It’s that time of year again when the Corps of Cadets gets to say hello to its newest set of recruits. Congratulations, y’all managed to get through FROG week and will soon be roaming our halls and terrorizing y’all's professors on the first day of class. Believe me. Don’t be that cadet that goes above and beyond just to introduce yourself. Your professor will remember you based on your academic performance and work ethic, not because you had the most high-speed introduction.
For some of you, this is probably the closet y’all ever come to being military. It’s OK to feel a little scared and intimidated and, perhaps, even a little lost. However it is never, ever OK to lie to your friends back at home and give them the false impression of your “service.” This is cadet land, and although some of us are already prior enlisted, it does not take away the fact that at the end of the day we are all cadets. For the sake of y’alls survival, here's some advice to help make your first semester a lot easier.
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1. Don't be weird.
Your hair is already an indication of your freshman status. Everybody on campus just knows you're a freshman from the way you look. With that being said, don't go around bringing more attention to yourself. Don't try to pick up girls or make civilian friends by trying to show off your newly learned set of Army phrases and acronyms. Just be yourself. Just because you're in a senior military school, it doesn't mean your whole college career has to revolve around the military.
2. Leave the pre-campers alone.
When you see a group of haggard-angry-looking juniors entering the barracks in sweaty PTs and they appear as if they just got in from a run in the rain, move out of their way! The only time it's acceptable to speak to them is if you have a cup of coffee in your hand for them. if you think being a freshman is rough just wait until you're a junior.
3. Don't complain about quarters.
Yeah, we get it. Being on quarters sucks. What college student wants to have an 8 p.m. curfew followed by mandatory study time? Nobody. However, we all went through it and we all survived. It's only one semester (unless you fail to get above a 2.5 GPA) and truly take advantage of this time to study. People who say your first semester doesn't matter are lying. Having a good GPA early on is the difference between having a sucky Pre-Camp year versus having a sucky-sleepless Pre-Camp year.
4. Don't be afraid of the upperclassmen.
Respect your chain-of-command, but don't be afraid to ask questions and learn from others. Who knows, maybe you'll find a mentor who will help you succeed within the corps.
5. Don't joke around about hazing.
Hazing is a serious topic and it's something no one should ever joke around. You are in a military program and, as a new cadet, you have to realize that corrective action is not hazing. Pulling duties in the morning or getting stuck with messenger duty is NOT hazing. Just because it sucks, it does not mean that it is hazing. Hazing is a big deal and accusing someone of hazing could end someone's career. If you're going to make a hazing accusation make sure it's legitimate. However, don't hesitate to speak up if someone is abusing his or her power.
