<p>What is the worst part about being a Plebe? Just kind of wondering.</p>
<p>Answer: Being a plebe. </p>
<p>Reminds me of a great quote by Jacques "Jake the Snake" Plante, famous hockey goaltender. He was asked one time if being a hockey goaltender was stressful. His answer: "Stressful? Do you know a lot of jobs where every time you make a mistake, a red light goes off over your head and 15,000 people start booing?" </p>
<p>Or the version heard most often: “How would you like a job where, every time you make a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?” </p>
<p>Whichever quote is correct, that's what it's like to be a plebe. Every time you make a mistake, there are a lot of people over your head "booing". It just SEEMS like it's 18,000 of them.</p>
<p>Major, were you ever a plebe?</p>
<p>No, I was never a plebe. And to further add weight to your question, I was never a MAJ, either.</p>
<p>What, you don't like my answer?</p>
<p>Change my screen name? NEVER!! I have fond memories of MajMattMason from whence I was but a lad.</p>
<p>By the way, what is a "poseurs"?</p>
<p>majmatt,</p>
<p>If you haven't been a plebe, I don't think you have the standing to answer. It is as if - having never been pregnant or in labor - a man presumed to answer the question, "How hard is childbirth, really?" </p>
<p>Let's let the recent midshipmen (who have, thankfully, returned to the forum) answer this one, shall we?</p>
<p>Just a suggestion from the bleachers.</p>
<p>... from observation, not experience, I'd say ... being a plebe! :eek:</p>
<p>You know, in reality, IF one is physically and mentally prepared AND motivated, I get the feeling it's not nearly as tough as one might anticipate. In the absence of physical prep, and let's start there, one becomes a target and thus the mental workout verges on emotional abuse, is my guess. </p>
<p>The ultimate strategy for survival and thriving is ... low profile, off the radar screen which simply means one is complying with orders, no matter how ridiculous they may seem.</p>
<p>Again, simply listening, reading, observation ... sorta like the shrink puffing on his pipe as his Midshipman replays the mental movies ... ;)</p>
<p>That said, I sense it is best to go in determined, somewhat confident, not at all cocky, and commited to the notion that this is necessary and essential to getting where you really want to go ... onto one of the greatest teams in the history of the planet. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>P.S. GoNavy ... all have standing on this forum. This is just talk/keyboarding. I can talk about pregnancy as well. I've had a kidney stone! We're ALL in the bleachers here. It's just some have really played the game. ;)</p>
<p>GO NAVY, GoNavy!</p>
<p>yes but have you had 4 of them???? ;)</p>
<p>GoNavy - I love it! I have never been a plebe - but have given birth - yep 4 times and back in the day when au naturel was en vogue!</p>
<p>I suspect they are similar - both require hard work, a lotta sweat, pain and pushing at the end. Both feel like it will NEVER end but when it does - Oh what a feeling of relief, pride, happiness and accomplishment - and of course love.
Perhaps this is why mids and cadets carry a lifelong bond for their academy.</p>
<p>Of course with giving birth you need to care for and nourish the little bundle of joy until he/she is ready for his/her own plebe summer.</p>
<p>with plebe summer - the relief is brief and the plebe must care for and nourish their time at the academy.</p>
<p>One more thing - after giving birth - the memory gets fuzzy - suddenly the labor didn't seem so bad - I suspect it may be the same for a plebe. :)</p>
<p>Plebes? Moms? Former plebes who became Moms???</p>
<p>TX if you really want to get something useful out of you questions, maybe you should expand your question to include more than what was the worst part about being a plebe to: " and how did you deal with it-get through it etc.
just a thought</p>
<p>It's interesting how most people tend to filter out the bad from the good when looking back on an experience that was for the most part positive or is part of an expericne that allows them to reach a meaningful goal. </p>
<p>Since someone brought up pregnacny, I watched my wife holding our 4th son just after he was born, she was talking to a friend on the phone at the time who had just called to ask how she was feeling, our fourth was the hardest for her, after 3 small babies our fourth was over 3 pounds heavier. Her time during delivery was long and very very painful. I could tell from the converstation my wife was asked the question "do you think you'll have any more kids" to which she smiled and responded, "maybe". I just about fell off my chair. Looking down at the finger nail marks in my arm it was hard to understand her response as my pain was rather trivial compared to what she went through. Through determinaiton she (we) got through it and to her and us as parents it was worth it and a necessary part of the path to reach our goal. Easy for me to say....and our 4th was indeed our last. Just getting too old...</p>
<p>First I have to say that I never thought that majmattmason was a major...I remember the first toy my brother ever let me share w/ him: Major Matt Mason and his space station. It was a totally cool 3 level station and the major had a friend, named Geoff. This was especially cool, because that's my brother's name...so I got to be the major so Geoff was Geoff. We drank tang and ate space food sticks while we played. We dreamed of going to the moon one day. I digress....</p>
<p>I think whoever said if you are not physically prepared for plebe summer it is going to be far worse is as close to accurate as we parents will get. Unprepared=hell. Prepared=purgatory....not much better, but a smidge!</p>
<p>If you ask one who has been a plebe - you may get a different answer each time...I continue to ask and continue to get different answers from those I ask.</p>
<p>I asked my 'former Plebe' - when she came home last summer for her break and she told me the worst part for her was "having to bear the consequences for others who screwed up and it usually was always the SAME ones who screwed things up for the rest of us". This was a plebe that in the words of her Company Commander both semesters was a 'model plebe'. So for this kind of personality I can well imagine that would be the 'worst' thing. </p>
<p>When I've asked others I've heard answers like: "the lack of personal time", "the academics coupled with all the stress", "obeying rules that make no sense".</p>
<p>No matter....whatever you THINK is the hardest thing is typically what it is NOT once you are in the USNA life as a plebe. This is the universal answer I have heard from my daughter, my husband and countless others. The entire point of Plebe summer/Plebe year is to hit you where you DON'T expect it - so that you grew mentally, physically, academically and professionally.</p>
<p>"I can talk about pregnancy as well. I've had a kidney stone!"</p>
<p>My standard answer to this statement by men: </p>
<p>Oh, and they do episiotomies for kidney stones now? And stitch up the third-and fourth- degree tears from kidney stones?</p>
<p>That usually shuts 'em up......</p>
<p>Seriously, I would NEVER presume - as a mom, even as a mom of many plebes - to be able to give an answer about "what being a plebe is like". I have only spent, maybe, a total of 90 minutes in Bancroft Hall, I've eaten in King Hall once, and I've never faced an inspection or stood watch or taken a final exam at Navy....</p>
<p>Plebe year provides challenges for all, but they may be different. Some will find the physical aspects the biggest challenge, while some will be challenged by the academics. There will be cultural changes that provide challenges, as well as the lack of so called "freedoms" to do what you want when you want. My thought was that the goal of all these challenges was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your clasmates to utilize and correct as necessary in order to become a functioning and cohesive unit. Throughout their military careers they will be in charge of a group of personnel that have individual strengths and weaknesses and to form a cohesive and functioning unit that can complete the assigned mission. Whether as a division officer, department head, commanding officer, plane commander, platoon leader, company commander, etc., you will be faced with understanding and utilizing the strong and weak attributes of all your personnel. The success of a mission is dependent on the entire team</p>
<p>It's a screen name in an anonymous internet forum, for crying out loud. Who cares.</p>
<p>I suppose that if a new poster showed up as "General Eisenhower" we'd all listen a little more closely to his advice? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Anyone can take any name they wish on these forums. Anyone can put "USMA" or "USNA" in front of their name and pretend to be whatever they want people to believe. (I'm not claiming that anyone here has done that, but anyone can.) </p>
<p>Take the advice or post on the content of the post, not on the mythical attributes of the internet pseudonym. If the OP disagrees with the answers they receive, I'm sure there will be someone else posting soon who claims to know better and will correct them.</p>
<p>I have a friend, His Name is Major. No military ties; first name is just plain and simple "Major"</p>
<p>
[quote]
The boy's name Major \m(a)-jor\ is pronounced MAY-jer. It is of Latin origin, and its meaning is "greater"
[/quote]
</p>
<p>So what if he was actualy named Major Matt Mason? - no where does that imply a military title.</p>
<p>Don't make assumptions.... Certainly is not "unacceptable" to name a male Major, so why would it be unacceptable here.... Peolpe post on more than just this forum - would it have also been unacceptable to post with his screen name on ND or say UTexas threads?</p>
<p>With you Luigi...who cares!</p>
<p>I wonder if we know the same guy named "Major." There was a star football player back in the late 70's ...in fact, since you are from Texas, I wonder if you are talking about Major Applewhite, who was named after the famous Major Ogilvie from Alabama. I went to high school with his younger brother, Rye. If you are from Mountain Brook, Alabama, you can name your kid whatever the heck you want, and get away with it!</p>
<p>University</a> of Alabama Huddle - FELLOWSHIP of CHRISTIAN ATHLETES</p>
<p>The</a> Sugar Bowl 1979</p>
<p>I'm with Luigi, who cares, lets move on.</p>
<p>I think we have an honest case of "mistaken identity". Major Matt Mason was one of my favorite childhood toys, right along with (the original) GI Joe. </p>
<p>Ahh, the "generation gap" rears it's ugly head. :)</p>
<p>I'm with Shogun...and I did a little research on the subject...and must admit, I was wrong. "Geoff" was really "Jeff Long," Mason's buddy in space. He was an African-American astronaut (a decade before the first African American was actually in the space program). </p>
<p>Here is a link: Major</a> Matt Mason - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>