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Fourth Class Challenges

(Overcoming Challenges, Class of 2014) Permanent link All Posts

As a 4/c, there are a series of challenges and traditions held at the Academy. The primary event is the dreaded Sea Trials at the conclusion of Swab Summer, a fifteen-hour challenge filled with physical discipline and teamwork. The second event is 101st night, which takes place in the second semester right before Boards. 101st night indicates 100 days until graduation for the 1/c. On that occasion, 4/c are asked a series of indoc questions throughout a tour of Chase Hall; if one is unable to answer a question, incentive training, also known at IT, was implemented.

The third event 4/c have are Boards. In this situation, the freshmen are given a 52-page packet to memorize and are expected to recite. During the actual Boards session, a 1/c will give ten questions from the packet. The goal is to answer at least eight correctly. The success of passing Boards brings more privileges such as listening to music out loud or not writing note cards for every destination. Lastly, 4/c have the Challenge of the Guardian. Another Sea Trial environment, but it allows the 3/c develop leadership and 4/c to reinforce teamwork. Currently, the Class of 2014 has gone through Boards and are anticipating the full competition of this evolution (it takes place during a span of days) . I have spent hours memorizing, repeating, learning, and repeating again the required indoc and I feel prepared. With the help of my 3/c and peers, Boards will become another tradition we have completed as a team.

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Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/15/2012 11:33 AM