MARCH 2008

Spring break is so close I can smell the fresh air and feel the warmth of the Florida sun! I’m spending my spring break week with a few close friends. It will be a needed vacation from rainy, cold New London. I hope the rest and relaxation will bring me back nice and energized to finish the semester strong. 

When I come back from spring break, rugby will be in full swing. (Rugby is a fall club sport at the Academy, but we also have an opportunity to play and practice in the spring.) We have a scrimmage on the first weekend back. This will be my first season playing, so it should be interesting. The team has been awesome with new players; they are very welcoming and seem fun and energetic.  I can see that the girls have strong friendships.  Being part of this team is very exciting for me; I hope rugby can become an outlet to release stress.  From what I know about rugby, which isn’t much, it’s a combination of football and soccer… without any pads. It’s a physically demanding game with 15 players from each team on the field at one time. We’ve been having morning strength and conditioning training at 0530. This has been extremely helpful getting the team in shape. It is tough getting up earlier, especially when you go to bed late, but it is worth it in the long run.    

As I get more involved in the Marine Science courses, I realize how interested I am in the major. I am very happy with my decision to stick with it, and I know that it was the right choice of major for me. I figure if I am going to study something, I should have at least a slight interest in the topic. It is important to be motivated, and I’ve found when my motivation comes from within, I accomplish my goals.

Tonight is billet night for the 1/c cadets (seniors).  It is an exciting time for them since they find out where they will be going on their first assignment as an Ensign in the Coast Guard. The whole week leading up to today has been hectic; it is obvious the firsties are excited and most are a bit anxious. They will spend two years at this first assignment and many are hoping for their top choice. Billets are given out according to class rank; your academics and military performance determine class rank. Therefore, people with higher class ranks tend to get their first choice, while people with lower class ranks may not get their top picks, or any of their choices for that matter. Seeing all of the 1/c go through their final year opens my eyes to the reality that in two years I will be standing in their shoes.