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USNA84 · 06-25-2009, 02:36 PM

I'm a grad with two sons at USNA in 2010 and 2011.

My advice to those about to enter is that no matter what people tell you about the USNA experience, you have to live it firsthand to understand it.

Having said that, I think you will find a couple of things that happen that are real "sea changes" after your Plebe Summer & Ac Year experience.

First, you will be part of a culture that is very different and apart from your friends, family and significant others. Their frame of reference when you talk about chow calls, comearounds, pro knowledge quizzes, formations, chopping in the P-way, etc., will be pretty limited - unless they are grads, or you have a sibling who's blazed the trail for you.

Moral of the story: Don't expect them to "get it" and understand why it's important to you. You'll probably get a lot of blank stares and/or "that's nice, dear" comments from parents.

Second, if you've got a significant other who's experiencing college for the first time, they will also have experiences that are new and different, and don't expect things to be necessarily the same way you you left them on I-Day.

They don't go into some sort of "suspended animation" while you're off at USNA. You may be looking for familiar things, and things change. Don't be disappointed; roll with it.

You have a lot of distractions that we didn't have "When I was a Mid..." (Insert geezer with a cane, here.)

All we had was snail mail and the occasional phone call. You have cellphones, twitter, facebook, google, IM, etc. On I-Day those things go away for six weeks.

When you finally get your PC and have access to them, there is a tendency to overindulge and "binge". Bluntly put, you don't have time to tweet, post on facebook, IM or call incessantly. Don't do it.

So, what does that have to do with SO's? Communication is going to be different and that impacts relationships. Most of my friends with serious SO's were not still with those SO's after "four years...by the Bay...", but some were and have been married for a long time, and happy as a Whistlepig in....

I don't think that's a lot different from your friends at civilian colleges, either, and watching two sons and their non-academy friends from HS, I don't think it's a lot different in this day and age. Oldest son has a longtime GF, and even they took a year break from each other during his Youngster (sophomore) year. Younger son is "single" and his QPR (GPA for you civilians) is much higher. Not sure if there is a correlation there, but I am guessing "yes".

06-25-2009, 02:36 PM	#10
USNA84 New Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2	Some "old guy advice" for those about to enter I'm a grad with two sons at USNA in 2010 and 2011. My advice to those about to enter is that no matter what people tell you about the USNA experience, you have to live it firsthand to understand it. Having said that, I think you will find a couple of things that happen that are real "sea changes" after your Plebe Summer & Ac Year experience. First, you will be part of a culture that is very different and apart from your friends, family and significant others. Their frame of reference when you talk about chow calls, comearounds, pro knowledge quizzes, formations, chopping in the P-way, etc., will be pretty limited - unless they are grads, or you have a sibling who's blazed the trail for you. Moral of the story: Don't expect them to "get it" and understand why it's important to you. You'll probably get a lot of blank stares and/or "that's nice, dear" comments from parents. Second, if you've got a significant other who's experiencing college for the first time, they will also have experiences that are new and different, and don't expect things to be necessarily the same way you you left them on I-Day. They don't go into some sort of "suspended animation" while you're off at USNA. You may be looking for familiar things, and things change. Don't be disappointed; roll with it. You have a lot of distractions that we didn't have "When I was a Mid..." (Insert geezer with a cane, here.) All we had was snail mail and the occasional phone call. You have cellphones, twitter, facebook, google, IM, etc. On I-Day those things go away for six weeks. When you finally get your PC and have access to them, there is a tendency to overindulge and "binge". Bluntly put, you don't have time to tweet, post on facebook, IM or call incessantly. Don't do it. So, what does that have to do with SO's? Communication is going to be different and that impacts relationships. Most of my friends with serious SO's were not still with those SO's after "four years...by the Bay...", but some were and have been married for a long time, and happy as a Whistlepig in.... I don't think that's a lot different from your friends at civilian colleges, either, and watching two sons and their non-academy friends from HS, I don't think it's a lot different in this day and age. Oldest son has a longtime GF, and even they took a year break from each other during his Youngster (sophomore) year. Younger son is "single" and his QPR (GPA for you civilians) is much higher. Not sure if there is a correlation there, but I am guessing "yes".
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