Suggestions for class of 2012

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

<p>Let make this a littler easier for the 2012 group..copy and paste then add your suggestions from what we saw while it is fresh on our minds...</p>

<p>-Wear high white socks to indoc.
-If you are riding bus to academy have correct change or Metro pass (no bills allowed).
-Have clipboard and papers in hand when you get in line.
-Have candidate wear a shirt that is easy to recognize (bright colors or stripes), know his/her tennis shoes and what color of belt he/she is wearing. Know what your kid looks like from behind.</p>

2

<p>Except, we were told by the Mid at the entrance that they change things up year to year, ie, the tall white socks to indoc....so they always surprise you with a last minute change that you were not told about. Just go with the flow LOL.</p>

3

<p>Belt, shirt with collar - tucked in with top button buttoned. :D</p>

4

<p>For parents, I recommend having BINOCULARS for indoc day. I was glad to have them.</p>

5

<p>We didn't have binoculars yesterday-I WISH someone had told us-GREAT IDEA for indoc '08. And yes, don't allow your son to wear a white shirt in-you'll never recognize him (especially without binoculars) with a shaved head and cap-they really do look alike. As they process through, they do wear their own clothes, so you'll recognize a distinctive colorful shirt (not too outrageous to attract unwanted attention from those in power) but my son's shell pink polo/khaki bermudas and others' aqua and red and green/white stripes stood out enough to be recognized by their eager parents. I'd recommend bringing bottled water with you. It's a long morning. There was coffee available (very graciously) but I never saw any water bottles.</p>

6

<p>He would probably be better off not wearing bright colors or anything that would make him stand out...it would make him an easy target for the drill instructors...if i could do it again i would have blended in...i feel bad for the poor soul i saw in a pink shirt...tragic</p>

7

<p>Great idea, SupportMom. Here are a few observations of my mistakes that others should NOT repeat...</p>

<p>1) Whatever you parents and kids pick, try this out...
Get you kid in the test outfit. Have him walk about 1/2 - 3/4 of a football field away. Peer through trees, above a small hilltop rise, and underneath low-hanging branches with lots of leaves...</p>

<p>If you can pick him out, Good!</p>

<p>Now, surround him with about 10-20 friends... Still pick him out? Great.</p>

<h2>Now, have the 10-20 friends dress identically. Can you still pick him out by just the amount his ears stick out from that distance? And whether the skin tone underneath the identical caps has a slightly blond or brown or black tint? You get the idea. </h2>

<p>funny enough, his little brother spotted him in a photo.. Eclipsed by someone in front of him, about 1/3 of the BACK of his head showing.... " Look Dad, it's really him. See the little mole/birthmark? " . Sure enough, with enough magnification, that pixel was from my boy. (Kudos to USMMA mids who have cameras and posting snapshots !!!) </p>

<hr>

<h2>2) Don't just pack binoculars, BRING them to indoc. Sounds simple, I know. We transported the darn things from home and left them at hotel. Younger brother with binocs would have been a killer lookout.</h2>

<h2>3) Meet other kids and parents. Know their kids on sight. Chances are, their eyesight is better than yours -- or maybe that's just me. </h2>

<p>4) It's tough to spot similar colors from a distance. DON'T wear what my son did (dark green polo w/black collar) and expect Dad to be able to distinguish it from 250 yards ... camera zoom or not.</p>

<p>I'd suggest those wide-stripe (rugby-type) widths instead of skinny stripes. From a distance, skinny stripes just sort of lighten/darken the base shirt color.</p>

<p>And is that a blue shirt? or Aqua? or Blue-green? or SeaFoam? Or Tan-v-Kakhi-v-light brown? Are those stripes, or is the kid sweating and that's just darker? </p>

<h2>The only kid I could pick out consistantly was one in an Orange Polo. Don't know who he is. It looked good on him (although I don't know the DIs lauded more grief on him for it). It could be seen from a distance, and nobody else had one on. If his folks were there, there was NO DOUBT which candidate was theirs... until they were in their uniforms.</h2>

<p>5) Bring a BIG memory card and snap like crazy if there is the CHANCE that the kid running across the deck may be yours.</p>

<h2>I have a LOT of pictures of kids who aren't in the 3-family lookout. After a while, we were joking that we should post them on Not<em>Steven</em>Not<em>Michael</em>Not_Will.com.</h2>

<p>Sorry for a long post, laugh at the silly mistakes and vow never to repeat them (you can create a whole new list on your own :) )</p>

8

<p>Zonker gave me my giggle for the day. :D </p>

<p>Friendly reminder about the water. For parent's week-end, take water every where you go as well. Its a rare find on campus.</p>

9

<p>Zonker you are right about the Orange polo. That was our son. That was his favorite polo, and he did not even think about the color making him stand out. I sure hope the DI's did not pick on him very much because of the color, but if they did, well so be it.......Mom and Dad and obviously other parents could see him just fine! It was especially good for us when he did not get his uniform before Lunch Muster, because the ORANGE really did stand out in the Company formation....no doubt about which company he's in!
I'll have to post warning when I'm finally able to ascertain if the orange made him a target! :eek:</p>

10

<p>Good news, I understand NC parents are selling water at parents weekend.</p>

11

<p>suzannegra - After reading zonker's above comments, I was about to respond with your exact words! OUR son had an orange polo and was still wearing it at lunch muster (does your son look like me?). He was 2nd from rear in with their backs to us, so he was very very easy to spot through my severely pollen-ridden eyes. Will also post info if he suffered consequences from wearing orange!</p>

12

<p>Lol, the only way I could tell it was my boy's orange polo is he had on black nike shoes with the distinctive white nike logo!</p>

13

<p>The whole buttoned up shirt to the top thing...that's a plebe thing. Every button done or snapped...dumb...oh well. Also, any guy who rocks a pink tennis shirt to indoc is alright in my book. The DIs rip you a new one because they're to much of morons as a normal person to have any sense of style. Heck, if your coming to this school, and you know your going to be ripped on no matter what, then do it in style! - yes, that was serious advice.</p>

14

<p>One other note for next year's class--We tried both Bruce's and Seven Seas Diner that morning, but neither was open before 7:00. We finally found a local diner/coffee shop that was great; but had we known, we could have slept a bit longer!</p>

15

<p>We ended up at Bruce's, and with about 70% of the place full, we waited 25 minutes to ORDER! Tables around us waited a long time to get their check. The only waitress completely ignored us the whole time. I HOPE it was a fluke that morning, and the were caught totally unawares that it was indoc day (believe that one?). The food was great and parking was a breeze. We might chance it again because we did see people come in after us, eat and leave before us.....</p>

16

<p>We went to Bruces at 8 am or so and it was not crowded, but only the one waitress. We had no problem and a great meal; we were out by 8:30 or so. Service was okay but yes, one would think that by now they would hire more help on Indoc morning.</p>

17

<p>My son could not even think of eating a big breakfast. We walked over to the bagel place near Walbums (by the Andrew), and he got down about 1/2 bagel.......we left at 8:30 and that got him in line by 8:45...not the first nor last...even with the orange shirt and all!</p>

18

<p>Did you stay at The Andrew? How is it? We're staying there for Parents Weekend.</p>

19

<p>Very nice Hotel! But we learned something. You pretty much have to have valet parking if you have a car. Its $13 per day plus tip each time you get the car. There is a commuter station across the street, but it is permit only during the week.</p>

20

<p>Thank you! For the record, same goes for The Inn at Great Neck. You can meter park, but then you have to mind the meter the entire stay.</p>