I didn't bother with bringing two of everything. In fact, a lot of the crap on the list they told me to bring, I didn't bring and my life was fine... clutter free, too. The only thing i wanted to bring was my ipod for those nights before inspections that were long and dreary... but on another note, some staff do check and take away all electronics-- cells, ipods, everything. The only thing they took from me was my leatherman which I always carried in my purse.
I miss my trusty utility knife.
Your first week, bring a freakin' water bottle. You don't have a canteen and the mega is dry. You'll be climbing up lots of stairs, sweating like a pig and inevitably, you will dehydrate and that's bad. Keep an unobtrusive, little water bottle for yourself to keep filling up and drinking on your breaks until you get your canteen (Preferably something that would be painless to lose or toss out when you no longer need it).
Don't bother with hangers, locks, boot polish, boot brushes, boot bands, kiwi cloth, parade gloss, starch, etc. You get a visit to the canex and you will be standing around for hours as they push you through to haircuts, and pay office. If you say you don't need anything, you'll just stand in ranks for another few hours are all the rest of your platoon mates get to go in. You'll grow roots by the time they are done. So instead of cluttering up your kit bag (Which you have to drag up possibly 10, 11, 12 flights of stairs when you get to st jean), buy it at canex with the 200.00 pay advance you get.
Once in a while (2 a week) you may have pt at 0500 (Which you don't get out of until 0600) and then inspection at 0700... between 6-7 you have to shower, change, eat, make your bed and clean up whatever crap you used. My suggestion, and yes I know Italian showers are disgusting and they should be used sparingly, use baby wipes. Not only does it save you time in showering but it also saves you time in cleaning the shower, too. We shared the 10th floor with girls from other platoons in advanced weeks, so they would be really anal about when you could shower and when you could not. We couldn't shower in the morning on inspection days and we couldn't use the sinks or toilets after 0630. Baby wipes are a person's best friend. Keep them on you in Farnham because they will freeze in the winter time.
When we had pool pt, afterwards we wouldn't bother with showers. The first girl would run through, hitting all the showers on the way out and that'd be your shower. If you know you have pool pt, wear your bathing suit under combats if you can get away with it.
Another important tip;;;;;; CHECK THE EFFING SCHEDULE! Check it for what you need the next day. For the first few weeks they might provide you with a list of what you need in o group, but get in the habit of checking it yourself just to know what you need.
You get Sissy bags to carry a certain amount of crap in. Get a small bag (A cloth pencil case) and carry stuff in it like pens, a pair of nail clippers for threads on your uniform, Tylenol (But get it from the mir, which comes free and without prescription), and lip balm. (Or girlie stuff if you are a girl because it's awfully embarrassing when you have to ask your sergeant if you can go upstairs to get tampons... trust me, I know.) It might seem like clutter, but you will find that they are things you wish you had. And you know the condom rule; better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Girls, if you aren't too attached to your hair, get rid of it. Trust me, it's just another 10 minutes wasted in the morning when you have six million other things you have to be doing. I don't regret it at all.
If you get hurt, if it's a blister on the bottom of your foot, a hang nail, a cough, or a rash -- it doesn't matter-- get it checked out. A small ache in your foot could blossom into a stress fracture or torn ligament and a blister or hangnail can turn infected. I landed on PAT for ignoring a sprain which got progressively worse. Take care of yourself.
Carry hand sanitizer. They have little stations for hand sanitizer everywhere now... but you'd be surprised the sickness that can spread like wildfire in your platoon and eventually the whole school.
Stay away from the vending machines, but if you must... choose an energy bar. Stay away from caffeinated drinks like 'Red Bull' or 'Rockstar'. You'll just crash big time 15 minutes after the caffeine kicks in. It also dehydrates you which will make you sleepier.
On that note, keep your canteen full. Some staff are very particular about this and will check constantly, but when you start nodding off, you can drink it and it'll keep you from dozing.
In class, if you still can't keep your eyes open after chugging your entire canteen, ask to stand up. Most instructors have no problem with it, what they do have a problem with is you nodding off.
As for contending with the staff; shut up, listen to what they have to say, always admit you are wrong and never ever argue. Don't offer excuses and don't lie. When they ask you if you ironed your cf shirts and you say you have when you didn't... they know you are lying.
