To the outside world, the Virginia Military Institute is a mystery in many ways. Beyond the uniforms and the rules, not much is known about what being a cadet is like. However, one thing is obvious about cadets at VMI; they are different. As an incoming "rat," I have had a lot of interaction with current cadets and alumni as well as people who know nothing about the Institute. Most people like this might recognize that VMI cadets are a step above the average college student, yet still cannot imagine why someone would want to put themselves through "whatever it is" that changes 18 year old kids into men and women. Even as I went through the application process and watched all the recruiting videos, I still couldn’t tell exactly where the change would begin. However, the difference in the cadets in the videos and the students in recruiting videos for other colleges was obvious.
If you were to ask an alumnus or current cadet what aspect of the Institute had the most impact on them, you wouldn't get a straight answer. The best response I have been given is a nostalgic smile and assurance that VMI will be one of the greatest things I will experience as an adult. It's an odd concept for someone who has no connection to VMI. As I prepare to be the first in my family to attend VMI, I cannot explain to my friends what I'm about to get myself into because in all honesty I don’t know exactly what I am getting myself into. The physical challenges are always expected. But other than that, they see the VMI system as just yelling until you start to act like everyone around you. Unless you have gone through or are currently going through the VMI experience, it is almost impossible to know exactly what lies ahead.
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The concept of being a "rat" is easy. You are going to be broken down and built back up in order to learn the values and expectations that everyone at VMI upholds. But the enigma lies in what that entails. Behind the smiling face of every alumnus are memories and experiences. The magnitude of these experiences simply cannot be replicated in a story. The VMI system cannot be well explained to someone who is not personally familiar with it because it is not the same for everyone. There will always be different experiences and people that shape how a person transitions into a cadet. I hope to continue to write about my time at VMI to help family and friends who don't know what VMI is like to learn about the process from someone who is currently going through it.
