Plebe Letter
Dear Jim,
By now you must be somewhere in the depths of Nimitz Hall wondering what
the heck you've gotten yourself in to. If you're not feeling that way, I'd
be very surprised. When I checked in, I did not even unpack the boxes for
the first three days, because I was convinced I was leaving. I just needed
to get my quitting strategy together. Here were some of my favorite
excuses for quitting:
If your not thinking about some of these, I assure you, your roommates or squad mates are. Let me bring in some focus. The Naval Academy was the best thing that ever happened to me. I could care less, whether you're having any fun or why you made the decision to start. This is the best thing that could ever happen to you. It is supposed to be hard.
If you don't see people quitting around you, then it would not feel as good to get through it. How many races did you run that the competition was easy to beat? Did you feel better after winning with weak or strong competitors?
You are now among a group of the strongest, from a whole person perspective, young people in our nation, and probably in the whole world. If you have the guts to stick it out, you will soon count them among your best friends for life. If you muster the courage to finish, you will no doubt he called in to defend this great nation and the freedom we enjoy.
You will see some of those friends fight for the lives a people they will never meet. It will make you very proud. You will be proud to stand in front, next to, or behind those friends forever. You will witness acts of heroism and cowardice that will shape your character. You may witness the horror of watching others parish in the fight, or you may have your life saved by one of these new friends. Regardless, you will experience more in the next 10 years of your life than most experience in a lifetime, and it will make you strong.
What are you long term dreams? If you answer this question honestly, and you think it all the through, you will come to the conclusion that there is no better foundation, than the one you have already begun to build. If the foundation is not solid, the house will not last for long. What do you want to be when you grow up? What kind of job do you want to have? In four years, regardless of where you go to school, you will have to get a job. What will the economy be like? When will you get the experience to allow you to get the job of your dreams? Many college students graduate and go to work at malls or fast food restaurants. Many get great entry-level jobs reading other people's work and shuffling other people's papers. Still others start their own companies a struggle to lean about leadership and other necessary business fundamentals.
As a graduate of USNA, you will write your own ticket. You will be given a job with great pay and benefits. You will have what you need if you decide to get married and have children. You will be living among others just like you, not an in apartment in a city full of sharks. You will not have to buy a suit right away. They will still tell you what to wear. Then after of few years, you will have a kick-ass resume and experience leading men in tough conditions. You will have operated multi-million dollar equipment, and you will have been responsible for it's upkeep and performance. You will know what it means to fight, struggle, lose, and win!!! Your contemporaries from other schools won't be qualified to carry your shit to a shit can.
Picture yourself on the crest of the biggest wave you have ever surfed, with your best friend. You have two choices you can commit or pull back. Your friend is committing, because he thinks you are, and he's not backing down. You have to go for it now because you leaned into it. If you don't put your weight on your front foot now, you will be sent to the great washing machine from on high. You will be tumbled ruthlessly, and bounced off the bottom, until you can barely breath. Many will respect you for having made the attempt, because they know deep inside they would not even have paddled out on such a day. However, when you get back to the beach, they will all want to know what happened. All the excuses have already been used. You have to either admit defeat or paddle back out and conquer the next wave. Paddle like hell, spring to your feat, lean into it, carve out hard at the bottom and lift your arms in victory. Scream as loud as you can! You are the man. All those on the beach can now kiss your white ass.
Life is not surfing. You are a very big wave. If you do not commit, you can never paddle back out. You can surf other beaches, but you will always wonder about that one big wave?!!!!! You worked hard to get where you are. Embrace your fear and/or reservations. Turn them into drive and determination. Finish this race and you will be a winner!!!!
Share this letter with others who have doubt. Pull together as a team; motivate those falling behind. When they catch up, their drive will carry you in weak moments.
If none of the above convinced you to stay, then stay because—trust me on this one—chicks dig summer whites!!!!
Timmy USNA '89
Wife, 2 kids, dog, big house, 2000 mishap free flight hours, great job
$300k+, 10'2" Yater SurfTech Woody
