I am looking to join the navy and am thinking about becoming a nuke. I have been doing some research and found that the a school for nukes can be very stressful. I have a year before I can enlist because of some requirements for a waver and maybe a couple more months after that for all the tests and paper work. Because I have all this time I want to now what I can do to prepare myself for navy nuke a school. Right now I am looking to take class at my community college to prepare myself for a school by taking in calculus, physics and chemistry.
What I would like to know is what can else can I do to be prepare my self for the stress of a school?, what are the main causes of stress?, and if I would be able to make time in the morning at a school to work out to help me wake up and think more clearly?
Any major endeavor in life worth doing is "stressful" from the point of "fear of failure". If someone joined the Navy and didn't care if they were fired if they flunked out, then it wouldn't be stressful...right? "Stress" is a good thing, for the most part. Poor stress-management skills...not so good. So, if you're worried about failing Nuke School and are taking steps to address those fears now (e.g., taking remedial courses at your local community college), then you are managing your stress. Otherwise, whatever works for YOU to manage how your brain races in various situations (e.g., good sleep habits, good diet, exercise, etc), then obviously you know your body better than anyone in a public forum. It sounds like you have a good grasp on what you need to do.
However, the "stress" of a school is relatively minor compared to things to come for a Military Recruit. While unlikely in 2010, read up on the "stress" some of our WWII Vets encountered in the engineering spaces of our best Battleships. The stories of USS PENNSYLVANIA and USS MISSOURI are a few favorites. Imagine standing watch while taking enemy fire...wondering if your ship is going to sink. Or in modern day, imagine yourself standing Reactor Operator...Reactor Scram with seawater flooding and all of your shipmates are relying on you to restore propulsion. Stress as a Nuke...(even during training drills)? Stress as a Pilot? Stress as a Space Shuttle commander? Stress is good...it forces you to prepare for difficult situations. Training programs (for all the listed examples) train a person to feel comfortable, or more at-ease in otherwise very stressful situations.
Simply be prepared to leave your "comfort zone" that you've been raised in and buckle your seatbelt. It's a fabulous journey, but..."the only easy day was Yester-day". The reward? You find yourself doing things and handling situations that you never dreamed possible.
So for today...your stress is the fear of the unknown. Rest assured others have gone before you, others on your class/team/ship will take care of you...and you them, and in five years you'll look back on your post and chuckle. "Stress? I had no idea it could be so much fun."
Co60
