Hey guys,
I’ll be heading off to SUNY as a MUG this upcoming fall and just wanted to try to get a head-start mentally before Indoc. Is there anything you can recommend I learn and have memorized now prior to beginning indoctrination to try to lighten the mental stress load. Anything from creeds, to certain knots, etc.
If you have any advice in that regard it would be much appreciated.
If you want to go and learn a couple of knots, go ahead. You’ll be fine learning all the rest there.
Congrats and good luck to ya. Like LIDomer says, you’ll be fine learning it all there. Relax and enjoy your summer, time gets shorter as you get older so make the best of it.
Know the first year really sucks, and the following years suck a lite less as you move up. If you want to sail, it’s worth it. If you don’t actually want to sail, go to a normal school, it wouldn’t be worth it.
[QUOTE=KrustySalt;183508]Know the first year really sucks, and the following years suck a lite less as you move up. If you want to sail, it’s worth it. If you don’t actually want to sail, go to a normal school, it wouldn’t be worth it.[/QUOTE]
Same could be said of all maritime academies. . .
There’s no point if you’re not going to sail, I still can’t fathom why someone would bother. If you want the “military experience” go on a real military academy.
[QUOTE=cmakin;183514]Same could be said of all maritime academies. . .[/QUOTE]
On the eighth day God created Great Lakes Maritime Academy. On the shores of Lake Michigan He placed it, and He saw that it was good…
[QUOTE=cmakin;183514]Same could be said of all maritime academies. . .[/QUOTE]
I fully agree. Some schools a little more than others, but the point was all you need to get mentally prepared for is knowing it’s not summer camp. It sucks but it’s worth it, the rest will come with time.
[QUOTE=KrustySalt;183531]I fully agree. Some schools a little more than others, but the point was all you need to get mentally prepared for is knowing it’s not summer camp. It sucks but it’s worth it, the rest will come with time.[/QUOTE]
Sorta like life. . . . my son got his money for college from the Navy Reserve. His deployment was as a guard in Gitmo. . . was there for a year and hated it. . . I just told him that we all have to do crappy things early in our adulthood to lay a foundation. . . .
I’ll be there with ya
[QUOTE=FLCA;183466]Hey guys,
I’ll be heading off to SUNY as a MUG this upcoming fall and just wanted to try to get a head-start mentally before Indoc. Is there anything you can recommend I learn and have memorized now prior to beginning indoctrination to try to lighten the mental stress load. Anything from creeds, to certain knots, etc.
If you have any advice in that regard it would be much appreciated.[/QUOTE]
Don’t over think it. It is often better to approach this stuff with blissful ignorance.
[QUOTE=LI_Domer;183479]If you want to go and learn a couple of knots, go ahead. You’ll be fine learning all the rest there.[/QUOTE]
Do you recommend learning knots before INDOC because they will not teach you them there or just because it will make it easier for you when they do teach you the knots?
What are some of the things that you will learn in INDOC that will help prepare you for the upcoming semester?
Ya’ll just need to chill out and enjoy your time off before starting this journey. Everything you need to learn at an academy will be dished out to you in due time. Drink beer and chase some tail until then.
I appreciate the advice guys - looking forward to starting.
Until then, time to enjoy the time off while I can.
What he said. Seriously, enjoy your summer, go get laid. Nothing you learn in INDOC is really academic anyway, it’s the most basic seamanship stuff and mostly regimental stuff, like marching and keeping your uniform proper.
[QUOTE=LI_Domer;183698]What he said. Seriously, enjoy your summer, go get laid. Nothing you learn in INDOC is really academic anyway, it’s the most basic seamanship stuff and mostly regimental stuff, like marching and keeping your uniform proper.[/QUOTE]
And hospital corners.
Don’t psyche yourself out, Indoc is designed for MUGs with no prior knowledge of seamanship. It’ll be challenging, but you’ll be provided with all the tools you need for success once you get here. Enjoy your summer, stay positive, and you’ll be fine.
I agree not to worry about it. If anything, I’d learn the lay of the land. Know the basics of the tri-state area. Hopefully you will be road tripping pretty quick with guys/gals in your class to their old neighborhoods and NYC
It’s no different than any other occupation. You’re starting off at the very bottom of the totem pole and need to build a solid and very basic foundation before moving up in the ranks with time and experience. Going in blind (as I did) did not hurt me one bit, because they teach you what you need to know when you need to know it. Just be positive, open-minded and pay close attention to the officers (licensed) and cadet officers/upperclassmen as they guide you. A lot of stuff won’t make sense initially, but there is plenty of time over the course of the first year to master the materials presented to you before 3rd class cruise.
I will say this though, some of what they throw at cadets in indoc now is rather pointless and a waste of time (lifeboat launching, for example) as they cover that in much greater detail later on. The focus used to be on learning how to follow orders, shipboard terminology, understanding the hierarchy of the regiment and training ship (and ships in general) and learning the very very basics of seamanship.
Would I do it all over? Hell no, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.