<p>not sure who the professor is. got this info today on AIM so i did not dig into the details regarding whether he knew that the only acceptable method of completing a problem is the professors method. He sounds ok, feels his grade is still ok. He was just "annoyed"</p>
<p>;)
OK DD1, just teasing. I have enough gray hairs to have been in the last high school math class that taught us how to use the things. I also had a VERY fancy calculator that cost $100, took lots of C-cell batteries, and would do 'high math' functions like PERCENTAGES and SQUARE ROOTS ! (even before the HP with the little red LEDs). I can just feel those dinosaur scales forming on me right now ! </p>
<h2>For those of you younger pups who AREN'T familiar with what a sliderule LOOKS like, try this. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliderule%5B/url%5D">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliderule</a></h2>
<p>Hello, I can't possibly read all of the posts here but get a sense that I have been there and can say that you do get to the other side of your kid's first and very stressful year. </p>
<p>Hang in there moms and dads who are stressed for their sons and daughters. They will make it through and as they do you will see that your son or daughter are developing into incredible adults. </p>
<p>My son is in his second year and will be on his sea year the end of October. His stress peaked the end of second trimester and it ached to get calls and AIMS daily expressing his stress. Once he was through with that tri he seemed to settle into life at USMMA. We saw him the end of June and the difference in him was astounding. </p>
<p>The things that are stressful in his life now he takes with a great sense of humor and determination. It will happen. </p>
<p>A couple of things that help out: </p>
<p>Cards and letters from home. This is a little late but can be implemented now. When our son went off to USMMA at his going away bash I passed out cards to everyone at the party and before they left they wrote him a card. I then sent him one a day. I suggest to you now to tuck a few note cards in your hand bags (Moms) and when people ask how your son or daughter is doing give them an addressed stamped envelope and ask them to write a note of encouragement today and send it off. It does make a difference. </p>
<p>It does seem that they still are costly. :) But remember all the money they saved us in tuition by working their buns off to get into USMMA. I have found that Staples is a good resource for sending office/school supplies and if you have a member card shipping is free. </p>
<p>Drugstore.com ships for free if you have an order of 50 bucks or more. Seriously it is cheaper for you to buy their toiletries this way then doing so at the bookstore and they get a package which lifts their spirits. They have power bars at drugstore.com!!</p>
<p>My understanding is that certain items are considered "contraband" when sent in a care package. However there are nonregimented areas of the campus in which packages can be safely opened and enjoyed. I won't say anymore than that. Find a legal means to give your kids a piece of sanity. </p>
<p>There is also means by which to get permission to send care packages that can be enjoyed by the company. Find out. It is a boost to their spirits to get this permission from who ever is in charge and to share. </p>
<p>Hang in there. Remember what stresses them now prepares them for the rigors of being at sea. You will appreciate what all of this does for them in a year.</p>
<p>Yay! Parents weekend a blast. Happy smiles. Eating. Sleeping. Snoring. Eating some more. Sleeping some more. Snoring some more.</p>
<p>It was great to see him doing that !</p>
<p>Thanks KP10smom for letting us know that there would be good times too !</p>
<p>What the Heck happened? Boo. Hiss.</p>
<p>Back to the Ca-ca! Bummed all around, nothing working out.
Hey, KP10smom... shouldn't the good times last a few minutes longer? :confused:</p>
<p>Dang it. I wonder if we should just stay away and never let him off campus... seems like it's worse when that taste what they're missing.</p>
<h2>Now, all my sympathies to these kids. If <em>I'm</em> feeling whipsawed... it has to be WAYYY worse for them. </h2>
<p>WELCOME TO PLEBE YEAR! (in little letters, "abandon hope all ye who enter herein" )</p>
<p>And no, I'm not alone. Other parents (mercifully?) are experiencing the same.</p>
<p>WHAT A WILD RIDE THIS WILL BE !</p>
<p>just wait till your kid goes to sea. they'll be in, um... interesting parts of the world and you might not hear from them for weeks on end. that'll be what separates the boys from the men. :)</p>
<p>You have that right "Is Today". We rarely hear from "Kp Marineopskid"
But, he was good enough to email and say that he got out of Shang Hai
before the big typhoon hit. He said all was o.k. and the storm only delayed him for a couple of days. Now, on to L.A.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>LOL... How much seatime do you have..?</p>
<p>Zonker it just happend to me. I went on Aim to tell my kid goodbye because I'm leaving for Aruba for a few days and he was very upset. He said after being home Saturday he just didn't want to go back after seeing all his friends. He is really down now. I don't understand he was so happy and proud Saturday after swearing in and on the way home. He did a complete about face. I guess they get a taste of what they are missing like you said and they want it. Anyone have any good words for encouragement? I keep trying to convince him that things will ge better. But do they? I hate to see what is going to happen after Thanksgiving and Xmas break. How hard is it going to be for him to go back. Now I feel bad. He totally ruined my vacation.</p>
<p>Ditto Supermansmom & Zonker!! I got a gloom and doom email on Tuesday - wasn't even home 24 hours - after a glorious weekend. I keep looking back at pics from the weekend thinking "this can't be the same kid". He's beaming in every pic and was just bursting with enthusiasm all weekend. But ever since the dark email - nothin'!!! So again, I'm hanging - sitting and waiting - worrying. I always did hate rollercoasters, but I guess the higher you go (Acceptance Weekend) the harder you fall. Thanks for the posts though. Misery loves company. Hope your weekend is better than mine.</p>
<p>by Christmas or so you'll see an interesting twist. i know i made said twist plebe year. once kids see how vacant their old high school buddies have become, they'll be sad cause they won't have a lot to talk about anymore. they'll be sad, and they'll have a lot of doubts about what they're doing here, that's pretty much for sure. but they'll also see, even if they don't admit that they doubt they could see themselves anywhere else doing anything else. as hard as it is, your kid is in a tough place, for most, it's their first time away from home, they're trying to figure out who they are and what they believe, and having a tough school load and the regiment to boot don't make that easy. they'll get it figured out. just remind them that it's not forever, things do get better, and they'll be head and shoulders above their old high school buddies by graduation</p>
<p>"Those who lose sight of the ultimate become slaves to the immediate"
--John C. Maxwell</p>
<p>There is no doubt that its a wild ride and it continues into Sea Year. After watching this discussion board for 15 months it appears that the plebes and mids that are within a 4 hour drive from the Academy may have a toughter time letting go of home than those that are a plane ride away. Its not that the kids from west of nowhere are tougher coming in, it may be that having Mom & Dad readily available is holding them back from getting on by themselves. Let's face it, if one can find comfort to an immediate pain one will seek to have the pain alleviated in the short haul rather than work through the pain to find a cure. Maybe the best thing we can do as parents is to be a dumping ground but offer no fix other than "this is the path you have chosen now keep your eyes on the prize and move forward". There is no question when your plebe is down it just doesn't feel good. That's when you need to tell yourself -- "So what -- if it was easy everybody would do it." The worst thing you can do is doubt the decision that has already been made to attend a service academy rather than "State U."</p>
<p>To quote Samuel Johnson......"He who goes to sea for pleasure would go to Hell for a pastime."</p>
<p>I think this says it all.......our KP'ers have chosen this life, and they will adapt. I'm not sure if being close or far away really makes any difference to the way one adapts to changes, Each MN and plebe is different.</p>
<p>"Is2Day" hit the nail on the head. When the "manchild" was home at Christmas last year he was complaining heartily about KP until one of his high school buddies came over to see him. He told his friend "Dude, I'm in the best school in the world.....I can be in New York in 20 minutes." By march he was telling us that " I just don't have that much in common with my old classmates anymore." I suspect that by the end of his first sea year period the gulf will have widened even more.</p>
<p>Love that quote Suzannegra! Have fun in Aruba you lucky dawg!! Here's another good quote.....</p>
<p>"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain - </p>
<p>Plebe Xmas was pretty great until it was time to go to the airport. Peeling fingers off the door handle wasn't too fun.</p>
<p>AWWWWWW, Jamzmom...NOW you tell us!!! We plebe parents are just now recovering from the Parent's Weekend good-bye! And you're telling us, "just wait til Christmas". YIKES.</p>
<p>Sorry. I was complaining in a round about way again. :D And another thing... Then there are the kids who you have to pry their fingers off their ships to get back to the books too. :rolleyes: Its just never gonna end!</p>
<p>Peeling fingers off the door handle?</p>
<p>I'm trying to imagine the verbal exchange: Was it </p>
<p>a) "No No No, Mom, I really don't want to go back ! " , or
b) "No No No, Mom. You have to let go of the door handle ! I'm gonna miss my flight !" ;)</p>
<p>Interestingly enough, Plebe has already sensed differences with high school pals. They AIM him late at night when they are drunk and tell him "I love you man, I miss you...etc." Son is already worried about that "vacancy" that is2day talks about. Should be interesting when he comes home. Those that have been there, done that....have high school best bud friendships lasted?</p>
<p>high school friends are still in touch...mostly the girsl...the guy friends are for the most part doing military eduacation such as rotc at college and citidel..but I have noticed they are not as close as in high school. I think usmma sets our mids apart and they know it big time. But think back...when you left for college , the kids that stayed behind or went to other schools sooner or later drifted apart. I think it is a growing up thing. Our interests change, we see different parts of the country(world ) then our friends. I also agree , those parents that live close maybe should back away and let the academy do its thing to prepare these guys and gals for their future careers. I hate to say it, for some it may not be the right path for them. A lot will still drop out or be let go between now and the end of plebe year. It may not be right for some. Especially when they are at sea for months at a time..Better to find out now rather than a year from now.</p>