<p>Reflecting on my own Plebe experience 27 years ago, I think what it did for me was get me used to constant change as a way of life. </p>
<p>Later on, in my civilian career, I had a great boss who used to like to say, “Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react and deal with it.” I know she didn’t make that up, but for me it summed up what USNA prepared me for. I don’t freak out about change, and I’m usually in a position where I have to get others used to the idea of change. You’ll do a lot of that with your sailors, airmen and/or Marines as a JO.</p>
<p>You definitely get taken out of your comfort zone from HS and home, where pretty much everyone thinks you walk on water, to a situation where you have to prove yourself every day. You mess up, you pay the consequences. You do well, and that’s expected. If you do really well, you might get a BZ once in a while. It was a big change for me, I know that.</p>
<p>Enjoy your Christmas break '11. Plebe Year is more than halfway done when you come back.</p>