First Post

First post. Hopefully there will be many more to come.

I want to start off by saying that life at a Federal Service Academy isn't all fun and games. Granted, there are times and places for that, but it definitely couldn't be described as easy. A typical day for a Plebe Candidate here kind of goes like this:

0530: Wake up, get dressed
0555: Assemble with other Plebe Candidates in your respective companies and take attendance
0615: Breakfast
0640: Begin cleaning respective cleaning areas in the barracks
0700: Personal and room inspection
0720: Assemble with whole company and march to morning flag raising
0745: Classes start for the day
1155: Classes end for the morning
1210: Assemble for lunch with entire Regiment of Midshipmen
1300: Classes begin for the afternoon
1600: Classes end for the day. Free time or sports activities begin.
1730-1915: Dinner
1945: Nightly meeting with Company Training Officer, a senior who is in charge of training us to behave in a proper manner and do what we're supposed to
2000: Study time or free time
2200: Plebe Candidates are allowed to close doors to their rooms and sleep for night (though it rarely happens right at 2200)

And that is a typical weekday here at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Not too exciting at first glance, but we definitely find ways...