Visiting the Yard

Many of our parents don't go to I-day. Except for a brief period before the check-in process begins and the few minutes after the swearing-in, your Mid will be occupied all day. If during the first year, you can make only one trip east, we recommend that you go to Plebe Parents' Weekend (usually the second weekend in August). When you're booking motel rooms, a pool is nice for relaxing by. Mids like to sleep, swim, watch TV, take LONG showers, talk, go to the movies.  Your Plebe be willing to show you around, but since they "rate" very little on the Yard, including sitting on any of the many benches it may be a whirlwind tour

One of the most common requests is for fast food. Grandparents and siblings are welcome to attend. There is almost always a ship in the harbor for visiting. You can check in as early as the Thursday evening of Parents' Weekend and catch the Physical Education Program (PEP) between 5:30 and 6 a.m. on Friday morning. Take a small pair of binoculars very helpful for trying to spot your Mid at PEP or on the parade field and a camera. NOTE: Plebes will have to return to Bancroft Hall every night. Make sure to get back well before the appointed hour.

Traffic builds up on the roads leading to the Academy, and it is not uncommon to see a Mid jump from a car that is caught in traffic blocks away and hotfoot it back to be there on time. Always drive back early and perhaps sit in the Yard talking or walk back into town for an ice cream cone. Parking on the Yard is limited, and speed limits are strictly enforced.

Be prepared for a letdown at the end of the weekend. Plebes refer to this Sunday as "Black Sunday."  A not uncommon touch during this time is Christmas music blaring from the many rooms of Bancroft Hall, alluding to the next time the Plebe will be able to see family members.

Another time you might want to visit is Commissioning Week. One of the earliest events of the week is the Plebe Recognition Ceremony, also known as Herndon, when Plebes scale the grease-covered obelisk named for Commander William L. Herndon to mark the end of what has probably been the most challenging year of their life. Having seen your Mid through the ups and downs of Plebe year, it's great to be part of the celebration when it's over. (We went back for Herndon and other events at the beginning of the week, leaving before Commissioning. If you're planning to go, book motel rooms early, as early as for Plebe Parents' Weekend. Firstie parents will already have begun to book rooms for Commissioning.) If you bring grandparents to any of these events, you might want to consider renting a wheelchair just to guarantee them a place to sit at all times. Also, events tend to be scheduled at one end of the Yard and then the other, and there is a lot of walking back and forth.

Unlike other institutions of higher learning, which have a parents' weekend annually, the Naval Academy has only two: one at the end of Plebe summer and the other at the beginning of senior year, known as Firstie Parents' Weekend. (Mids are ranked chronologically as Plebes, or fourth class; Youngsters, or third class; second class; and first class, or Firsties.)  Even though the weekend is not specifically designated for other classes, some parents choose to visit their Youngster or  2/C during Firstie Parents' Weekend. The atmosphere is more relaxed, but non-Firsties are not guaranteed additional weekend liberty or leave. Alumni parents tell us Firstie Parents' Weekend is decidedly the best visit. By the time they are seniors, Mids know their way around and can show you all the parts of the Yard and Annapolis that the usual tourist doesn't know about. They are more relaxed at this visit than at earlier visits; the light at the end of the tunnel is growing  brighter. The weekend includes a chance to see your Mid's room (definitely not as Spartan as the room he or she had as a Plebe), attend a pep rally on the eve of the football game, and watch the brigade march from the Yard to the stadium (one mom even joined the parade).

You are welcome to visit at other times of the year. Make sure to give your Mid plenty of notice the visiting. Plebes may not leave the Yard before 10:15 a.m. on Saturday. They must remain within a 22-mile radius of the Yard and return that night. On Sunday, Plebes have Yard liberty only.

You can visit on the Yard, but your Plebe must remain on the grounds. Your Mid will probably want to eat anywhere but on the Yard, but there's a snack bar in Dahlgren Hall where you can purchase hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, salad, deli sandwiches, ice cream, and drinks. Parents can also make reservations at the Officer's Club (410-263-8280).

Whenever you're visiting the Yard, wear comfortable shoes and clothing appropriate to the season. Maryland is hot and humid in the summer, and late afternoon thunder showers are common, especially in August. Bring hats and sunscreen.