Dear 4/C Brophy,
Dear 4/C Brophy,
Welcome to college. You’ve been looking forward to this time for years so I know you won’t take it for granted. I’m sure you’ve already heard from a thousand old guys walking around here how much they would give to be in your shoes. And you laugh, but here I am just two years removed and damn if they aren’t right.
At what other school would you see the things that you get to see here? Or do the things that you get to do? Is that a wooden mule on top of a 40 foot bonfire? Have you used a banana phone all day because of a lost bet yet?
If you’re not careful, this time will pass you in the blink of an eye. All of these incredible people you’ve gotten so close to will go their separate ways to serve this country. Some you’ll stay close to, but you’ll still lie in bed some nights thinking about the guy who pulled you through electrical engineering, or the girl who tried teaching you swing dance in Smoke Hall.
I’m sure all you’re thinking about right now is your upcoming professional knowledge test on Friday evening but I promise you, you won’t remember the grade you got in 5 years. Probably not even in 5 months. Make the most of the time you have with your friends. Hug them a little tighter, hang with them a little longer, sleep a little less when they want to talk to you about something on their mind. You won’t regret these things.
You will watch things that make your heart pound with patriotism.
You will cry at things that you didn’t expect to.
You will be surrounded by such amazing people that you question how you were even accepted here in the first place.
You will take part in traditions that you don’t know how to explain to your civilian friends.
You will stand on the field for one of the biggest football games in the country, and Navy will win.
You will complain about the nonsense that you have to put up with on a daily basis, but in the end you will know that wouldn’t trade it for the world.
You will make friends through events that you didn’t even know existed.
And you will lose some friends along the way too.
You will also forget to appreciate the beauty around you at times. Instead of taking the quick route back to your room from class, take an extra few minutes to take a walk down Stribling. The thermo homework can wait.
You will get brief glimpses into your future after you leave here. Make the most of those experiences and the people that you get to share them with.
This place is special. It’s impossible to capture its soul in a single snapshot. Although you will try your hardest to capture it over the next couple of years, the closest you’ll be able to come still doesn’t quite get it. Take mental images and store them for the tough days ahead when you wonder why you wanted to go here. Trust me, there will be plenty of those days. Cherish them too. I don’t promise it will be easy, but it will be worth it.
Despite what you might think during the tough times, it all turns out okay. Take care. And for God’s sake, air out your feet every now and then. All that chopping around and hours of ultimate practice every day will really do a number to your soles.
Tommy
