Social Life & Mid Money

Social Life

The social life of a Plebe can be defined by two words, slim and non-existent.

Plebes rarely date.  A big Saturday night for most Plebes is getting a pizza and Coke with other Plebes and going to see a movie, or visiting with their sponsor’s family.

A really big weekend is when a mid is lucky enough to have his/her own family visit for a weekend! Dahlgren Hall is a wonderful place to relax and watch TV with your Mid, the food is decent and inexpensive. 

Inter-brigade dating (between male and female midshipmen) is not very common and dating between Plebe and upper-classmen is strictly forbidden.

Maintaining Relationships 

A few mids are able to maintain a relationship with a girlfriend or boyfriend back home (known as the 2% club). Maintaining this type of relationship is difficult and adds an extra burden to the life of the mid.

Marriage is strictly against the rules while in attendance, but many marry immediately following graduation. In fact this is the busiest time of the year at the Academy Chapel.

Mid Money

Upon arrival, each appointee must have deposited $2,200.00 with the Academy to be used as partial payment for uniforms, supplies and a new computer. Many parents and candidates wonder how much spending money Mids should have when they report.

To begin with, realize that starting on I-Day, the next time the plebe walks out the gate will be on Parents Weekend in August, except for a couple of field trips to Washington D.C. and Baltimore.

Probably their only expenditures will be for personal items purchased at the Mid Store such as a mop, broom, floor wax, cotton balls, shoe polish and perhaps a few snacks. Yes Mom, the broom and mops are really for CLEANING HOUSE!! They really will have mastered this art by the time you see them again.

$100 - 150 should suffice them for ready spending money in most cases.

Plebes will receive about $75-$100 per month. They must purchase their own cleaning supplies as well as bulletin board articles. Most parents supplement the Mid during the four years and it is very appreciated, if not almost necessary.

By the time they reach their “Firstie” year they pocket around $325.00 per month. A loan is offered to the Second Class in April at a low interest rate and the Midshipmen can opt to take it all, some or none. 

Navy Federal Credit Union 

The bank on the Academy grounds is called the Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU). All Mids are asked if they would like to open a checking and/or savings account there; most Mids find it convenient. There are ATMs so the Mids have access to their money at any time. Most Mids have their paychecks automatically deposited directly to their NFCU account.