<p>So I know I can get care packages, but what is considered contraband and will be taken away? I know painkillers, but I don't know about other stuff. I want to be able to tell my family what they can't send.</p>
<p>was wondering the same thing. Is Advil allowed?</p>
<p>junk food, inappropriate material, electronics...
I believe over the counter stuff is allowed, I just took it with me on I day. Sorry I do not have an updated list, it has been a while</p>
<p>We were allowed junk food, some kids got twinkies and stuff. I got a magazine confiscated but books weren't. No flashlights allowed.
You're givens so much tylenol over plebe summer and they prescribe it for any ache or pain you may have so don't really worry about it. It doesn't really matter because they go through every box right in front of you and everyone gets something taken out at least once over plebe summer it seems like, and if it does they put your name on it and they give it back at PPW.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>The upperclass actually go through your packages/mail??? That sounds a bit scary to me on many levels. Certainly different than in my day. There were things we weren't allowed to possess (i.e., radios), but you ran the risk of being caught w/them; no one checked incoming mail to see if they were sent.</p>
<p>That's the way it should be!</p>
<p>If you're good enough to not get caught, you deserve to keep it!</p>
<p>Ehh... just kidding. Kind of.</p>
<p>You will be asked to open your care packages in front of the cadre. As for what is allowed- much will depend on your company- for 2010, things like tylenol and motrin were taken away-
no flashlights, or any electrical item of any kind-
no watches, music, I-pods...
do not have anyone try to "sneak" anything in (ie: phone)
ask your family to be mindful of what they send in letters (ie: no racey cards, pictures, magazines, etc.... absolutely nothing that could be "viewed the wrong way" or taken offensively by any female cadre especially).... if the gf sends a picture, the recommendation would be to make sure it is a conservative one.... not the time for a shot of you with a beer pong from home, or in front of your car (if you have one), or of you making a fantastic tackle (no matter how fantastic it was).....</p>
<p>I guess what I am getting to is that you want NO ATTENTION right now. You will get plenty of it anyway- but your goal is to fly below the radar, as best possible. Anything that draws attention to you is not a good thing.</p>
<p>Sugary snacks were a "no-no".... (ie: candy, snack cakes, etc) although it seemed if I sent home-made brownies or cookies they were not necessarily confiscated, but they were "passed around" the entire company.... so I just made sure to send a lot when I did!</p>
<p>Our mid had his nu-skin taken away in the first box, but I sent it again in a later package and he was able to keep it then (things relax a bit more with the second set cadre- at least that was our experience for our Mids company)- again, things change all the time, and it is very company-dependent.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you're good enough to not get caught, you deserve to keep it!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>There is a time and place for everything- but plebe summer, in particular, is neither.</p>
<p>While you "rate what you skate" at USNA, it would be wise to play by the rules- especially during plebe summer. It is the wise plebe that will "turn over" any contraband, even if it was sent by a well-meaning family member.... rather than be "found." Worst case: it will be taken away, but you never know! Our mid turned in a packet of gum.... clearly not allowed.... but the cadre gave him one pack from the package for "doing the right thing".... as long as he did not "chew in uniform, spit or swallow." </p>
<p>Over time, you will learn how to navigate your way through USNA- you will know where there is room to maneuver, and where there is no room allowed. Do yourself a favor and allow yourself the time to scope out the environment- by that I mean your company, your cadre, your upperclass. You are there to learn to "follow".... which means following directions, whether or not anyone is looking (and someone always is). What is considered "contraband" today will be an earned privilage tomorrow- but you have elected to follow this course, so it behoves you to follow it. Sure, there are lots of ways to break the rules- and you may not even get caught- but you cheat no one but yourself in the long run, and it may cost your "team" the hit. </p>
<p>Bottom line: you have worked hard for this, so do your best. There will be lots of time for some fun and games later on.... trust in that.... and they will be all the sweeter when they come!!!</p>
<p>Best of luck everyone!!!<br>
PACK LIGHT!!!
You have a 90-lb sea bag waiting for you with your name on it!!!!
CONGRATS!!!!</p>
<p>Does that mean entire boxes of snack-sized Snickers are NOT a good idea?</p>
<p>(Pardon my denseness on this one...)</p>
<p>LOL......better recheck that appointment and make sure it is for the USNA and not the USMA!!!! ;)</p>
<p>but to be perfectly honest- there is a "time and place" for everything- even boxes of snack-sized Snickers!!! You might want to have them sent to you for Halloween Night.... lest your upperclass come trick-or-treating at your door and come up empty!!!! Now THAT would be a pickle worth avoiding!!! ;)</p>
<p>Alright. I guess Probars and healthy looking stuff it is.</p>
<p>Just wish I could put another 25 lbs on my poor 117 lb kid. At least we've got him 2 more lbs since graduation! I'm sure they'll disappear within 24 hours of getting there...</p>
<p>It's that mom thing. I'm working hard to dilute it!</p>
<p>All I can say is that things have certainly changed since my day. Not saying that's good or bad, just different. Care packages were all about junk food, especially the home-made variety, such as brownies and cookies. Of course, if you got something, you were expected to share w/your classmates. :) Racy pix and magazines were staples (for the guys, at least). Honestly, other than radios, I don't think there was much we weren't allowed to have as plebes and, at the time, they were of a size that they would be tough to hide in your (then) very tiny personal locker. Not to mention you had to have your door open plebe year when not showering/changing and thus it was tough to hide anything.</p>
<p>We had to wear watches -- we were responsible for making sure we showed up on time for things. There were, of course, no such things as cellphones and IPods and Blackberries in my day. </p>
<p>I don't want to open up the whole "you rate what you get away with" debate but inspecting care packages seems to me to be a bit of overkill. Still, times do change and I certainly accept that this is the way things work today. And that, if care packages are being opened in public by your plebe or anyone else, people should be VERY careful with what they send.</p>
<p>In general a lot of stuff is allowed, although it may change a bit from company to company. As a plebe and as a cadre we were allowed to get almost any type of food in care packages. Some companies may snag your candy, but in the end, thats the worst that will happen. More than likely, the cadre will just playfully taunt you for getting sent "weakness." As was mentioned above, any medicine is strictly not allowed. Thats not something left up to company discretion. Actually, as a cadre, one of your jobs will be dispensing medicine, be it over the counter or prescription. I still remember coming down to every meal with atleast 4 different bottles of medicine every day. My pockets noticeably bulged at formation... That and bringing about 10 bags of ice to blue and gold every night.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You have a 90-lb sea bag waiting for you with your name on it!!!!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, back when I was a plebe our packs were even heavier... (sorry, I can never resist... because I mean we all know who had the last real plebe summer)</p>
<p>Anyway though, luckily for the plebes they started lightening the I-Day load with the class of 2010. They moved several of the I-day issues back a day or two... I still remember my 140 pound frame somehow trying to get the seabag up a few flights of stairs. To this day thats one of the things that stuck out most about I-Day.</p>
<p>Pmarol,</p>
<p>I wanted to reply to you re: this - </p>
<br>
Just wish I could put another 25 lbs on my poor 117 lb kid. At least we've got him 2 more lbs since graduation! I'm sure they'll disappear within 24 hours of getting there...
<br>
<p>I sent my son off to USNA as a 5'8", 132-pound cross-country runner/lax player.</p>
<p>This month, a 5'10", 155-lb 7% body fat 3/C walked in the door :) After a year of no 7-11 burritos, Amp energy drinks, etc. he is in the best shape of his life! Honestly!</p>
<p>If it makes you feel any better, the companies weigh the plebes during Plebe Summer and make certain they aren't losing too much body mass. Once I found this out, I was tremendously relieved....</p>
<p>Trust them; they have ALREADY spent much time and treasure on figuring out which plebes to accept; they really DO take care of them during Plebe Summer.</p>
<p>2011 USNAMom, Thank you!!!!</p>
<p>I'm usually pretty stable about this whole thing but as the day gets a little closer, I'm getting a little woozy every once in a while. But just once in a while. I remember hearing rumors of weighing and to hear it stated again really puts me further at ease. To think my first concern was how he might look without hair! I've come a LONG way! :) (though it was based on how he might "stick" out)</p>
<p>I'm excited for the trip next week. I can't wait to meet all the other parents as we wander around like sheep in various herds. </p>
<p>Go Navy!</p>
<p>They weigh you at least once a week and if you're lose a certain amount than they make you drink carnations. It's like 9 a day which is an extra 3000 cals or so. Some people still lose a lot but they gain it back once AcYear starts.
I-Day we weren't even issued sea bags but we did have our HUGE laundry bags. They weighed a ton, but I didn't have to carry mine because I was one of the last people to report and it got there before me so someone else carried it up because I was already so late. Just don't send anything plebe summer. Candy might get taken away, probably not though. Motrin and aspirin i took all summer for various things and it was the best. Yuo're issued blister stuff and bandaids and sun screen and cough drops. Everything.</p>
<p>"Our mid turned in a packet of gum.... clearly not allowed.... but the cadre gave him one pack from the package for "doing the right thing".... as long as he did not "chew in uniform, spit or swallow." "</p>
<p>you are not allowed even gum??</p>
<p>Not technically. You're ot allowed to chew it in uniform and that's really the only time you would have to chew it over plebe summer. People chew it all the time during AcYear.</p>
<p>oh, thanks! what about music, why dont they allow that?</p>
<p>
[quote]
oh, thanks! what about music, why dont they allow that?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yeah, thats just part of being a plebe. The Navy takes everything away and then slowly gives it back to you over a four year period. As it was always told to us, "don't bring it into Bancroft." Which basically means you can keep music at your sponsors or in a sports locker (atleast thats how I took the not into bancroft comment... a bit of sea lawyering, but whatever). </p>
<p>
[quote]
Motrin and aspirin i took all summer for various things and it was the best.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Were you guys allowed to self medicate? I guess a lot can change in a year... Actually, a whole lot did definitely change this past year</p>
<p>
[quote]
Just wish I could put another 25 lbs on my poor 117 lb kid. At least we've got him 2 more lbs since graduation! I'm sure they'll disappear within 24 hours of getting there...</p>
<p>It's that mom thing. I'm working hard to dilute it!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Don't be surprised to find that your Plebe loses some weight over the summer- it happens to most. He will be weighed weekly and that will be watched, however he can request (through his chain of command) for suppliments if it becomes a concern (they make up some protein shake thing and distribute it through Kings Hall, and some extra yogurt should you request it). </p>
<p>Having said that, it is a good idea to send protein bars, granola, and whatever nutritious snacks that are quick and easy to eat, do not need refrigeration, and that your Plebe will eat. Thankfully there is a lot available these days- applesauce and mixed fruit in single, flip-top containers, granola and cereal bars, trail mix, etc.... consider it a "new hobby" to find neat stuff to send! </p>
<p>
[quote]
Racy pix and magazines were staples (for the guys, at least).
[/quote]
nowadays, racy pix can land you in a whole heap of trouble- including seperation for sexual harrissment. Don't even consider it.</p>