A Week In the Life

People often ask what is is like to be a Midshipman. We hope you will enjoy the following few pages, which are a collection of seven entries from people involved in various activities, spanning Sunday to Saturday, athletics to welding, Plebe to Firstclassman.

As you read, remember no one person acccomplishes all these activities. Rather, it is intended as an overview to what may be accomplished while a Midshipman at the Merchant Marine Academy.

• Day One: Sunday
• Day Two: Monday
• Day Three: Tuesday
• Day Four: Wednesday
• Day Five: Thursday
• Day Six: Friday
• Day Seven: Saturday

Day 1: Sunday

Midshipman Phillips, 2/c
Band Company
Marine Engineering Systems Major

Sunday mornings begin with something that is all too rare at Kings Point, a few extra hours of sleep. After rolling out of my rack around 0900 it is time to blindly fumble around my room and jump in the shower. Slowly, I grab my uniform out of the wardrobe, still half asleep as I fasten my shirt stays and give the winter blues a quick sweep with a lint roller. Still wondering why I am up before noon, I stumble down to Delano around 1015 and chow down on some brunch with friends.

Around 1045 it is time to head down to the Mariner’s Chapel for Sunday morning Protestant Services. Around 1215 the service is over and it is time to head back up the hill to my room in Cleveland Hall. Upon entering my room I don’t give a second thought to ditching my winter blues for the comfy sweats that were issued to me as PT gear my plebe year. After taking a few moments to joke with friends, it is back to the books to make up for all of the lost study hours from Friday night and Saturday.

Sunday afternoons are normally spent at my desk trying to catch up on any school work and, on rare occasion, get jump start on the next week’s assignments. Study breaks to joke with friends are an absolute must and break up the monotonous afternoon of Differential Equations and Electrical Circuits homework. Phone calls home are usually squeezed in between homework assignments, however unlike the plebes I have the privilege of chatting with my parents in the privacy of my own room.

Long hours of studying make the afternoon fly by and soon it is 1730 and time to venture down to Delano once more. Grabbing my uniform out of my wardrobe yet again, I routinely put it on and use a lint roller to remove any dirt. Sometimes the regiment is permitted to dine in PT gear on Sunday evenings, a luxury that almost everyone says a little Sunday prayer for. Regardless of what we are required to wear, my friends and I grab dinner in Delano and retreat to our rooms for a little rest and relaxation or to hit the books for a few more hours.

Although most of the second and third classmen will put on their uniform another time and walk to O’Hara Hall for 2100 accountability, I travel over to the EMS Squad Room in Patten Hall around 2030 to prepare for EMS Change of Watch. As Regimental Medical Liaison Petty Officer, I am required to be at all EMS Change of Watch sessions, regardless of whether I am being relieved of or assuming a watch. At Change of Watch, the on-coming and off-going EMS watch teams will muster. Each team consists of a Crew Chief, Rider, and Driver. The off-going team will sign in their radios and inform the on-coming watch team of any important issues. The on-coming team will sign out their radios and take accurate inventories of the crew chief and rider equipment bags as well as the ambulance. As RMLPO, I make sure that all of the paperwork is signed and pay attention in order to stay informed on any major issues with the squad. The Regimental Medical Liaison and Regimental Medical Training Officer can make any important announcements at change of watch and are ultimately responsible for over-seeing the changeover.

With change of watch over it is time for me to return to my room in Cleveland Hall. If all of the weekend’s studying is done and my uniform is prepared for the next week it is time to relax and hit the rack…after all, Monday morning is just a few hours away.

Day 2: Monday

Midshipman McCabe, 4/c
Band Company
Maritime Operations and Technology Major

Monday mornings are always the most difficult. Wake up at "0-dark-thirty" and jump in the shower. By the time I scrape myself off the shower floor, its 0545. My mind now revived from the hot steamy water, I shuffle back to my room and commence today's routine: prepare uniform, shine brass, spit-shine shoes, throw the day's books into my satchel, head to main deck for morning muster at 0615.

We all march over to Delano for morning chow. Today it is definitely a Cheerios morning. That task completed, I head over to the bandroom for drumline practice. At 0730 the remainder of the band arrives to warm up for colors. Promptly at 0750 the colors are rasied to the tune of our nation anthem. History of Sea Power doesn't start until 1020, so I get back to my hooch and study and tackle my cleaning station until it's time to head out. The rest of the section and I scramble across campus, squaring corners all the way, to get to class on time.

Only dozing off once in History, I head back up to barracks to drop off my bag and head over to Delano hall where my other shipmate and I march the Regiment to chow with snare and bass. After lunch, the last half of the day begins. I make my way over to chemistry, where we are attacked by Avogadro's Number and the Mole (definitely looking that up later). After that, Calculus confounds me, while the rest of the class could care less. Classes for me end at 1440, but today we have Deans Hour in Ackerman Auditorium to discuss study habits and time management.

Now it's back to barracks where I change into PT gear and start studying. After still not being able to get the 'Avogadro' thing, I decide to zoom next door and study for one of tomorrow's classes. Trying to accomplish anything with a fellow Harry Potter fan is very difficult, so memorizing half of the material for tomorrows quiz was an achievement. With the clock chiming 1730, I change back into uniform and get over to Delano for some chow, and come back in time to change and head over to the Band room for practice at 1830.

With my shoulder aching a bit from the strap on the snare drum I meander my way back to barracks and take up another study session until Tattoo at 2000. After Tattoo, it's back to studying and around 2230 I do my nightly pushup and sit up session, still aiming for ironwoman on the next Physical test, so keeping my 80 pushups and 110 sit ups up to par is important. After that it is off to catch as many z's as possible before I next hear the strangled cry of my alarm clock, signaling the beginning of another day at Kings Point.

Day 3: Tuesday

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Day 4: Wednesday

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Day 5: Thursday

Midshipman Coviello, 3/c
Fourth Company
Logistics and Intermodal Transportation Major

Reville sounds at 0630 and I get out of my rack to prepare for another eventful day at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. I prepare my uniform and square away my room and ensure everything meets Academy standards. 0720 is morning inspection and I must perform my Team Leader responsibilities. I go inspect my two plebes and make sure they are doing well in class and are staying focused. After morning inspection I head down to form up for colors.

After colors I begin my day of classes. These classes consist of Electronic Navigation with Captain Moskoff, MM NR Officer with Lieutenant Widenhof, my PE elective, and then I head back to the barracks to prepare for noon lunch muster. After lunch I resume classes with an Electronic Navigation Lab, and finish my day of classes with Tankship DL Cargo with CDR Huber.

After classes, I head back to the barracks to get out of my uniform and get ready to PT and attend baseball practice. After I am finished working out and done with baseball practice I head to Delano Hall to eat dinner. Next, I go back to the barracks to begin the homework that was assigned for the day and study for any upcoming tests. After my schoolwork and studying is complete I send out emails to my family and friends to give them a daily update. Then I head to my rack to get some rest to prepare for another day at Kings Point.

After classes, I head back to the barracks to get out of my uniform and get ready to PT and attend baseball practice. After I am finished working out and done with baseball practice I head to Delano Hall to eat dinner. Next, I go back to the barracks to begin the homework that was assigned for the day and study for any upcoming tests. After my schoolwork and studying is complete I send out emails to my family and friends to give them a daily update. Then I head to my rack to get some rest to prepare for another day at Kings Point.

Day 6: Friday

Midshipman Martins, 1/c
Second Company
Logistics and Intermodal Transportation Major

When reveille sounds at 0630, I roll out of bed and hop into the shower. Then, get dressed in my Winter Blues and pull my hair back into a tight bun. I make my rack and straighten my room, according to class standards, which for First Classmen includes a small carpet.. At 0745, I fall out for colors and salute the gorgeous American flag.

My schedule for Friday consists of a two-hour fire-fighting lab and an hour long class on bridge resource management in the morning, and a Latin American History class in the afternoon. After my morning classes, I return to the barracks and form up for lunch muster. The Regiment marches into the chow hall, commonly known as Delano Hall. Regimental Periods are usually scheduled from 1445 until 1545 on Friday afternoons, which may or may not be mandatory for every class to attend.

After classes and Reg. Period, I go to captain's practice for softball, which consists of agilities and weight lifting to get the team ready for the upcoming season. The evening meal is served in Delano Hall beginning at 1730, which I sometimes utilize, but not on a regular basis. I rarely complete the weekend’s homework on Friday night. I usually spend the nights hanging out with friends and watching movies that I am unable to see during the week.

Unless there are mandatory regimental activities on the weekends, I have liberty from 1600 Friday afternoon until 2200 Sunday evening, during which times I am able to come and go as I please. Friday’s are always the best days for me because they begin the weekends, which are much less stressful than my typical weeks at Kings Point.

Day 7: Saturday

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