NStar Articles

Spring is here, and you know what that means: it’s time to shake off those winter blues and freshen up your wardrobe with some brand-new REAL Navy gear that gives right back to the mids!

Congratulations, plebe parents! You’ve officially embarked on an adventure like no other: one filled with pride, tradition, and more acronyms than you ever thought possible. Your newly minted plebe is about to begin one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of their life: Plebe Summer at the United States Naval Academy (USNA).

[UPDATED FOR 2025]

While a classroom is a great place to acquire knowledge, some skills are best learned through on-the-water experience. As midshipmen put their classroom instruction to practical use, these lessons are reinforced and retained more effectively. While topics like navigation and seamanship may begin with textbooks and lectures, true mastery comes through immersive, real-world training.