So, parents w/letters (I'm not bitter), what are candidates observations so far?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Merchant Marine Academy - Kings Point
1

<p>No Joy at the mailbox tonight either. :(</p>

<p>And no photos either. I'm going to take MrsTweedy up on her photo offer earlier -- shave her head and send he in to take photos. And when you get to 4th company, look for the Candidate who (better have) fingers in a cast!</p>

<p>But seriously, for those of you who DO have letters ("I'm not bitter, much...) what are the general observations of you kids?</p>

<p>Harder than they expected? Easier?
HOTTER than they expected? Easier?
If they could go back 6 months and tell themselves to prepare better for something, what would it be?
Funnier?/neater activities?/Lonlier?/Louder?/more push-uppy (certainly not a word) than expected???
Is the food better than they thought? Worse?
Is the food basically like what they had in high school?</p>

<p>Aww. C'mon. Enquiring minds want to know. </p>

<p>For MY candidate, he thinks......
Well, I'll have to let you know that when we get a darn letter ! Until then, what does YOURS think?</p>

2

<p>I'm not ignoring your questions--but no letters here yet!</p>

3

<p>Well I don't have someone in the class of 2011 but I can tell you as a mother of a class of 2010 mid, I was in the same boat. Not that he didn't miss us but he's just not the type of kid to write letters. If your son/daughter doesn't have the personality or drive to stay up that extra 10 minutes to write a letter it's probably because they are just a bit overwhelmed but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's been cooler this year than last so I think they should be holding up just fine as far as that goes. IT's too bad that you aren't seeing photos but they are doing some funs things too and if you did have the photos, you'd see your plebe candidate with smiles on their faces. When people ask my son how he likes KP, the words "loving it" will not be heard but I can tell you that he's very excited about going to sea and is looking forward to his next three years. We happen to live close enough to KP and were able to go to the Mets game last year. Even though we hadn't received a lot of letters from him, our son was thrilled to see us and had great things to say. And they all looked so proud! You still have another week to go so some photos may still show up. Side note: even though he won't say he "loves" KP, I think he really does and I know that he's very proud of what he's accomplished compared to his friends in "normal" college life. Take comfort in knowing that you aren't alone :-) Once they get their computers, emails will start coming (or IMs) and they are much better at communicating via the computer.</p>

4

<p>I received my first (one) today. The girlfriend received five... count 'em FIVE in one day (written on different days). I guess I know where I fit into this equation. </p>

<p>My son 3rd company begins... This is fun; I love it! (There was a DI looking over my shoulder) He does think it is great except he is losing his voice and in the morning his legs shake when he gets out of the rack. He has received a few of my letters and he told me what he scored on the initial PFT. </p>

<p>It was short but so happy to hear from him.</p>

<p>Zonker- hope you get one tomorrow.</p>

5

<p>Luckily (or maybe not) my son and his girlfriend mutually broke up before going to college. The problem with that is that he is apparently writing to multiple girls (save his Mom) and I can't keep track of the letters! But I did receive one. </p>

<p>In the one letter, he said he missed us and there are times when "I am seriously doubting myself....but there are also times when I think it's pretty cool what we are doing up here. We wake up early, get yelled at, run miles, situps/pushups...everything they promised! The DIs can be pretty mean but when you think about it, they are only doing this for fun (they try to scare us)." He goes on to say "There are A LOT of things I was not expecting (no time to myself, group showers !?!?!, and pieces to my uniform that I don't even know hwere they go!" He ends my thanking me for the letters - "they are a much needed breather". </p>

<p>He never says he loves this place. My deep throat there at the Academy tells me that if he did say something like that, that's when I should worry. </p>

<p>Well, tomorrow is THEEEEEE phone call! My plans? Today - charging up my cell phone all day long and tomorrow - stare at my cell phone and will it to RING!</p>

6

<p>We received our first letter yesterday dated the 8th - very short. Says he has little free time and when he has it he is straightening his room or memorizing stuff. Says marching and PT not bad and he is dong "fine". Requested a couple of things to send after indoc. Asked to tell his brother not to steal everything he owns (this was a P.S. so obviously he is maintaining a sense of humor). </p>

<p>He did state he is doing his best to avoid punishment - not sure how to read that; he has received punishment and is trying to get out of the doghouse? Or, has seen others get it and wants to avoid it? I am sure that sooner or later they all get some; and some get more that others.</p>

<p>Overall, sounded upbeat - if he had any real complaints he probably would have touched on them.</p>

7

<p>TMR,
his attitude towards punishment will eventually start to shift, he'll learn that you the only way to avoid it like that is to become a total tool which will tick off his classmates. basically, you will be punished at one time or another, it's nothing personal, it's just how things go, you learn to accept it as a part of life and move on.
:)
glad to hear candidates are doing well.
: )</p>

8

<p>Zonker - </p>

<p>I'm truly not gloating, just sharing - I'm sure it's only because it's my birthday tomorrow (although I hit the no-birthday decade 2 years ago!) but I got a SECOND letter today! It's even written on the front AND back, again written during 2am fire watch.</p>

<p>To summarize: YES, he wants insoles for his boots. Days are going by faster because they're all getting into the routine of things. PT has been hardest for him, but so far no sick chits. First few days were mostly yelling, drilling and getting everything wrong, but now they've had some time to adjust and moving on to the daily activities we have been seeing in the photos. They sailed on a schooner and it was great getting out on the water and away from the DI stuff for awhile. They did man-overboard drills with a plastic dummy.</p>

<p>Once he gets past the morning PT, everything is smooth sailing (and even PT is getting easier). He's in band and thinks it's really great - says they should get liberty during their trip to Canada in August (we're definitely going!).</p>

<p>No complaining at all - didn't mention heat or food. Still don't know who his room mate is. Said again how much letters from home help him to keep going and that he loves us.</p>

<p>We sent him off with a stack of pre-addressed (including return address) stamped envelopes which he has been using. Before leaving home he gave his friends sheets of stickers with his address for them to use (of course that will modify when they are assigned box numbers at the end of indoc). They're simple to print off from Microsoft Word, and lessen the excuses to not write!</p>

<p>I know you'll be getting a letter soon, Zonker. If you want I can tell my son to give your son a dope slap and stick a pen/paper in his hand!</p>

9

<p>is2day4him - no worries, it was more like a passing comment as though he has received some punishment and is dealing with it. the fact that he said he was "doing fine" was best indicator of his mental state.</p>

10

<p>Nobody hang up on their kid tomorrow thinking its the wrong number when you don't recognize the voice on the other end. :D And don't freak when its not a "normal" phone call. Big brother might be listening. That "five" minutes will seem like five seconds. Write down questions & keep the list by the phone.</p>

11

<p>UGH! I don't have a place to read qhestions from! I'm driving a bus full of kids home from Atlanta, GA tomorrow from a Church youth conference. I'll be lucky if I get pulled off during the 5 min phone call to even talk!!!</p>

<p>Letter one day said ..... big mistake.....not doing well.....yada yada yada....next day another letter.... everything is ducky! go figure. Just like everyone said.. enjoy the ride!</p>

12

<p>I was advised by a veteran parent to not bombard my son with questions but to allow him to do all the talking. I have a mile long list of questions and have been putting them in to my letters in the hopes that when he calls, he'll provide that info. As tough as it will be for me to remain relatively quiet, I will do it if I sense that he needs to vent. Although....I don't know how much venting can occur with big brother listening as well as shouting out the # of minutes left.</p>

13

<p>the DIs will be standing a close watch, but they should be fairly relaxed about it. last year we had a kid that didn't want to ask about what to do since his parents are divorced, and his parents actually called the school. if you kid is the product of a broken home (i'm one of them so i know how it goes as well) they can receive extra time so they may call both parents, typically they DIs will say they can have 3 minutes each parent. worked for me. i would say let the kid do a lot of the talking, but make sure you find out the essentials, what platoon, what they think so far, how their feet are doing (they might not be giving their feet the attention they need, so bring it up so they are at least thinking about them...) and don't drag them down with any bad news from home. let them know that you love them and are proud of them. don't be sappy with the we miss you so much or things aren't the same without you, etc... that'll only make it that much harder for them.
:)</p>

14

<p>oh and don't be jealous of the girlfriends, they'll go away sooner than you think. (speaking from experience)</p>

15

<p>We got a call ! :D 9:30 am (don't know why I expected it AFTER lunch).
Says he's doing fine.
Enjoying lots of things, especially YP (Yard Patrol) grey hull ship is from Annapolis -- all the systems on a pretty compact ship.
They've been sailing.
He's worn the Gumby suit (Orange survival suit, practice in the pool)
They've all done thousands of pushups.</p>

<p>He's only gotten 2 letters from us, the mail is slow... [Mom's written him every day!] He DID get the USPS flat rate envelope, which had all the comics, several magazines, and a letter from Dad -- although he didn't say anything one way or the other about that.</p>

<p>"Son, when can we send food? What would you like??"
Right after Indoc. ANYTHING. Anything is better than Delano -- "Wow, that was fast! It's going to be a long 4 years if you've already gotten to that point after only 10 days!"</p>

<p>His roommate is from an adjoining state... Although he must not have a name, since he didn't say what it was.</p>

<p>THE KICKER
"Please send more stamps, I'm running low. And envelopes, not pre-addressed. I've written a few letters" :confused: :confused: OK. *We * haven't gotten a letter yet.
. . .
Thinking about it after we hung up. Let's see.
1) "You have NO IDEA how hard it is to find time to write."
2) I'm running low on stamps. (So, he HAS written... about 15 letters I'd guess)
3) NONE to parents!
4) But he's written to several people.... And I bet I know WHO they are! :rolleyes:</p>

<p>OK. So we've decided what to do. We're sending another stinking book of stamps, and we're circling every 5th one. EACH OF THOSE IS FOR PARENTS!</p>

<p>And we'll send more envelopes too, the 5th one will be pre-addressed to US. </p>

<h2>And we're starting a fill-in-the-blank/form letter, SusanneGra.</h2>

<p>But seriously, all in all, a great phone call and he was really upbeat! :D
6 minutes never flew by so quickly!</p>

16

<p>there are two mail room guys, one guy is good and gets the job done...the other is...well i wouldn't be surprised if he used to sail and was a star wars fanatic...he's a little strange... that being said, they are always sending email notices out to users on the schools system saying the post office won't be delivering mail due to a shortage today and stuff like that...maybe that's happening now, especially with the large spurt over these two weeks. I donno</p>

17

<p>Zonker, I'd lay a bet that a few of those stamps ended up "borrowed" so the kids who didn't have stamps could write home. Ask me how I should know such a thing..... :D </p>

<p>Davy is so right. Our kid said he got letters all out of order. He'd get one dated Thursday that would make no sense. Then he'd get one dated the Monday before & then understand Thursday's letter. What a hoot. Mail doesn't run on the week-ends so....</p>

18

<p>This is actually RichVa "Dad." So far no letters to us, but girlfriend reports seven now! That is 7 letters. We have sent about 15.</p>

<p>Worse, I got up this morning (was spending the weekend at the beach having picked up our daughter from Camp Seafarer in NC) and made a list of 21 questions to ask. Had the cellphone fully charged and with me all day. Never let it out of my sight. Finally, called the girlfriend 10 hours later and found out she "got the call." Hearing my frustration, she said he "tried to call us" first. I guess, even though no missed calls appeared on my phone, I will give him benefit of the doubt. Unbelievable.</p>

19

<p>I'm going to Saint my son! I've gotten 4 letters (albeit form letters) and he did call home today. Also on a note....if you do send the form letters make sure you add blank lines at the end so you too can receive chicken scratch that cannot be read except by a Cryptro tech.</p>

20

<p>SuzanneGra- I'll saint your son as well if he includes a copy to us as well (remember carbon paper?)</p>