<p>Depending upon what you’re in search of, you might want to seek some additional pespective to ensure either validation or balance … ;)</p>
<p>Unlike in other colleges, there is no one thing here that is considered cool or uncool. The only way you would be considered uncool is by your actions. That is, if you are, for example, on a varsity team and use it to your advantage, are never on deck, sleep in the locker room all the time, listen to music in your locker room and brag about it, then you will be considered uncool. Not that you are on the team, but that you are taking advantage of your privileges. Yes, there are some things that people will snicker and make jokes about, like being a male cheerleader, but at the end of the day we all respect what the other person is doing because at the end of the day we are all serving in the same Navy or Marine Corps. So there is no one thing that is cooler than the other or uncool. It is just a matter of making sure you don’t use anything to your advantage and brag about it, making it seem like you are more important due to whatever it is that you do.</p>
<p>i realize this thread is really old, but it’s worth a shot…
how about the Women’s Glee Club? is it very selective? i sang in choir for two years in high school but had to quit because of scheduling conflicts. what’s the audition like?</p>
<p>if you join one of the choirs during plebe summer, they can give you an idea if you have a chance.</p>
<p>boatschool: The Women’s Glee Club isn’t quite as selective, simply because the candidate pool isn’t as large. However, as anyone who attended this year’s concerts can attest, the women’s club is also very good. My Mid didn’t expect to pass the auditions, but she did, and she has thoroughly enjoyed her participation. If you join the summer choirs, you will automatically be offered the chance to audition for Glee Club</p>
<p>I’m almost done posting here but had to chime in w/ agreement that the women’s club is fantastic! Based on my attendance at concert during commencment week, there are some incredible voices.
We had a couple of members at the house recently and, based on comments, it is also a great respite for female mids. They seem to be a VERY supportive group.</p>
<p>The important thing to understand is that, as with most any organization, you will find [or should find] a group to which you want to belong and in which you can thrive. These shipmates will [in some cases] become as important [and maybe more important in some respects] to you as your company mates. Choir mates, DBmates, teammates, will provide an opportunity [depending upon circumstances] for you to interact w/ others across class lines and in a less than structured environment. </p>
<p>don’t worry about being “cool” or “uncool.” Leave those sorts of issues behind in high school where they belong. Do what you enjoy, do what works for you, and do what you need to do to learn, thrive, grow, and become a better officer. Its about organization, teamwork, and leadership.</p>
<p>I could give yo other examples, but it was evident that the women in the glee club truly enjoyed being with each other.
Best of luck.</p>
<p>Well said, Bill!</p>
<p>hi ive read alot on this site for awhile. and i came across this post and i was wondering why does D & B get a bad rap? ive played in my high schools drumline for the past six years and was interested in D & B once i arrive in a few short weeks. anyone have the pros and cons?</p>
<p>Jadler, my good online unknown friend, your hopes that the government will spend money “wisely” will be challenged and thrashed many, many times in the next five years. “Efficient spending for the Navy” does not exist in our current environment. Ce’ la vie, good buddy.</p>
<p>Criticisms of D&B? My son was in D&B for the entire four years. He didn’t let the criticisms bother him. I think he would do it all over again.</p>
<p>I think D&B is still considered a Brigade Support Activity. As such, the budgeting and travel permissions for D&B are substantially different thatn some other activities. [Extra Curricular Activities] Thus, D&B members are away from their company activities, with permission, somewhat more than others. Combined with the “band nerd” mentality–see above about high school perceptions–others begin to see the D&B as an “invalid” way for some to “escape” some company responsibilities. </p>
<p>In addition, D&B–for the most part–gets to go to every football game via movement orders. [Just like cheerleaders and mascot Bill] THis means that mid’s travel expenses are paid; this probably builds some resentment [see above]. Especially consider that Navy plays Hawaii this coming fall!</p>
<p>The unseen–and unappreciated–responsibilities, however, can be substantial. Many [many] hours of practice, marching, rehersal, etc. [Just like in any marching band situation.] You might ask, as an equivalency, why high school band members are called out to be “nerds” even th ought they also spend h ours practicing their routines. Just like football players. Its part of our culture to admire the athletes and consider less those who are not “on the field of battle” so to speak. Just the way it is. Just as we don’t praise as much those who demonstrate academic prowess.</p>
<p>So . . . unless yo uhave some varsity athletic capability, if have some musical capability, D&B [or a glee club] can be a fine alternative. What other choices do you have? Some ECA or intra-mural activity? Try it out for the summer; give D&B a fair chance. [Just like anything else] Find out the true benefits and don’t worry about what others are thinking.<br>
If you spend your time at USNA [or in your Naval career] constantly worried about “what others ar ethinking” you may be in for a difficult ride.</p>
<p>well my problem is that id like to participate in physical activity but at the same time id like to be a part of the drumline. but i appreciate the insight on D & B. I was just curious as to why I’ve heard more of a bad rap about D & B surrounding USNA then my high school. then again my town was more of soccer than football so that clash wasn’t existent.</p>
<p>I was in D&B this last year and im telling you from experience that you will have plenty of time to participate in physical activity especially after the air force competition (we compete every year against the Air Force D&B at the Navy Air Force football game), which normally about 6 weeks into the school year. After Air Force the D&B typically only practices 3 days a week for a hour and a half. Before Air Force we practice 4 days a week for a little over two hours a day. But, even during the period before Air Force I was able to workout after dinner between study period, during free periods or in the mornings. I even started to play intramurals with my company on days we didnt have D&B practice.</p>
<p>I guess there is a bad rap since D&B people are allowed to skip participating in physical activity alot easier because they dont have to do intramural and have practice during sports period. And some people do “take advantage” of this and fail to fulfill their physical mission.</p>
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<p>Much of the resentment began when D&B became a BSA… Many club sports were completely cut while D&B’s budget was increased.</p>
<p>Authorized strength of DB was actually decreased three years ago; along with the “demotion” or elimination of many club-level activities, e.g. the mid orchestra and some of the church-related choirs.
The observation above is an example of the “high-school” mentality [not suggesting that itlstallion hold this opinion, just an observation of the mentality] that is counter-productive. Budgeting is not always a win-lose proposition.
There are other reasons D&B remains a BSA, a not insignificant reason being their presence at football games. D&B was [is?] only authorized presence at some away football games. could their numbers be made up for by non-DB mids? Perhaps. It would be a much quieter game though.</p>
<p>Previous commd had some serious opinions about ECAs and their part in a mid’s life. She was in a position to act on those opinions. </p>
<p>In any event, I don’t think it wasn’t a matter of D&B “becoming” a BSA, I think the question was whether or not it would “remain” a BSA.</p>
<p>D & B is now a major oppurtunity now that i know this stuff, thanks guys. i just thought you had to make a choice between physical activity or corps (even though marching is actual physical work). I’m a physical person and i was hoping to be able to participate in sports, but now I’d be able to do both I’m excited. thanks for the info</p>
<p>AcademyFan sine you are a recent member of D & B i have a few questions: What was Plebe summer like with D & B involved? Also does it go year round and does it ever interfere with nightly study periods? thanks for any info, im just really interested now that i know theres a good chance i could make it</p>
<p>During the summer D&B practices during sports period and when your company does drill in the evenings. You will have sports period and drill, I think 3-4 times per week. I thought D&B is slightly more relaxed than being around the company, making it a little bit of a break. </p>
<p>During the academic year D&B does go year round, but it is split up into two seasons, fall and spring. You can leave after the fall if you don’t enjoy it. The fall mostly involves football games, while the spring involves basketball games, parades, and other concert. During the spring the D&B practices alot less (as little as twice a week) because we don’t have to do a field show.</p>
<p>The only time you will miss nightly study period is during basketball season, this is normally about once every other week. You also know about these dates far in advance, so you can plan around them. You may also miss some classes due to traveling, but they often try to plan around this.</p>