College experiences differ throughout the nation, but students at the United States service academies receive almost a new life upon entrance. Joe Taylor, junior at the United States Naval Academy is one who claims to have never had a true “college experience.”  

“At regular colleges, you all can do what you want to do. Other colleges are basically free to learn through trial and error, you have the liberty to do that. At the Naval Academy, they decrease your chances of getting in trouble by placing restrictions and values on you,” Taylor says.

In fact, Taylor calls his college experience the “exact opposite” of what a college experience should be like.

Although it’s tough and has many restrictions, it has been proven to work because of the successful people who have gone before me. At the Naval Academy, you get an experience that other commissioned officers don’t get Joe TaylorA typical day for Taylor begins at 6 a.m. when he wakes up to read his daily devotions and prepares for formation at 7 a.m. where he joins the rest of the brigade of approximately 4,000 uniformed students in the courtyard of the school.

After that, the students eat breakfast together. The breakfast and the formation are mandatory.  The breakfast is no buffet either. If the students don’t like what is being served, they can either eat snacks in their room, or purchase a meal at a different cafeteria if they find time.

Taylor is in class from 7:55-3:20 p.m. with only a small break for another mandatory meal and formation.  

He is also a member of the Naval Academy football team, so he is expected to report promptly to practice and lifting from 3:45-7:00 p.m.

Dinner is also mandatory, however since football keeps him from the regular seating, the players eat together afterwards.  

Study  hour for everyone begins at 8 p.m. and lasts till 11 p.m, though sometimes Taylor studies later if he can’t get all of his work done.

“I probably don’t really get to sleep until 12:30 or 1, and I get up at 6 the next day to do it all over again,” Taylor says.

The weekends don’t allow much rest time for the students either. One weekend a month, Taylor is required to stand watch and may not leave the campus. The watch hours could be any time, day or night.

“You can’t leave at all when you’re on duty,” Taylor says.

The students are also not allowed to leave the academy at free will. They get more liberties the older they are, and juniors like Taylor are allowed to travel on weekends only four times a semester.  

Since Taylor is on the football team, he is only able to be home two weeks over the summer.

This makes life at the University of Tennessee sound like a dream world.

"Although it's tough and has many restrictions, it has been proven to work because of the successful people who have gone before me.  At the Naval Academy, you get an experience that other commissioned officers don't get," Taylor said.

So next time you’re feeling down about having to wake up for an 8 o’clock class, remember students at service academies across the country have already been up to study, had a mandatory breakfast, and have gone to formation.