regs, etc..</p>
<p>Does anyone have an idea the average daily, or even week-to-week, breakdown of plebe summer?</p>
<p>cm: We know about the small American flag, thanks for the reminder. I like the suggestion about bringing your own socks--we're pretty fussy about socks. I'm not planning on being in Annapolis for I-day since the candidates from this area fly out on a military transport together on I-day minus one. This is going to require a lot of self-control on my part! However, I will be there early on Parents' Weekend! How about the families from Alaska and Hawaii?</p>
<p>What about the earrings?</p>
<p>I really don't know about that. I have a son. Look on the parents' sites and see if it is referenced there. Otherwise, I will look it up later today in the "permission to report" book from last year. </p>
<p>The underwear and socks are really important. They go through several sets in a single day, and the laundry is not always on time.</p>
<p>For some of the really physical stuff, I would think she would want to remove them to avoid injury, but I will get back to you on whether they are allowed or not.
CM</p>
<p>wstcoastmom</p>
<p>Here is the link to get a toll free # that I found
<a href="http://www.officedepot.telecomsvc.com/tollfree/index.asp?nav=home%5B/url%5D">http://www.officedepot.telecomsvc.com/tollfree/index.asp?nav=home</a></p>
<p>There might be better but 5.00 seems like a fair price. I am not in a rush right now, there is still a few months to go.</p>
<p>It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has gone through Plebe Summer or parents as to how the six weeks were structured. From the literature and presentations, It looks like it isn't all running, drilling, and getting yelled at? Do the Plebes get any down time? Do they take them to D.C. or an Orioles game?</p>
<p>The Plebe Summer is booked solid. The only down time is Sunday mornings for worship services. A large number of Plebes attend worship as it is a safe haven from the cadre and the social hour includes unlimited doughnuts and coffee. Other than that, they do not have much in the way of free time. It is a struggle for them to jot off a few lines in a letter. I think that I received 5 letters last year and I thought that it was a huge bonus. The first couple of weeks of Plebe Summer includes the validation exams and numerous lectures. Don't forget, every day begins with PET. After the validation exams, they get into the remainder of their training in a big way--sailing, swimming, damage control, obstacle courses, pistol and rifle qualifications, etc. There are a couple of field trips. One is to Washington, DC to several monuments and the Holicaust Museum. The other is to the Baltimore area and it includes an Orioles game. There are also a number of guest speakers that come to the Academy to address the Plebes. It is really a packed schedule with zero downtime.</p>
<p>Exactly as nyminute said. Additionally, the published "personal" time at the end of the day isn't personal at all. It is usually spent on a writing assignment and showering before B&G. Sunday morning is the only free time...but then again there is polishing shoes, cleaning the room, writing assignments, and plebe rates. There is VERY LITTLE FREE TIME! Also, if the platoon isn't on an evolution, there is always something to be done...rates, sing alongs, rifle cleaning, shoe polishing, boot cleaning...the list continues. </p>
<p>Good luck to all of you in 2009. If you are one of the ones who likes to get a jump ahead to realize that the Commandant of USNA and Chief of Naval Operations is changing...and SECNAV could be to...keep your heads up for that.</p>
<p>Please list the three worst things about Plebe Summer as well as the three best things about the experience.</p>
<p>thank you! :cool:</p>
<p>suggestions on where to get the flag?</p>
<p>Drugstore,Walmart,hobby store--places like that.Remember,first care package.</p>