I had always been a creative little boy who came alive in writing and in performing onstage. However, somewhere along the line I developed an obsession to be famous. I didn’t want to put in the work anymore since I felt like I worked hard all of my life–I just wanted to bypass all of that and just be at the point where I was giving my emotional Oscar acceptance speech. I still struggle with those thoughts that if I fulfill that dream I will be a content, happy, well-adjusted gentleman. I now see better that just wanting to be publicly adored and loved is a byproduct of trauma, and while I may never be a revered, rich artist in this lifetime, I want this post of my struggle with Feel Free to be my current magnum opus. It does meet the criteria of “art” since I am “pulling invisible experiences from inside of me and creating a visible artifact”, but I’ll let others decide if this is “language arts.” Really, what I am forcing myself to do is see this post as a way for me to release all of the guilt, resentment, and shame I am subconsciously holding on to. I want to heal my inner child, and to help close the emotional/psychological “hole” within me that I didn’t ask for. Maybe you, dear reader, can find something in my story to use as a weapon in your fight to cure your battle with substance use. Strap in.
“Sometimes telling your story is the one thing that will save your life.” Lidia Yuknavitch–former person struggling with loss of a child, homelessness, and heroin addiction turned mother, community college instructor, and writer. https://youtu.be/9AgCr2tTvng?si=Kq-D7Ymt7FaWzHO7
All of us are different, and every person’s struggle with Feel Free is on a case-by-case basis. Thus, I can only speak of MY experiences, but the harsh reality is that compared to how life was for a number of us as children, the world is a sadder place instead of the bright, shiny colors we thought it was while we were elementary school students. “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.”--Friedrich Nietzsche. It hurts like hell to suffer, but it feels good to realize that suffering is the one thing that unites all of us–-from someone on their deathbed to the financially-wealthiest person on Earth we are united in our tribulations, and we are nothing without each other.
You are NOT a bad person, and you are NOT suffering from a “moral failure” if you are hooked on Feel Free. As I discovered with a good therapist based in Austin, TX, all substance abuse is a symptom of some deeper wound. In my case the real issue is the Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) diagnosed to me in 2022 due to the effects of childhood emotional, psychological, and physical abuse (hard spankings (even with belts) from my parents) that followed me into adulthood. Trauma is the REAL gateway drug, and I refuse to say that I “suffer” from addiction because I am NOT its victim–I am STRUGGLING with addiction because just like you I am a FIGHTER. Tell yourself that you currently have this trial but are STILL HERE, and celebrate yourself if all you can do right now is sit down and read this. Perfection be damned, and progress be in the limelight.
To paraphrase Dr. Gabor Mate’s claims which I find calming, “a person struggling with addiction is actually intelligent because they were searching for something to help solve a problem that is currently unbearable to them.” https://youtu.be/BVg2bfqblGI?si=1_KbtjEn9hVDXTbQ . Additionally, while I struggled with resentment and shame due to how much money and time I spent on Feel Free, I choose to adopt the viewpoint proposed by Ms. Jo Harvey Weatherford: “While addiction almost destroyed my life, it simultaneously saved it because if I didn’t have a way to check out during those painful times I don’t know how long I would have chosen to stay alive.” https://youtu.be/OJY4GkpRc7U?si=vxYvAuUexvZlnL4o
My name is Freddie, and I am working as hard and as best as I can to turn my current struggle with Feel Free addiction to something I “struggled” with--something that I fought, won, and left in the past. I was diagnosed with depression in 2006 and prescribed Citalopram (Celexa), then diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder in 2012 and prescribed Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) and Lamotrigine (Lamictal) in lieu of Celexa. I went back to Celexa, was taken off of Trileptal and Lamictal in 2013, and then a talk therapist diagnosed me with Histrionic Personality Disorder. I first came across Feel Free in November 2021 at a gas station in Fort Worth, TX. At this time, the bottles had the silver cap, and they were advertised as a “kava” drink. I had tried kava before and loved the feeling, so I thought that that was what I was enjoying after taking the shot. When I returned to Fort Worth in December 2021 to celebrate my favorite holiday of New Year’s with friends, I used Feel Free’s store locator to find a place to purchase it. I was taken aback when I heard the employee at the headshop say, “Oh, the kratom and kava shot?” I didn’t know it had kratom in it, but there it was listed on the bottle. I, too, had tried kratom powder and loved the feeling, so I purchased the Feel Free anyway. I wasn’t as addicted to it at the time–-I could go for long periods without thinking of it nor using it.
To paint a picture of the kinds of trauma with which I went through, from 2019-2022, I dealt with (1) a job reassignment in my hometown of Corpus Christi, TX from a fifth-grade to a kindergarten teacher due to low test scores (I felt very unhappy with that decision), (2) settling for a fifth-grade teaching job at the lowest paying school district in Austin, TX due to falling in love with someone there, (3) a loss of said Austin teaching job after one month due to a principal with a bad and quick temper, (4) finding out that my gay ex-boyfriend (I’m pansexual and still struggle with embracing my sexual orientation) who was still within his first year of alcohol-addiction recovery and used me to cure his loneliness and maintain his sobriety, (5) getting dumped by him and having to move into the guest room less than two months of me moving in with him (I don’t recommend anyone to live with their ex), (6) a driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) charge because one Monday night I was so sad with my ex since he had other men come over for sex while I was still living there, (7) gaining and then losing a director position at a private tutoring center due to both COVID and because the owners of the franchise were caught money laundering, (8) a mentally unstable girl I started dating who was hard-to-please, (9) another gay ex-boyfriend who got violent due to psychosis and chased me around our apartment because he secretly stopped taking antipsychotics since he thought we was “cured” after getting involved with me (he was essentially homeless), (10) an assault with injury (family violence) charge due to me thinking that it was legal for me to put my hands on the aforementioned ex with psychosis to get him out of my home (it turns out that Texas state law is that you CAN’T put your hands on someone to get her out of your residence, but you can use a gun), (11) a bankruptcy, and finally (12) the last straw that broke this camel’s back: an English-as-an-additional-language teacher job loss at a public school district (I was blessed to get this job since some schools bar anyone for employment with an arrest on their record) due to me speaking up about the constant micro-management and workplace harassment from my department’s nervous first-year administrator. My boss was obsessed with providing exemplary test scores so much so that he would tell me things like, “I know we have this textbook adoption, but we do not want to have our students see the same thing twice. They need to see more, so start making up teaching resources on your own in your own time and assign it to the students” (I once was so nervous with meeting his demands that I left a coworker's Christmas party early on a Saturday night in order to finish his lesson plans). My complaint caught the attention of my principal’s boss, so he invited himself over to my disciplinary meeting that my principal set up with me, and this man with whom I had hardly interacted called me a “gossip”, overrode the principal, and tore right into me. My abusive boss was assigned to be the mediator at my grievance hearing, so he ultimately decided that I should not be offered a contract for the next school year as retaliation.
I had a mental breakdown after I got the phone call about the firing. There was an OrangeTheory Fitness gym down the street from my apartment, and even though it was a hot, late spring day in Austin, I put on a beanie, sweatshirt, and sweatpants and went to that intense exercise class totally fine with the fact that I could die from heatstroke. I even thought of just leaving my apartment and walking until I would collapse, get hit by a vehicle, or mugged and murdered. I felt that the emotional pain was just too unbearable.
I did not want to move back in with my family. I did not want to go back to the very people who were unaware or in denial of the abuse that they gave me in my formative years. Not only did I not know who I was, I couldn’t spend anytime searching for nor living my authentic self around them. In an attempt to try to continue making it on my own in Austin, I got a quick job at a warehouse stuffing bras while I was working through the bankruptcy proceedings. I didn’t have wireless headphones at the time, so there I was–-a college graduate/certified Texas teachecurrent master’s degree student working 40+ hours a week doing repetitive tasks with nothing but catastrophic and ruminating thoughts going on in my head. There was at least one time when I was crying softly to myself at work and hiding it from others, and I thought of taking my life numerous times.
My parents don't understand; their viewpoint is, "HOW CAN YOU BE ADDICTED?!" However, a number of peers to whom I tell my story ask, "Damn. How could you not? By the way, you are one strong motherfucker." I can say the same for you, dear reader, if you're not giving up on the fight.
Nighttime became my favorite part of the day. The arrival of dusk was like a blanket going over me as I lay in bed falling asleep. I felt like nighttime was a time where I didn’t have to be anyone nor do anything since it was a time to be asleep, but in the early nights after experiencing those traumas I would wake up every hour on the hour worried about how my future was going to play out. Would I ever get married? Would I ever have children? Would I ever own a house? Would I ever have a stable career? My well-meaning, middle-class parents inadvertently raised me to be dependent on them, and they would always come in and save me whenever they found out I was in a bind whether I liked it or not. I subconsciously became complacent towards my tough life issues because “mommy and daddy could help take care of things”, so then I questioned: what would happen to me if all of my living ancestors (grandparents, parents, etc.) died right now? Would I ever have enough money for retirement? How will my life be when I am in my 60s, 70s, 80s? In short, I stressed about having to deal with unbearable, uncomfortable future feelings and situations, so I would put on my flip-flops and walk around my complex each time I woke up in panic at one, two, three, etc. in the morning. I just couldn’t lie down still–-my mind would race as soon as I fell asleep. In fact, I think the only time I had an amazing night’s sleep during that era was when a good friend of mine came over with dinner and spent the night with me. I was the little spoon, and this upholds the scientific finding that the opposite of addiction is genuine human connection: I got my appetite back that night, and I slept so soundly in my buddy’s arms that I had an eating dream. Let’s normalize all kinds of cuddling–-platonic, same-sex, etc,–-amongst people with mutual trust. No more shame nor awkwardness about it: in fact, science shows that there is a myriad of health benefits to human touch, including a boost in the natural happy chemical of oxytocin: https://www.rwjbh.org/blog/2023/novembehugging-health-benefits/ .
Virtually every morning during that period of time I would wake up incredibly anxious, depressed–-just unbearably uncomfortable. I wouldn’t find out until later after getting the CPTSD diagnosis that I was experiencing a symptom known as “brain dysregulation”. YouTube’s The Crappy Childhood Fairy is useful in helping understand and manage that problem should you think that you are struggling with this too (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez2hTvGsDK8&list=PLl504D3b_OPgb4Un9P6s3TXpihO_2KmO_). In an attempt to push forward and NOT break down at work, I experimented with drinking two Feel Free bottles ($10 each after tax) in the morning right before the workday started. This was when all of the bottles had the silver tops and the original potent mixture. It worked wonderfully until I noticed one morning that the effects wore off as soon as I got to my employer. After work I would rush to the store to buy two Feel Free “just in case” I didn’t wake up in the morning feeling fine and “normal” like I used to pre-job loss.
“Addiction is incurable, fatal, and progressive”.--The Big Book of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) I disagree with the statement that addiction is incurable since a number of people are able to abstain successfully. I disagree a little less with the idea that all addiction is fatal since it seems that some addictions would need some extreme occurrences to lead you to an early grave (cannabis?), but I was naïve about the fact that addiction is insidious and progressive. One time while the attendants were busy at the store where I would buy Feel Free, I reached over the counter and got two in an attempt to speed up the process. I realized that they didn’t notice that I had done that when I got to the cashier, so I bought two more and left with four bottles–-I realized that I only spent $20 in total for four bottles…and I also realized that I got away with shoplifting. A second addiction entered the chat...
I started shoplifting Feel Free at more and more places when I saw the opportunity. I shoplifted them from 2022-early 2024, and there were only a handful of embarrassing times when I was caught. However, in my mind, I thought that it was worth it: I would look at all of the people around me and think that they “didn’t have the problems I did”, that “I was doing what I had to do to survive”, and that “I didn’t want to take my life because someway, somehow, I was going to end up in a position of power where I could use my platform to be altruistic.” As maladaptive as it was, I felt like I deserved to do what I needed to do since it was “a matter of life and death.” I had a good therapist at the time and was working closely with her. I held on to the belief that one day I would wake up and be “cured"-–no more cravings. Yet, I thought that I could fall back on using Feel Free should my ability to cope in a healthy way not work. Every morning was the same unfortunately-–I kept waking up with dysregulated.
I took advantage of Feel Free’s policy of contacting them for a free case if a store listed on the website didn’t have the product–-I did this three times under my name until I was cut off. Once while I was on a work trip in San Antonio, TX, I used my roommate at the time who was back in Austin to contact them about a location that didn’t have it there. I pretended to use his name as mine when the guy came to drop off the case. Two a day soon became four, four became six, six became eight, etc. On three-hour drives to Corpus from Austin (and vice-versa) visiting my family I found myself stopping at gas station after gas station and shoplifting/purchasing two more just to keep the high going.
2023 was when things got worse. I had done things like drink up to sixteen bottles one day, order an Uber to take me to and from a store that had them when I didn’t have access to my car, and successfully pretending to “accidentally” walk out with a twelve-pack box from a headshop and returning to it so that I could appear as an honest customer and get a discount. I pawned a few things to get some money, and when I had little to none I kept two empty Feel Free bottles on me so that I could pull the old “switcheroo”: I would fill them with water & food coloring and place them in my left pocket. I would go to the stores knowing full well that my card wouldn’t go through and ask for two. The attendants would give them to me, and as I presented my card with my left hand, I took the two Feel Frees that had the authentic mixture and put them in my right pocket. When the card didn’t go through after multiple attempts, I would say, “Oh well” and hand them the two bottles from my left pocket filled with food coloring and water.
It’s amazing how creative a person struggling with addiction can be in order to get a fix.
I would sometimes vomit due to drinking too much Feel Free. I took my car to a cleaner a couple of times and said, “I had an iced coffee in my hand and had to brake fast due to a crazy driver, and the drink flew out of my hand onto the dashboard”. TRIGGER WARNING: If I was nauseous and had access to a large cup, I would catch the vomit, and then drink it back in order to get the high. One student made a remark to another that I “threw up everyday”.
I hated the drink, but I loved the feeling. It soon caught up to me–-I found myself on the fence about drinking them first thing in the morning, and the next thing I knew I'm on the way to the store to get them. There were times right before I would drink them where I would start retching-–there was a disconnect between my body and my mind. I drank so much that at times I would pass out on the couch, I had waxy-looking skin around my shoulders, and my skin got so dry around the edges of my lips and knuckles that they cracked and bled. In fact, one day while I was at work teaching high school students at a credit recovery school, my lip just busted open and bled. A student had to point it out since I didn’t feel anything. Another student asked, "Do you have herpes?" It hurt when he asked that, but I just ignored him and kept moving along with my job.
I mixed Feel Free with coffee, tea, fruit juices, sparkling water, and alcohol (I especially do not recommend the latter). I would have intense cravings and think about using almost constantly, and as a teacher I left work multiple times when I didn’t have to watch students to buy more so much so that I earned a reputation of being “sporadic”. One day, I had drank so much that I had a hard time walking and standing straight, so I taught my afternoon classes seated behind my desk.
The symptoms of CPTSD kept me from holding down a teaching job, and the arrests on my record kept me from getting other positions in education, but I still had a part-time job as a tutor at a private tutoring center that I was holding onto for dear live. My apartment lease auto-renewal date of November 1, 2023 was coming up, but with me being unable to manage things at that time, I had to make a hard decision about what I was going to do in expensive Austin, TX.
Finally, I hit a rock bottom. I visited my parents in Robstown in October 2023, and since I didn’t have much money on me, I stole money from both of my parents’ wallets to buy Feel Free. They found out, and that was when I decided that I needed to do something about this problem: I was going to move back in with my parents to get back on my feet in exchange for me to go to a state-funded (read “free”) detox, rehab, and sober living center in Corpus Christi, TX called Cenikor. There are a number of Cenikors here in Texas, and I recommend that resource to you if you feel like you might need it. The one in Corpus is the largest of all of them, and some people from out of state venture down here to get well–-here is the website: https://www.cenikor.org/ . I scrambled to get enough money to get me back to Austin until my next paycheck, made some excuse to my boss in order to get me transferred from the Austin tutoring franchise to the Corpus Christi one, and put in my notice that I was vacating my apartment complex. I moved back to Robstown on Oct. 14, 2023, walked into Cenikor’s detox center (kicking and screaming, mind you) as a state-funded inpatient on Oct. 16, and put on the opiate-detox protocol. I detoxed for five days, stayed for the 30-day short term rehab program, stayed an extra 30 days in the supported living program where I was required to find a job within two weeks, and then the next two weeks I was required to save up 70% of my paycheck for sober living. I then moved into Cenikor’s sober living for 30 days until one day (yep, you guessed it) I lost my part-time job that I got while in the supported living program. I started looking for another job close to my sober living on the bus (I totaled my car during active Feel Free addiction) to a required NA meeting, and halfway to the meeting the house lead of my sober living notified me via text that I was being evicted for "theft". What happened was that one of my roommates was arrested for being a pedophile, and since I needed quarters for the bus and for sober living's washer & dryer I took all of his change and his bus pass. I thought, "Well, he's never getting out of jail, and no one will miss these." Apparently my other roommate (I lived in a six-man room with bed bunks, and I was a top bunk over a primadona) knew that the other was going to jail beforehand (why the hell did he not tell the Head of House about this?) and was asked to keep an eye on his belongings. He noticed the change missing and texted me at work about it (sighs--rolls eyes). I told him, "Okay", placed it all back, and then gave him an honest apology about it saying, "That will never happen again." He told the house head anyway.
There is a bit more to the story that I haven’t put in here, and I still have a couple of bottles here and there, but it is a marked improvement from where I was in the first half of 2022. I'm not going by the NA program's ideal of continuous abstinence since I learned about progress, so I try to focus on the fact that I am "progressing"--that day in Oct. 2023 will be my "clean date" even though I had some relapses.
Please don’t make the mistake in believing that recovery is just a perfect line going straight up–it’s more than likely going to be a line that zigs and zags but is still going in an upward direction. I refuse to give up the fight: I am currently in the Narcotics Anonymous program working the steps with a sponsor, and I am doing as much as I can day by day to analyze, evaluate, and create the best version of myself.
Feel free (sighs–trigger, lol) to reach out to me should you want a partner to walk with you as you go through this hell, but more importantly, understand that you NEED to be here in this life with us. Addiction is addiction is addiction, and you stay alive, Goddamn it. Make it a goal when you are on the other side of this to use your story as a water bucket that douses those who are still burning in the hellfires of addiction.
…and if no one else has told you this, I love you because you are an extension of me as I am of you.

I benefitted a lot from the advice on this subreddit and used a lot of it to guide my approach to M3 year; now that I've had the chance to sit the exam, I wanted to create an exam write-up in the hopes that it will be useful to others. This write-up is lengthy, as I wanted to include advice for any new M3 students about how to maximize 3rd year, as well as some Step 2-specific strategies and advice.
A little about me: I am a non-traditional student (in my 30s) at a mid-tier US MD school. Pre-clinical grades were good (honored 2nd year, 0.5% away from honoring 1st year). Honored every rotation in 3rd year. I am a peer tutor at my medical school and was actively involved in tutoring 1st and 2nd year students throughout my M3 year and dedicated.
I am a big believer in students teaching students and the idea that if we all work together, we all become better students and clinicians. In that spirit, I welcome you to ask me any questions that you have below.

Overview

In general, my advice boils down to:

1. Don't try to use EVERY resource. Choose a few high-quality resources and really know them well.
2. Doing well on Step 2 (and shelf exams, tbh) requires active learning strategies and continually trying to think about what the next step would be. Practice questions are a great way to do this, but challenge yourself to go beyond what each individual question to build a broader knowledge base. That way, you won't only know the answer to that specific question, but also to a whole host of related questions.

General studying tips for 3rd year + dedicated
I am a big believer that the most effective study strategy involves four big components:

1. A question bank (UWorld) - gives you primary exposure to the material and helps to identify where your gaps are.
2. A system for continuously reviewing content - I used Anki (I discuss this more below). You can also use other strategies (note-taking, old school flash cards), but the important thing is that your review strategy needs to be ACTIVE (i.e., not just re-reading your old notes, but actively quizzing yourself and covering up the answers) and it needs to be CONTINUOUS. I did not pause any Anki cards during 3rd year, so by the time I got to dedicated, I had been actively, continuously reviewing content for months.
3. Resource(s) for primary sources - this is where you go when you need to refresh on pathophysiology, look up treatment/diagnostic testing for a disease, or understand the symptoms. I prefer UpToDate for this broadly, and used some additional resources on specific clerkships that I will discuss below.
4. Practice exams - NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms") and NBME Step 2 practice exams; do them timed to practice pacing.

A note on AMBOSS vs UWorld
A lot of people I know use AMBOSS and like it. Some people want an additional bank of questions to study from. I didn't personally use AMBOSS at all during 3rd year, and only used it for Ethics and QI during dedicated (and honestly, it was only marginally useful - may have gotten me 1 or 2 extra points on the real step 2 exam, but not more than that).
I think the smartest way to approach Q-banks is to make sure you have enough time to complete and thoroughly review at least one. For me, UWorld was more than enough to prepare well for each shelf exam and step 2 (honored every rotation). I think that a lot of people who try to use both AMBOSS and UWorld never finish either Q-bank in its entirety, or don't really review the Q-bank adequately. I decided it was a better use of my time and money to review only one but really know it well.
A note on Anki
Anki is a powerful tool that can really help with your long term retention, but it is dangerous if used incorrectly. I suspect that many people who don't find Anki helpful simply don't use it effectively.
The purpose of Anki is spaced repetition. In order for this to work, you have to keep up with reviews and you can't pause cards. I also caution students I tutor to be cautious of relying solely on a premade Anki deck; I used the AnKing deck, as well as this deck and a home-brew deck at my medical school.
During M3 year, I would start each rotation with UWorld from day 1, and as I came across each concept in UWorld, I would do a search through my Anki cards and unpause all the cards that related to that topic (so, for instance, when I got a question about diverculitis, I would then unpause all the diverticulitis cards). I found that doing this ensured that the new Anki cards I was adding were reviews of concepts I had just studied (via UWorld), so I was able to both reinforce the new content via Anki and also ensure that the new Anki cards I was adding were concepts that I was actually familiar with. I recommended this approach over the one that I saw many classmates using (just unpausing all the cards tagged for a clerkship at the start of the clerkship and "raw dogging" them, as my friend put it). It's also a good way to keep your daily new cards (and thus, your reviews) at a manageable number. On a typical day in 3rd year, I added between 50-100 new cards and averaged 250-350 reviews daily. I was nearly always able to complete my reviews while I was at the hospital each day, leaving my home study time free for UWorld.
More on how to effectively use Anki
A note on staying sane and prioritizing high-yield content
As others have said, I think that the best way to do extremely well on Step 2 CK is to approach M3 as a yearlong dedicated period. Doing well on Step 2 is not just about your preparation for the Step 2 exam, but also your learning during each rotation and your preparation for your shelf exams. Even if you're not at all interested in a particular specialty, there is a lot to learn from each rotation that will be valuable to you as a future physician. Additionally, each specialty has its own way of approaching medical decision-making, and paying attention to these patterns of thought can help you to reason through questions on exams, as well as be a better communicator with physicians in each specialty when you become a resident and attending.
As you progress through 3rd year, there are also a few things that I think it's wise to keep in mind:

• Remember that you are a person first and a medical student/doctor second. I put this first because it's the most important. It's hard to learn when your basic needs aren't being met or you're so anxious, stressed, or depressed you can't remember anything. Find something that keeps you grounded and whole and sane and make that a priority. For me, it's distance running. I ran nearly every day of 3rd year and dedicated (often at 3 AM, before rounds). I finished 3 marathons during M3 and dedicated, including running the Boston Marathon 2 weeks before I took step 2. Running relieves anxiety, gives me an excuse to step away from studying, and evens out my mood. In total, I ran over 2500 miles during my M3 year. I don't think I would have done anywhere near as well in M3 without it.
• Get really, really good at preventive care. The US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines are highly tested on all shelf exams and on Step 2, and there really aren't that many of them. Before my family med rotation, I made an Anki deck of the A and B recommendations based on the most recent updates and kept those in rotation through Step 2 (about 150 cards total). If you're at the beginning of M3 year, (or really any point in M3) I would suggest doing this right now. Every time you see a patient in clinic, think about "what screening exams should this patient have". If you get in the habit of always doing this, by the time you get to the exam, those screening questions will be free points (and there are usually a bunch of them).
• Try to approach every patient encounter as though you are the sole physician responsible for that patient's care. Formulate your own plan independently of residents or attendings. Ask questions about all these things in your patient interview, and present the answers to your attending. You will learn more if you push yourself to try to think about management from the beginning of 3rd year rather than relying on plans from your residents.
• Pay attention to sensitivity and specificity of tests. This is becoming a bigger and bigger deal on NBMEs and Step 2. Knowing sensitivity and specificity can help you determine whether a given finding in a question stem is significant or not.
• Look up every imaging test and diagnostic procedure you come across, whether in clinic or on a practice exam. A good rule of thumb for whether you understand a test is "Do I know when this test is appropriate, when it is inappropriate, and could I explain it to a patient?". I had a surgery fellow pimp me on when to order an ERCP vs MRCP; this stuff is important because it prevents unnecessary testing and allows you to get the most "bang for your buck", both in terms of diagnostic accuracy and scoring points on the "next step" questions on exams.
• Pay attention to thresholds for follow-up observation vs treatment. If a patient has a AAA that's 3 cm, you do serial ultrasounds and watch it clinically; if it's 7 cm, you operate. Many, many conditions have similar thresholds, and you should look for the differences in how you manage a condition based on the thresholds. Sometimes this stuff is buried in the UWorld explanations, so when you see it, make a flash card or add it to your review.
• Know the USPSTF screening guidelines like the back of your hand. There aren't that many of them, and it's basically free points on every single shelf exam + step 2. Make a flash card deck with the most updated versions on day 1 and review it throughout 3rd year. Especially high yield on FM + IM, but they appear on every shelf.
• Think about what things a specialty "cares about" when you're rotating on that specialty.
  • OBGYN: gestational age, STI history/screening, social/fam Hx of risk factors for gyn cancers (breast, cervical, ovarian, endometrial).
  • Surgery: is the patient safe to take to surgery (comorbidities, heart failure, coagulopathies, meds, etc)? When is surgery indicated (i.e., do they have to go now, or can they wait)? Antibiotic prophylaxis (who needs it, and what antibiotics)? Post-op complications (the "5 W's", leaks, nearby structures that can be injured)? Normal post-op care/patient safety (DVT prophylaxis, catheter removal, infections, etc).
  • Peds: developmental milestones/normal development/growth curves, rashes (pediatricians love rashes), upper respiratory infections, stuff that gets treated differently in kids (ex. febrile UTI), neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (basically guaranteed to get at least one question on this on any peds exam)
  • IM: Preventive care/screening, vaccines, hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, ACS, liver failure/cirrhosis.
  • FM: IM + Peds + OBGYN, with a heavy focus on preventive screenings
  • Psych: Pay attention to timelines; think of every psych disease as a continuum (i.e., <1 mo = brief psychotic disorder, 1-6 mo = schizophreniform, 6+ = schizophrenia, schizophrenia + mood symptoms = schizophreniform). Find something that makes sense to you for the personality disorders (I personally mapped them all onto Harry Potter characters and now I will never have to re-learn them).
  • Neuro: Differentiating causes of stroke, multiple sclerosis, when to get an MRI (answer: always get an MRI in neuro), different types of dementia

Subject Review

This section is intended for those who are starting or still in the midst of M3 year. If you're already in dedicated, this section may be less useful.
For all rotations, my strategy was generally:

1. Complete the UWorld Shelf exam Q-bank with 1-2 weeks to spare
2. Make/unpause Anki cards as I worked through UWorld
3. Take timed NBME practice shelf exams regularly throughout the rotation(I sat down at the start of each rotation and planned these out every 1-2 weeks so they were evenly spaced throughout the rotation). Get through every practice exam by the end of the rotation. Doing them timed is important because it helps you to practice pacing. One 50-question exam at 90 seconds/ question = 75 minutes total. I also wrote down the diagnosis for each question so that when I reviewed the exam, I could see whether any wrong answers were a problem with making the wrong diagnosis vs knowing the next step. Doing the NBME shelf exams also gives you a good sense of what the "pet concepts" that tend to occur over and over are (for instance, SCFE vs Legg-Calve-Perthes comes up shockingly often)

Order of rotations:
I did my rotations in the order listed below and I really liked this order. I know many people advocate for finishing on Internal Medicine, but I was very glad I started with it, because I think it laid a strong foundation for everything else. As long as you have a solid strategy for reviewing the IM content continuously throughout the year, I think it's a smart choice for the first rotation, especially because basically every other shelf exam will have 5-10 IM questions on it.
Medicine
Resources: UWorld (IM shelf bank + 1/2 of Ambulatory), Case Files Internal Medicine (did ~50% of it), USPSTF A & B guidelines, NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms"), Emma Holliday review
Advice: If you have free time 1-2 weeks before starting IM, get through as much of Case Files as you can. It lays a good base and helps you get into the mindset of IM. Once you start the rotation, crank through UWorld. I'd suggest trying to finish the UWorld Q's with 1-2 weeks to spare at the end of the clerkship in which you can review incorrects and/or shore up any weak areas.
Raw Score: 85
Neurology
Resources: UWorld, Case Files: Neurology, NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms")
Advice: Case Files Neuro is a little in the weeds, but it will help a lot with some of the more off-the-wall pathologies that aren't really seen in the UWorld bank.
Raw Score: 90
Psychiatry
Resources: UWorld, Case Files: Psych, NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms"). A lot of people swear by First Aid for the Psychiatry Clerkship; I didn't use it (but I think Case Files accomplished much the same purpose)
Advice: Pay attention to timelines + enjoy the psychation! This is the lightest rotation for most people. Take it in the summer if at all possible and enjoy the nice weather and free time. If you can, get it somewhere in the middle of 3rd year so you can have a little break.
Raw Score: 94
Family Medicine
Resources: UWorld (FM bank + 1/2 of ambulatory bank), Case Files: Family Med, NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms"), USPSTF A & B guidelines, CDC vaccination schedules
Advice: Try to take FM after IM, if at all possible. DO NOT underestimate the family medicine shelf exam. It is the broadest shelf exam, and it's heavily weighted towards prevention, so plan your studying accordingly. Know the USPSTF guidelines and vaccine schedules like the back of your hand (this is at least 25-30% of the shelf exam).
Raw Score: 85
Surgery
Resources: UWorld (Surgery bank + EM bank), de Virgilio's Surgery, NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms") for EM and Surgery, American College of Surgeons TEAM (Trauma Evaluation and Management) course book, Emma Holliday review
Advice: The surgery shelf exam focuses heavily on the pre- and post-surgical management of surgical patients, trauma assessment (hence the EM questions/CMS forms above), and knowing the indications for surgery. You will not be asked how to do a surgery on the shelf exam, but you will be expected to know when a surgery is indicated vs when medical management should be used instead (and also what that medical management is). De Virgilio's is a great and under-utilized resource that has a fantastic question bank at the end of each chapter. I would recommend reading at least the GI, vascular, breast, endocrine, and trauma sections (and honestly, as much of it as you have time for).
Raw Score: 85
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Resources: UWorld, Case Files: OBGYN, NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms"), ACOG guidelines, UWise questions
Advice: OBGYN is all about timelines (at least, the OB part is). Pay attention to gestational age requirements for diagnosis of various conditions. Know the various labs that are used to diagnose Pre-eclampsia with severe features, and really pay attention to risk factors for the various obstetric complications. As one nurse midwife I worked with put it, "The biggest risk factor anything in L & D is usually a history of the same complication". I didn't really find the UWise Q-bank that useful, but if you have extra time, it's a nice source of extra practice questions, or a good way to reinforce any trouble spots.
Raw Score: 87
Pediatrics
Resources: UWorld, Case Files: Pediatrics, NBME practice shelf exams ("CMS forms"), CDC vaccination schedule, Emma Holliday review
Advice: Know the general trends of pediatric vital signs (what's normal for an adult is abnormal for most pediatric patients and vice versa), pay attention to rashes and dermatology, and review these as often as possible. It's well worth your time to do a good review of all the glycogen storage diseases, inborn errors of metabolism, lysosomal storage diseases, etc that you forgot after Step 1. For this reason, if you can do Peds as your last rotation before Step 2 it's kind of nice...then you only have to re-learn all this stuff once. This stuff is fair game for Step 2 (and I did personally get questions on it on my exam).
Raw Score: 91

Dedicated Study

I completed my first pass of UWorld during my M3 core rotations with an average of 74%. I did reset UWorld and begin a 2nd pass during dedicated, but I found that the questions repeated a lot of content that I knew well, and ultimately decided it wasn't a good use of my time. I only completed about 20% of my 2nd pass of UWorld with an average of 92%.
My main resources during dedicated were NBME practice exams (I did 8-14 timed), UWSAs, and the Free 120. I also listened to some Divine Intervention episodes on my runs and reviewed the Emma Holliday shelf exam reviews (I had previously listened to these during my M3 rotations). Of the podcasts, I found the Divine Intervention Free 120 review the most helpful, and would strongly recommend listening to those episodes after you take the Free 120. It did a lot to help me with some test taking strategies that I used on exam day.
General advice for dedicated:

• Keep on a regular sleep schedule, even on your days off. I went to bed at 10 and got up at 6 every day, because I wanted my schedule to be close to what I would need to do on test day.
• Take days off. I took at least 1/2 a day off every week. I also ran a major marathon 2 weeks before my test day, so that was a very light weekend in terms of studying.
• Keep exercising and doing things you enjoy. For me, this meant running a marathon (something I do regularly). You don't have to go as crazy as I did, but do something to get outside and stay active. It will help you keep the anxiety under control and see the sunlight every so often.
• Take practice exams regularly and spend plenty of time reviewing them. I made a google doc to keep track of incorrects and assigned each one to a category of "why I got it wrong" (i.e., "overthinking", "knowledge gap", "guessed wrong of 2", etc). This helps to identify trends. I found that I have a tendency to overthink questions, so identifying this helped me to address this weakness and gave me confidence to go with my gut instinct on the exam.
• Don't be afraid to adjust your study plan during dedicated. I started a 2nd pass of UWorld, but after about 2 weeks of dedicated, I felt like I wasn't really getting anything additional out of it and I was remembering too many of the questions from my 1st pass, so I just stopped using it. I spent that time on other resources instead (more practice exams). Take the time to really analyze which activities are actually helping your learning. Don't just do something because that's what everyone else is doing during their dedicated.
• Keep up with your review strategy. For me, this was Anki. I spent 2-4 hours every morning during dedicated doing Anki. At times, I worried that this was too much time on Anki, but part of what makes Step 2 (and all USMLE exams) challenging is the sheer breadth of content. The best way to prep for this is to keep consistent with your review strategy.
• If there's a concept you dread seeing in a question stem, STOP, do not pass Go, do not collect $20. Take a second to go to a primary source (UpToDate, a textbook) and review that content. Make some flash cards and review it regularly.
• Practice your timing. I came up with my exam day break strategy at the start of my dedicated, and every time I took a practice exam, I practiced my break strategy (at least, the first 5 blocks of my break strategy). This made it very easy for me to execute on test day because I was already used to doing 5 blocks in a row exactly this way. I took my lunch break after block 5 instead of block 4 (because I liked the psychological factor of knowing the exam was more than halfway done). Coming back for 3 more was no problem on test day.

My practice exam scores:
CCSE: 254 (my school requires this, and it was given a few days after the final shelf exam, right at the start of my dedicated period)
NBME 9 (30 days out) 269
NBME 10 (21 days out) 268
NBME 11 (18 days out) 262
NBME 12 (15 days out) 251
NBME 13 (7 days out) 264
NBME 14 (2 days out) 264
UWSA 1 (25 days out) 254
UWSA 2 (9 days out) 268
UWSA 3 (5 days out) 266
New Free 120 (3 days out) 85%
Predicted score: 265

The Day Before

Just take a break, for the love of all that is good. I went for a run, watched some old TV, read for fun, had a nice pasta dinner, and tried to go to bed early. Laid out everything I needed (lucky t-shirt, snacks, testing permit, ID, keys, etc).
Of course, I ended up tossing and turning most of the night and slept very poorly. When I woke up, I considered trying to postpone my test, but ultimately I decided I just wanted it over and done with and I wasn't willing to wait any longer. My point here is that even if you have anxiety and/or a single bad night of sleep before the exam, you can still do very well if you've done the work. As we say in the marathon world, trust your training.

The Test

Got to the testing center 45 minutes early. Made sure the last thing I did before going through security was to take a bathroom break. Brought plenty of snacks, headache medication, chocolate, and a healthy and delicious lunch (I think there's some psychological power in knowing you have a delicious lunch awaiting you).
During the exam, I took a break of at least 5 min after every block. Personally, I found the mental break was extremely helpful. On the whole, I found the exam to be quite reasonable.
Step 2 CK: 277
My last piece of advice will be that I think doing well throughout third year is the best thing you can do. If you've had a break after 3rd year or you are an IMG or someone coming from a non-traditional program, doing a thorough content review with the CMS forms before starting Step 2 specific practice exams is a good idea.
Ultimately, I think the most important things are:
1.) Choosing a FEW, QUALITY resources to review
2.) Continuing your ACTIVE, CONTINUOUS review strategy
3.) Keeping a consistent schedule with time for sleep, healthy eating, exercise, and something you find fun (ideally something other than TV).
4.) Staying off Reddit. Really, I mean it. Especially during dedicated, it's just a black hole of anxiety and angst and you should avoid it at all costs. Come back after you get your amazing scores and pay it forward to others.

Every single week on the mentorship Monday thread or seperate posts someone will ask should they pay for a bootcamp
100% of the time, I would say no and here is why

1. They are misleading students by using University branding

The Universities have nothing to do with the content, do not provide instructors and the bootcamp is not worth college credit, the Universities are being paid a fee to advertise for 2U and ThriveDX

1. All of their content can be found for free elsewhere
   
2. They are overpriced compared to just paying for certification materials and exam vouchers or college courses
   
3. Most of them are by the same company - https://2u.com/ or ThriveDX
   

If you search right now for "cybersecurity bootcamp"
You will likely come across links to

• The University of New Hampshire
• Rutgers University
• The University of Texas at San Antonio
• Michigan State University
• UNC Charlotte
• Case Western Reserve University
• The University of California
• The Ohio State University
• The University of Denver
• George Washington University
• University of Minnesota
• University of Connecticut
• Columbia Engineering
• University of Richmond
• Tulsa Community College
• University of New Hampshire
• Southern Methodist University
• Arizona State University
• University of Kansas
• Vanderbilt University
• Northwestern

You may come across this page of Edx that has the full list - https://www.edx.org/search?q=cyber&tab=boot-camp&page=1
They all slightly vary in price - Rutgers is : $13,995 - https://www.edx.org/boot-camps/cybersecurity/rutgers-university-cybersecurity-boot-camp?index=product&queryID=08156d6abe8f5869a6f3295655fbc7a6&position=2&results_level=second-level-results&term=cyber&objectID=course-f3b5d570-b1c1-4475-8a87-ad45d978f2d1&campaign=Cybersecurity+Boot+Camp&source=edX&product_category=boot-camp&placement_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.edx.org%2Fsearch#requestmoreinfo

Many others are being pushed from ThriveDX

https://thrivedx.com/
https://digitalskills.colorado.edu/lp/cybersecurity-bootcamp/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_adset=&utm_ad=&utm_term=cybersecurity%20bootcamp&adpos=&device=c&creative=633057420132&placement=&cid=18825661901&asid=141046020897&kmt=e&net=g&device_model=&target=kwd-331348857343&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-4f2pYuVhgMVBGtHAR0hQAp0EAAYBCAAEgLLS_D_BwE

Would you be willing to share how you first became aware of 30 Rock?
Watched from the beginnings - NBC preview probably?
Promo for show premiere on nbc
I’m old! Watched that shit when it premiered
I was first aware when the news hit that Tina Fey was developing a show with Loren Michaels that would star her and Rachel Dratch.
My brother, who has the best taste in all things, recommended it to me.
On tv
watched w parents when it was first airing
my brother recommended it
On my Newark to Atlantic City Flight
I randomly chose it as something to watch on Netflix while I was running on the treadmill...after a couple episodes I was like WTF is this??!
Trailers on NBC
Don’t remember
Butt stuff
Watched the show during its original run on NBC. Now touch the peacock!
When it premiered on NBC
I saw the episode where Tracy makes the Jefferson trailer when I was like 12 or so and my friend told me it was funnier than family guy
Back in high school! The episode where Tracey says don't make me show you the back of my hand and there's a sticky note that says 'please be nice to me'
Buying episodes on iTunes back in 2009
during season two my friends were making jokes from the show
Thursday night line-up on NBC when it first aired
Friend showed me
It was on tv
Original run
I first watched it when it aired on NBC back in the day
When it aired
The television commercials while it was on air
Tina Fey
It was just playing on the TV in 2007
Found the season one dvd set at Walmart back in like 2008, got hooked immediately
Heard it mentioned on US tv
Honestly don’t remember!
Would follow Tina Fey into a poorly set trap
I kept seeing great reviews for its first season and picked it up sometime during season 2 while it was airing.
Commercials for it while it was on
Series premiere
I got a free episode on iTunes. I’m pretty sure it was the MILF Island episode. I went back to the beginning and was hooked immediately.
By being alive when the show premiered
I happened to click on it on Netflix and was excited by the lack of laugh track
Stumbled across it on NBC. F-ed up scheduling meant I missed episodes. Thank God for streaming. I've been through it at least 7 times
By watching television..?
I literally can't recall, but I've done dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, of complete rewatches.
Older brother introduced me to it
Tv
Was an acting major and was low key in love with Tina Fey.
I’m a boomer (30) so I watched the show when it originally aired because I loved Tina Fey. My middle school crushes were Tina Fey, Gopher, and Kermit the Frog
NBC Thursday nights, we peacock comedy
I was super broke in my early 20s with no access to broadcast TV, but just got a Roku and Netflix - and there was the glory that is 30 Rock. It was my comfort show while dealing with my now ex-husband being deployed while my kids were very young. It was my comfort show during my divorce (and for my older kids, too). It will always be my favorite show of all time.
When it was on Tv I watched it.
A friend recommended it to me after season 2 and have been hooked ever since.
My momma
When vacationing in Zvenborgia
Caught it on broadcast TV. Have since watched it several times on streaming
I think I actually saw it on tv a few times but once it was streaming, constantly.
Decided to watch it when it was on Netflix
Mickey Rourke
Thought it was 3rd rock from the sun and mistakenly watched it
When Season 6 began I was in college and decided to binge the series since I liked the other Thurs nigh NBC shows!
Advertised in the blah-bar, while I was Consuming Lunch And Simple Socializing
When it was on network television
Netflix binging in middle school- was one of the first shows I was ever obsessed with
Sure, if I remembered
I'm old and watched it when it was on NBC!
Friend
Forced to watch it while visiting my gay bff in San Francisco
it was filming around the corner from where i worked as a new college grad
The TV
I think I saw an episode on an airplane against my will
No
Worked in it as an extra 1st season
It was on the television
It was working at the Dyker Heights Arthur Treacher and I was residing there
I love every sitcom pretty much, esp from that era of nbc
Watched it on NBC when it aired!
When my students kept saying “blerg” and “I want to go to there”
By being over 10 years old and seeing it when it was on TV? Do your parents know you're polling nerds?
Live tv
My bestie, the living embodiment of Liz Lemon (but fully lesbian, not just with the bi-curious shoes) was a yuge fan, and I fell into it by osmosis.
I don’t remember
On a PLANE if you believe it
Through a friend of mine, she told me about how good and underrated it was when it first came out.
Watched on Netflix in grad school, quickly became my comfort show
Cougars episode was free on iTunes
Watched it as it aired live
Friends
Friend recommendation
High school friends group
Nixon came to me in a dream
Got lucky
Netflix
I’d heard good things about it. I didn’t start watching until it was way after it ended, though.
Following Tina Fey from SNL
Watched it live
iTunes free episode of Blind Date
My now partner!
Watched when it originally aired
Hulu?
A friend of said “Meat is the new bread!” And I cracked up and then asked for an explanation.
My college roommate got me hooked when it was airing, s1. We both were (are?) in love with Jack donaghy
College roommate watched it, so I watched it as well.
OG viewer!
My sister was watching it on TV and I came in and decided I had to watch.
My brother watched it back when I was in high school
Netflix
A friend said I'd love it. She was correct.
I love Tina Fey. Tina Fey in 30 Rock. I watch 30 Rock.
Thursday night line up on nbc
BFF told me to watch it
Watched it since iTunes offered “Blind Date” as a free download in 2006
I think it was on tv after something
Television
Thursday nights on NBC
My mom use to watch it when it first came out
My mom watched it and I would be in the room while it was on
Watching the television
Blur my face. Blur it more.
I watched it while it was airing
I think it was on Hulu? I don’t recall watching it on air. Idk 2010 was a long time ago.
On tv at the time
My partner showed it to me
Commercials back when it premiered!
Yes
I watched it when it first aired on tv.
Television
I don’t remember
Boyfriend introduced it to me
During the season 2 writers strike I saw something about it and immediately downloaded all of it.
I watched it with my family as it aired
The Show: not many options back then. The Reddit Group: showed in my home news list.
Watched it in high school with my parents. We were watching tv and turned to something with Alec Baldwin and we were like “oh what’s this?” It was Jack-tor and his filming of his video got us all laughing. We were hooked.
Tv
My wife
Friendly recommendation
Best friend showed it to me, and then I read Bossypants
Randomly saw it on Comedy Central when I was in college and enjoyed it
Watched as it aired
It was on TV
NBC
The Pirate Bay
I was/am a fan of Tina Fey and Jane Krakowski (I used to belt along to her Tony-winning “A Call from the Vatican” from Nine to warm up when I was in drama club in high school) and binge-watched the series on DVD several years ago. I recently rewatched it from the beginning on Peacock (and hunted for the missing/retracted episodes elsewhere)
Through a college friend
Was on after the office
When it aired originally in the 2000s, i.e., on NBC
I've been a fan of Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan for years, so when I heard they were making a show, I was there for it on day one.
T.V. Commercial (pre-streaming)
Gave it a go YEARS ago due to love of Tina Fey
Been too long, don’t recall
Www.jennasside.com
On TV when it first aired
A guy I dated 10 years ago showed me 30 Rock
Am a fan of SNL, Tina Fey, and Tracy Morgan and watched every episode the nights they premiered.
I would be willing to, yes.
It came on after The Office, and then became my favorite show.
Sure :)
It was on tv
No
It was on NBC Thursday night, their comedy night. I always watched.
When I was a kid, my parents watched the office when it was on right before 30 Rock. They didn’t watch 30 Rock, but they’d leave the TV on for background noise. 30 rock came on after bedtime for me, but I was a curious and devious 9-year-old, so I would sneak out of bed and watch the living room tv from the upstairs landing until I got caught. The furthest I ever got into an episode was about 10 minutes and I always wanted to watch more of the show. As an adult, I finally got the chance to watch full episodes, and I’ve watched the series through multiple times since.
The show started when I was in high school and my friends loved it. That's how I knew about it, but I didn't actually watch it until a couple years after college when I saw it on Netflix.
Friends in college
Da pilot
Someone I am no longer friends with introduced me to it in college
Notification on my Gadzorp
Friend introduced me
It was on at a friends house and I saw Jenna’s wet mouth that she never fully closes say she was voting for Osama, then Liz fainted and I was hooked.
From a friend
Saw it live
Season 1
My High School English teacher always referenced it while it was on live in the mid 00s.
I don’t remember
D’fwan is my pet stylist
Okay. Uh, open on the covent garden flower market.

The year... 1892!
[ Cockney accent ] Flowers, flowers for sale!
legit can’t remember
Watched the original run of the show years ago.
Started watching on NBC as a teenager!
Watched it when it was on air
Friends poster in college
it was what was being aired on nbc, i didn’t have a lot of options
Used to watch it on Thursday night prime time
Tina Fey is from my hometown- I watch everything she’s in.
Watched the premiere when it aired
I just finished community and someone said this show was similar
When it first aired
My then-bf (now husband) introduced me
Watched on tv
My dad showed me when I was a kid
television ads
What am I? A farmer??
I classify myself as a Lemonhead and love everything that Tina Fey makes.
Started watching when it aired
On tv
Word of mouth
I'm old enough to have seen every episode live or the next day on TiVo. Hey whatever happened to TiVo? Beep boop bop bop bop
Watched when it aired!
Saw it as it aired on cable back in the day
My girlfriend now wife.
Watching the last few minutes of it before The Office
Probably just surfed to it on tv
I honestly don’t remember. I know I watched it all through college, but I think I just watched it because it was on NBC Thursdays.
Watched it on NBC when it premiered cause I loved Tina fey on SNL!
My brother first season
Netflix algorithm suggested it and never went back
Bathroom ad at Teterboro airport
It was on TV
Watched it when it aired live because I’m quite old
Saw it on Hulu in 2008
I liked Tina Fey on SNL and began watching her new show. 30 Rock. Thursdays on NBC.
Tracy Jordan referenced Basquiat in an early episode and a friend of mine who’d seen the episode told me about it because I have Basquiat’s artwork tattooed on me.
Tv show
It took 3 attempts after the show was off air and on streaming but I eventually got past episode 4 or so and it finally clicked and I’ve been obsessed ever since.
Watching with my best friend in high school
NBC
I watch all the nbc sitcoms - but this became my fav
Tv
On tv back when it went on the air in 2006
Watched first episode live on tv
Watched first episode live on tv
My parents
Yes
Husband introduced me
When it aired on nbc
My wife started watching it and convinced me to try it.
I was doing a study abroad program in the South of France and was frantically torrenting any American show I could because of the homesickness. I watched the first episode of season 1 and was booked before she had finished giving away all the hot dogs. Binged through all of the first season (I'm originally from the Cleveland area, so all of the Cleveland positivity toward the end had me giddy!) and then season 2 began and I faithfully got the episode every week... Then the writers strike happened :(
I watched the first season AT LEAST 25 times through before I came back to the USA. And several dozen more times (plus all the other seasons) since!
Mom recommended it
I've tried to figure this out before and I literally don't know.
When it was announced Tina Fey had a show
Plain old tv advertising…in 2004
My BFF watched season 1 and 2 when they aired and told me to watch it. We were juniors in college.
Ex
My boyfriend
Watched it when it first came out when NBC was not tanking it
A friend told me about I
Watched new eps on primetime NBC back in the day lol
Netflix suggestion
Ad during a MILF Island commercial break
A YouTube clip of that background joke where Yo-Yo Ma was called to the stage for the Muffin Top song.
Gifted 1st season DVD
It was on Netflix when Netflix first started offering streaming
Yes, I don’t remember
Tina Fey
It was on TV
My best friend showed me the clip of Moonvest saying “show me your fingernails” and I was like “no THANK you! This is NOT the show for me” then she made me watch a few episodes then I was like “yeahh”
I was looking for something with a decent amount of seasons to binge.
Watched while it was first airing
By watching it when it was on real life regular network tv
No
On tv, dummy
Unknown
I watched it as it aired.
On cable television
Yes. Later seasons on their original air dates.
I watched it when it first came on.
My brother bullied me into watching it and I’m glad he did!
My ma
Thursday night tv
NBC Thursday
I don't remember how I first became aware of it, but I do remember after going through a breakup, watching it on my laptop on Netflix every night and falling asleep feeling better.
TV
Saw a glimpse of an episode air on tv and got hooked. Immediately binged first 4 seasons to catch up and continued from then on.
My friend introduced me to it in 2011 and I have been watching it every night since to fall asleep
I don't even remember, I just know that it's one of the greatest shows of all time.
Syndication on my television
I was introduced by my nutritionist and his elderly son.
Love Tina Fey from SNL, watched the original airings
No clue
Came on after the office
Friend
My parents watched it. I was 7 years old when the show started, and watching it actively by the time it ended when I was 14.
promos on NBC
Television
Kimiko taught me that
I was a fan of Tina from SNL. Heard she had a new show. Watched it. Love it.
My dad was watching it in the living room
One of my best friends showed it to me in College
was recommended to me because I like SNL
I was wee TWINK when it was on TV
yes.
Friend's shirt in high school that said 30 Rock
Original run
When it was on network prime time. The good old days.
It was on Hulu
It was on prime time baby! The golden age of tv!!
Saw a clip of Tina Fey dancing with a mustache on tv, looked it up
“got caught with 30 rocks the cop look like alec baldwin” -kanye west
Stumbled upon it on Netflix in ‘15
Watched live when it was on cable
TV
I have two eyes and a heart don't I?
It was on after Parks and Rec on the TV so I decided to record that too cause I'd heard good things about it. Have loved it ever since
On a plane
Ex boyfriend
Watched the early seasons as they aired while I was in college—you never get over the media of those years!
I discover 30 Rock when I purchased my first television set in order to watch SMASH. Turned out there were other worthwhile “programs” available to enjoy on network television including 30 Rock.
Popular gifs I've seen in 2013-2016. Such as the "fellow kids" one or the "What am I, a farmer?" one.
Was a fan of Tina on SNL and was excited when 30 Rock was announced. Watched it live on NBC from the pilot through the whole run
Like 15 years ago in high school
I was aware of it in college when all my Sorkin loving friends said it wasn't as good as Studio 60, but I didn't watch it properly until years later
Les Moonvest
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I don’t remember! But I think it was right before the last season came out
I needed a break from German sitcoms
Tv
Watched it live
On Reddit
No
It was on the TV and I couldn't look away because there was a waterbug on my channel changer
High school friend
Boyfriend
I cannot remember but it was during season 2
Decided to watch it after enjoying other more recent Tina fey work
In high school, a friend suggested i check out Parks and Rec. But 30 Rock came on after and changed my life.
TV, back when it was on.
From Ace of Cakes
My wife showed me the Leap Day episode
My friend watched it while it was on tv. I think I jumped on board late. Maybe around when s6 started airing.
just scrolling mindlessly on netflix during winter break of 2013 and the rest is history.
A friend recommended it.
Friend in college suggested it - that was around 2009
nbc
I first watched it when it was airing—I read articles about this upcoming Tina Fey show.
Yes
Pretty sure it was on after Donny and Marie.
I don't remember, I think I just have it a shot on Netflix
OG tv watching
Shove it up your goonhole
I heard of it in some preview of new shows for the fall when it first came out.
I don’t remember
Thursday night NBC ads
Family member told me about it
Friends
It was on TV. I turned the TV on and it was there on NBC, on Thursdays, right after Bitch Hunter. But for real, watched it when it originally aired in tv because it’s whatcha ya do.
Through a sibling, due to my love of Tina Fey
No
It used to be on the same night as the Office and Parks and Rec, it was NBC’s comedy night. I came to lust after Steve Carrell and I stayed to lust after Jack McBrayer.
My mother and I started watching it together while it aired (I was in high school)
Randomly got a recommended post from the subreddit, opened an untold world of opportunity
An online review during the first run of season 3.
Friends in 2015
Watched when it originally aired
binged the whole first season on nbc.com in 2007
7th grade math teacher
Yes.
I can’t remember. Some combo of it being on Hulu and living in nyc while having friends of friends that were on the show.
I honestly don't remember, I started watching it during covid because I needed something new and heard it was funny
Watched it when it originally aired
I started watching it when it came out on TV. And then obsessively re-watching it once it started streaming.
I saw it on the television and thought it had a very similar name to 3rd Rock from the Sun
It was on tv. Watched it from the get-go!
Can’t remember!
It came on after some show and I caught the episode with Argo the peacock. Idk why, but I found it charming and funny. I searched for the show afterwards and haven't looked back.
My current boyfriend got me into it
my mom
When I bought the season 1 DVD after it being recommended to me
...tina fey, nerd. im a millennial.
Watched it by mistake
My mother watched it as it aired in NBC
My fiancé said her parents loved it.
the creation of netflix streaming. also my parents maybe

** BOTH FRI 5/17 AND SAT 5/18 *\*
Motorcycle Safety Foundation Ride Day New Mexico Motorcycle Safety Program, 3401 Pan American Fwy Take Your First Ride: Ride a motorcycle in 30 min or less for free. MOTO Intro provides the motorcycle, helmet, gloves, and coaching. Free Riding Skills Test: Take the challenge of an advanced MSF course! SKILL Check participants, bring your motorcycle and gear! Please wear over-the-ankle footwear, long pants and long sleeves

• Fri: 2 - 4 PM Skills Check, 4 - 6 PM Moto Intro
• Sat: 2 - 4:30 PM Moto Intro, 4:30 - 6:30 PM Skills Check

Niños and Teeños: Flamenco para todos Carlisle Gymnasium (Elizabeth Waters Center for Dance), UNM, 301 Yale Blvd. NE National Institute of Flamenco presents Niños y Teeños Flamencos in FUTUROS FLAMENCOS. Come see the high-energy flamenco of the National Institute of Flamenco's Student Companies. Don't miss this special showcase by talented youth in our community! (tickets)

• Fri: 7 PM
• Sat: 4 PM

** Fri 5/17 *\*
Fri 4:30 PM Bike to Wherever Day Canteen Brewhouse, 2381 Aztec Rd. NE Learn about exciting bike routes in Albuquerque and grab some cool giveaways to kickstart your cycling adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just starting out, there’s something for EVERYONE at our pop-up table! We'll have Canteen will be volunteering at a table from 6:30-9am and then again at 4:30-6:30am. Receive $1 off your beer if you arrive on your bike
Fri 5 PM Pistachio Cream Ale Release Tractor Brewing, ALL locations We're bringing back this seasonal favorite for American Craft Beer Week! Inspired by pistachios produced right here in New Mexico this brew is as smooth as silk and as tasty and a fresh roasted pistachio. This is a very limited one off for us, so come and get you a pint or growler while supplies last
Fri 5 – 7 PM May Babies Birthday Celebration Rio Bravo Brewing, 1912 2nd St. NW Starting at 5pm, the first 25 people with May birthdays to show Ryan proof of their birthday month will score a $5 Rio Bravo Brewing Gift Card...oh, and Beers are on special for birthday kids for just $5! But you spend your gift card however you want! Thanks to Cake Fetish...we'll have cupcakes for the May Birthday Kids (while supplies last) We'll have prizes JUST for the May Babies! We'll also have drawings for all you non-birthday folks too If you want to get their before us...All drinks are $1 Off for May Birthdays the whole day!
Fri 5:45 – 7:15 PM 22 Veterans Suicide Awareness WOD BFit505, 11500 Menaul Blvd. NE Each month, Team Bravo & Bfit505 team up to bring awareness to veteran suicide. Before our events, we will take a moment and talk about the issue. Then we will begin with our 22 reps WOD followed by a 2.2 mile ruck/walk/run. Afterwards, we will be going out to eat for social time with friends and family. This event is for all levels
Fri 6 PM Sandia Social - May Hangout Dawn Patrol Coffee Shop, 3619 Copper Ave NE We will be hanging out around the patio and inside starting at 6pm! Bring your friends and come hang out!
Fri 6 PM Pink Therapy, A Latin Dance Fundraiser for Breast Cancer Sobremesa, 3421 Coors Blvd. NW On The One and Pachanga Productions' "Salsa Therapy" night has made its mark in the Latin Dance community, now we are using the symbolism of "Therapy" under "Pink Therapy" but this time it is to fundraise in partnership with the Pink Warrior House Foundation in order to provide outreach and increase resources for those warriors battling against breast cancer. On The One and Pachanga productions will be involved in community outreach and utilizing our resources to help those in need. Cover charge is a SUGGESTED $20 donation (ALL PROCEEDS GO TO Pink Warrior House Foundation). Cocktail hour from 6-7 PM (purchases go to PWH on selected drinks). Dance lesson from 7-8 PM. Open dance floor 8-12 AM. Be aware of Media/News coverage. We need everyone's assistance with this, PLEASE SHARE FAR AND WIDE, those warriors battling breast cancer need our help. Let's do our part. We are asking for the entire Latin dance community to come out and support. This will be one of many fundraisers that we do for organizations like PWH. Lets use our dance skills to help those in need!
Fri 6 – 8 PM May Flowers Stampin' Bingo (in person) Hip Stitch, 2320 Wisconsin St. NE Cost is $35 for 6 rounds of bingo, prizes, and make n' takes! Message for more info or to register
Fri 6 – 8:30 PM Los Domingueros Live El Vado, 2500 Central Ave SW Prepare for an unforgettable fusion of Latin dance beats and rock energy as Friday Night Live at El Vado proudly presents New Mexico's premier menudo-based band, Los Domingueros! Few bands can match the infectious joy and vibrant rhythms that they bring to the stage. A multi-talented group of musicians, they take listeners on a musical journey like no other. From the pulsating rhythms of salsa, bachata, and cumbia to the high-energy vibes of ska and reggae, sprinkled with a dash of punk and thrash, their eclectic repertoire promises an exhilarating experience for all. As always, treat your taste buds to a delightful selection of culinary delights from our diverse food pods. From savory stir-fries to tantalizing Latin flavors and heavenly desserts, there's something to satisfy every craving. And don't overlook the opportunity to quench your thirst with a crisp craft beer from Ponderosa Brewing Company, conveniently available at the El Vado Tap Room
Fri 6 – 10 PM Fork Cancer Gala FUSION ABQ, 700-708 1st St. NW The American Cancer Society is hosting Albuquerque's second #ForkCancerAbq fundraising event. VIP 6pm - 7pm. Gala 7pm - 10pm. Dress Code: Gala Attire. #ForkCancerNM is a foodie's dream, with local restaurants and bars bringing out their best to truly showcase the Taste of Albuquerque while raising money for the American Cancer Society's life-saving mission in New Mexico supporting Access to Care like patient transportation, patient lodging and 24/7 support. Along with life saving research and grants. With great opportunities to raise money, we will also have live entertainment! (tickets)
Fri 6:30 – 10 PM Community Movie Night South Valley Multipurpose Center, 2008 Larrazolo Rd. SW Feature of the night: In The Heights. Bring your dinner, blankets and chairs. Please no glass containers
Fri 7 PM Movie In The Park ABQ Food Park, 6901-B San Antonio Dr. NE ABQ Food Park is bringing back Movies In The Park, starting off the summer with a screening of The Sandlot. Arrive early to get your face painted by Local Locas Facepainting before settling in with your blankets, chairs, and appetite for a delightful evening at the park with loved ones. Indulge in delicious fare from our food trucks while enjoying this timeless film under the stars. Please do not bring outside food as we have a variety of food options at the park. Please support our local food vendors. Entry is free! Reserve your tickets
Fri 7 – 10 PM Emerald Ball Holiday Dance Studio, 5200 Eubank Blvd. NE, Ste D Celebrate the enchanting month of May by donning your finest emerald attire. Bring in the vibrant spring season by joining us in elegant semi-formal wear of rich verdant colors and dance the night away! A Foxtrot lesson will begin the evening at 7pm followed by open dancing. Call 505-508-4020 for more information. $30 non-members
Fri 8 PM – 2 AM Sucia EDC Gogo Takeover Sidewinders Bar and Grill, 4200 Central Ave SE Sucia Productions is bringing the Electric Sky to Sidewinders! No need to have EDC FOMO because Papa Sucia is ready to bring the party to you! Come join your Sucia Family for a Night of PLUR! Featuring the Sucia Gogos on multiple boxes and individual dances available in the Cabaret Room! Hosted by Papa Sucia and Sucia Gogo Madam Sativa Rico-Stratton. DJ Unzipped will be bringing the you the best EDM set for you to dance the night away!
Fri 9 PM – 1:30 AM Callaita Fridays Salt Yard West, 3700 Ellison Rd. NW DJ Soiree will be spinning under the stars in the Salt Yard, promising a night of electrifying Latin music. This 21+ event guarantees an atmosphere where you can fully embrace the rhythm without inhibition. Whether you're a die-hard fan of Reggaeton or simply seeking a night of unparalleled fun, "Callaita Fridays" is the place to be
Fri 10:30 PM – 12:15 AM FACELESS AFTER DARK - new meta horror starring Jenna Kanell of "Terrifier"! The Guild Cinema, 3405 Central Ave NE All Seats $8. Check out the trailer. Dir. Raymond Wood - 2023 - 82m. Following her breakout success as the star of a killer clown horror flick, Bowie (Jenna Kanell, TERRIFIER) now finds herself struggling to capitalize on its success. But when she is suddenly held hostage by an unhinged fan posing as that same killer clown, horror becomes her reality as she fights to survive the night and escape before he completes his sinister plan to recreate the film's fatal plot (tickets)
** Sat 5/18 *\*
Sat 8 – 10 AM Planting Corn Seeds Lynn Garden, 176 Manierre Rd., Corrales We will be planting corn seeds; a new crop for Seed2Need this year!
Sat 8 – 10 AM Run for Mercy 5K Sagebrush Community Church, 6440 Coors Blvd. NW Join our team to run with us to support Mercy Multiplied, which exists to provide opportunities for all to experience God's unconditional love, forgiveness, and life-transforming power. Mercy offers free-of-charge Residential and Outpatient Counseling Programs, as well as Outreach Services that include workshops and trainings, our Keys to Freedom discipleship study, and Keys to Freedom Retreat (register)
Sat 8 AM – 12 PM Downtown Growers' Market Robinson Park, 810 Copper Ave NW Every Saturday from 8 am - NOON! This vibrant community event connects local farmers, growers, artisans, wellness makers, and hot food vendors with the local community from mid-April to early-November. Bring friends / family or come solo to enjoy fresh food made on sight, a variety of seasonal produce, unique arts and crafts, live music, and special programming all in the heart of downtown
Sat 8 AM – 2 PM Rio Rancho's Biggest Yard Sale Cabezon Park and Community Center, 2307 Cabezon Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho FREE Admission! Clean out your garage, spare bedroom, attic and shed. Come join us to sell all of those items that were collecting dust, find a treasure that you didn’t know you needed, and enjoy a day in the park! Vendor space $35 for a 15’ x 15’ space (Tables and chairs are not provided) Must register online, NO Drop-Ins Accepted. Please call the Cabezon Community Center at 505-892-4499 for more info
Sat 9 AM Send Haley to Spain Sand Volleyball Tournament Charlie’s Sandbox, 4335 Paseo del Norte NE All proceeds go to Haley and her trip to Spain in July! $20/per player. All Skill levels! Prizes for 1st & 2nd place. 4-6 players Coed with 1 female on team. Check in @ 8:30am. More info: Jillian (505) 322-7228, Haley (505) 331-4788, Charlie (505) 239-2461
Sat 9 AM Invisible Heroes Run Believers Center of Albuquerque, 320 Waterfall Dr. SE Join Runfit and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for the inaugural Invisible Heroes 5K Run/Walk. It is a community event being held to recognize the vital role that medical imaging professionals and radiation therapists play on the health care team and to introduce the public to these vital health care professionals. You are invited to run and walk to celebrate the important work done by invisible heroes. At packet pick-up, you will have an opportunity to tour the ASRT Museum and Archives. Age group, overall, and team awards, including a great t-shirt and finisher medals for all participants (register)
Sat 9 AM - 4 PM 16th Annual CTC Vintage Tractor & Car Show Corrales Recreation Center, 500 Jones Rd., Corrales Join us for a fun day in the Corrales Park. There will be music, food, hot rods, tractor, stationary engines and more. Proceeds Raised will benefit Corrales 4H and Historical Society. Free admission. $10 for show participants
Sat 10 AM – 12 PM Foraging for Fun(ds) Los Poblanos Open Space, 1800 Tierra Viva Pl. NW Join Rev. Ryan Tate on a foraging excursion! Rev. Tate, of the African American spiritual tradition and an IPL board member, wants to bring their loving knowledge of NM edibles and herbs to you. Discover the food right under your nose and how easy it is to enjoy! We’ll meet to explore and harvest native and edible plants. Enter the Open Space area from west bound Montano Boulevard. After foraging, we’ll gather to taste our harvest and other locally sourced treats. Sign up today to participate - space is limited. This is a fundraiser for our work for climate justice: Please give generously (Suggested minimum donation $10)
Sat 10 AM – 3 PM Homebrewer's Happy Hour Southwest Grape & Grain, 3401 Candelaria Blvd. NE Homebrewer's Happy Hour is the perfect chance for all homebrewers, wine makers, distillers, or anyone interested in learning, to connect with others, share a drink, and learn about a new subject each month! $1 off beers from 10am to 3pm. Presentation on monthly subject at 1pm with open forum to discuss after. Food truck on site for lunch! May 18th - Barley
Sat 10:30 – 11:30 AM Animal Tales with the ABQ BioPark Ernie Pyle Library, 900 Girard Blvd. SE Dive into the captivating world of animals with "Animal Tales" presented by the ABQ BioPark! Join us for a delightful reading session featuring an animal-themed book. Experience the magic as the BioPark brings along real animals and biofacts that connect to the story, giving kids an exciting opportunity to meet these creatures up close! Don't miss this engaging and educational adventure for young animal enthusiasts!
Sat 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM FolkMADS Third Saturday Family Dance Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins St. NE Dancing, song, and live music for kids of all ages. No experience needed to have fun! Children must be accompanied by an adult. Children dance free, Adults $10
Sat 11 AM – 1 PM Annual Summer Kick-Off Event! Matheson Park Elementary, 10809 Lexington Ave NE Join us as we kick off the summer with fun, a food truck, face painting, dunk tank, and more! Bring your family and your pets for a Blessing of the Pets. There is no cost to attend and all are welcome!
Sat 11 AM – 3 PM Wine + Art Afternoons Gruet Winery, 8400 Pan American East Fwy NE Prism Arts presents a new public art and social series with a special one-day multi-artist event. Join us inside the Gruet Winery with a selection of fine art, prints, paintings, jewelry, and ceramics from local artists Vanessa Alvarado, Eric Romero, Margarita Paz-Pedro, & Aaron Richardson. Enjoy unique art, amazing fine, food, and a social environment with the artists and the public. *All art purchases receive a complimentary bottle of Gruet Wine*
Sat 11 AM – 3 PM Bernalillo Family Fun Festival! Calvary Church, 4001 Osuna Rd. NE Get connected to community and enjoy a Fun Family Day!
Sat 11:30 AM – 4 PM Imaginary Friends Fest Flix Brewhouse, 3200 La Orilla Rd. NW Let your imagination run wild! Join us in the lobby to celebrate the opening of IF! Enjoy photo ops, freebies, an in-theater giveaway, and activities for the whole family. All ages are welcome!
Sat 12 PM BBQ n' Crawl Supper Rock Park, 598 Monte Alto Pl. NE Mini Crawlers 505 and Duke City RC are throwing a BBQ and crawl sesh! All rigs welcome! Please mark going if you are, so we can get enough food!
Sat 12 PM May Brew Tour - Farewell Tour Rio Bravo Brewing, 1912 2nd St. NW This is the last NM Brew Ha-Ha Beer tour for the season. The 24-25 season will start in June 2025 so stay tuned for the season lineup release. Rio Bravo Brewing, Ponderosa Brewing, Bow & Arrow Brewing, Juno Brewery. At Rio Bravo, a DD will be selected, then we’ll head to the other breweries in the order listed. T-shirts, if ordered will be delivered. For safety, a breathalyzer is available, a DD will be established and a liability waiver will be signed by all participants. Safety is of utmost importance. We want everyone to enjoy their tour and arrive home safely
Sat 12 PM Drag Bingo & Brunch! All Ages Welcome! Sidewinders Bar and Grill, 4200 Central Ave SE Join us for a Drag Queen Bingo and Brunch benefitting The Albuquerque Roadrunner Tournament 2024 (coming up in September). Hosted by Priscilla Bouvier. Doors 12pm. Show 1pm. Bingo, Prizes, Giveaways, Raffles, Cocktails, Mocktails and Fun!
Sat 12 PM Empire's 9th Anniversary - FREE PLAY ALL DAY Empire Board Game Library, 3503 Central Ave NE It's Empire's 9th Anniversary celebration and you're invited! We've been here 9 years and it's all thanks to the support we get from you, so to show our appreciation, this Saturday's celebration is our gift to you: Come in and play for free all day! Every game is on sale all weekend! We're holding raffles over the course of the day to give away some great games! So come on down and let us thank you!
Sat 12 – 3 PM STOODIS!: An AIDS/LifeCycle Fundraising Event Soo Bak Seoul Bowl, 111 Hermosa Dr. SE Help Vanessa Bowen cross the finish line – the fundraising finish line, that is! Vanessa is on a mission to raise $3,500 to participate in the 2024 AIDS/LifeCycle, a 545-mile charity bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles from June 2nd to 8th, 2024. Join this special fundraising event and send-off party for an afternoon of entertainment, vendors, bike tune-ups, raffle, and food and drink specials. Come prepared to support our local vendors and find out how you can win our selected giveaways. AIDS/LifeCycle benefits, and is jointly produced by, San Francisco AIDS Foundation (Tax ID # 94-2927405) and Los Angeles LGBT Center (Tax ID # 95-3567895), each of which is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation recognized as tax exempt under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3). Donations to AIDS/LifeCycle are deductible for income tax purposes, to the extent permitted by law. Vanessa Bowen (They/Them) is a Diné (Navajo) product designer and cyclist. Their work gravitates toward the intersection of design and social equity. Bowen is a former Outride Ambassador, current Chamois Butt’r and Kuat Racks Ambassador, founder of Get Native Kids on Bikes, and a supporter of AIDS/LifeCycle. If not creating in their studio in Albuquerque, they are training for a cycling event or community building for a just, equitable future (more info)
Sat 12 – 5 PM Day Camp - A Festival for Families Tin Can Alley, 6013 Signal Ave NE Day Camp is where adventure meets education, creativity, and community in a fair-like environment where a variety of youth development organizations are excited to share their programs. In partnership with Warehouse 505, and featuring organizations such as Explora, there will be workshops ands expos for kids to discover new passions across music, art, science, and more. Supporting Youth Security & Education, all dedicated funds raised will be going to New Mexico non-profit organizations
Sat 12 – 5 PM Monthly Pinball Tournament Sister, 407 Central Ave NW All skill levels and players welcome! 21+ Sign up starts at 12 pm; tournament play starts at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $5 + coin drop
Sat 1 – 5 PM United in Beer Collaboration Festival Ex Novo Brewing, 4895 Corrales Rd., Corrales United in Beer is a New Mexico statewide collaborative beer festival that benefits the Somos Unidos Foundation with 26 participating breweries, which were randomly partnered through a live draft and then together selected the beer style they would collaborate on. All beers will be showcased at the festival. Tickets are limited. Portions of ticket sales will donated to Somos Unidos Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to creating positive outcomes for New Mexicans through art, sport, community, and unity. This will be a 21+ Event. Food trucks will be on site. Included with ticket purchase is: Festival access, 8 drink tokens, and a United In Beer glass! We recommend bringing: Sunscreen, your friends, and good vibes
Sat 1 – 10 PM Boots In The Park Presents Thomas Rhett, Chris Young & Friends! Balloon Fiesta Park, 5000 Balloon Fiesta Pkwy Dust off your boots and get ready to holler, because Boots In The Park is making it's way to Albuquerque, y'all! Join us for a rootin', tootin', two-steppin' good time with none other than Thomas Rhett, Chris Young, Chris Janson, Kameron Marlowe, Dylan Schneider, Leaving Austin and beats by Luwiss Lux. We're talking about an evening filled to the brim with live tunes, finger-lickin' craft food, and the smoothest cocktails. We'll be kicking up dust with some good ol' line dancing and a whole heap more, as Balloon Fiesta Park is transformed into Albuquerque's best country music party! Past folks to grace the Boots In The Park stage are Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and a bunch of other country legends. But this day is gonna be one for the record books, a show that will leave y'all talking for years to come (tickets)
Sat 2 PM Annual Castro Concerto Competition Albuquerque Youth Symphony, 4407 Menaul Blvd. NE Join us to hear talented high school juniors compete for the privilege of performing with the Youth Symphony during the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program's 2024-2025 concert season! This event is free and open to the public. We also plan to stream this event live on Facebook for anyone not able to attend in person
Sat 2 PM "Greatest Moments" - a fundraising concert for Opera On Tap New Mexico Central United Methodist Church, 201 University Blvd. NE Join us for an afternoon of music to help raise money for Opera on Tap - New Mexico! Featuring some faculty and students of University of New Mexico, along with other local professionals, we have put a program together highlighting some of the show-stopping, beautiful moments of opera and musical theater! Suggested donation $10
Sat 2 – 7 PM Rawking: An Afternoon Metal + Art + Comedy Extravaganza Juno, 1501 1st St. NW Featured performers include Light Thief, Destroy to Recreate, Guvtika, Abandoned Saviors. outdoors on the patio with Four Bands, Comedians, Artists, Vendors. Produced by Metal World Radio. 21+. $10 at the door or presales online
Sat 3 – 8 PM Albuquerque Roller Derby presents: Sandia Slammers vs. Bosque Bruisers! Expo New Mexico - Manuel Lujan Jr Exhibit Complex, 300 San Pedro Dr. NE Albuquerque Roller Derby has gotten SO big we’ve split into two teams! Sandia Slammers & Bosque Bruisers! Get your tickets for our first Home Game of the 2024 season
Sat 3:45 – 5:45 PM AND 7 - 9 PM The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 Flix Brewhouse, 3236 La Orilla Rd. NW Experience the Twilight saga's epic romance and thrilling fantasy BREAKING DAWN - PART 1 on the big screen! Bella and Edward, plus those they love, must deal with the chain of consequences brought on by a marriage, honeymoon, and the tumultuous birth of a child, which brings about unforeseen and shocking developments for Jacob Black (tickets)
Sat 4 – 8 PM Drink Local Downtown ABQ - May Step into the heart of Albuquerque with our thrilling, free monthly bar crawl event! Immerse yourself in the local charm as we celebrate community, culture, and creativity right in the heart of ABQ. In partnership with ABQCore Neighborhood Association, a locally organized and hosted event, we're bringing you a bar crawl experience like no other. This isn't just a crawl; it's a vibrant celebration of local businesses, a showcase of community talent, and a monthly escape into the unique flavors that make ABQ special
Sat 4 – 9 PM Summer Market ABQ Food Park, 6951 San Antonio Dr. NE Dive into the magic of summer evenings at ABQ Food Park with our captivating Summer Market! Join us for a delightful evening, where you can browse an enchanting array of offerings from local artisans and support our vibrant community businesses. Discover unique treasures crafted with love and passion by talented artisans, from handcrafted jewelry to exquisite home decor. Every purchase you make supports local creators and contributes to the thriving arts scene in our city
Sat 5 – 8 PM National Astronomy Day! Rainbow Park Observatory, 301 Southern Blvd SE, Rio Rancho The Rio Rancho Astronomical Society will host National Astronomy Day at Rainbow Park Observatory. There will be food for a donation, family activities and safe solar viewing. Dr. Tony Hull will appeal at 7 pm about his work on the James Webb Space Telescope. He will also have some info on light pollution
Sat 5 – 11 PM Beer & Jazz on the Hill Tractor Brewing, 122 Tulane Dr. SE We're bringing you a full night of brews and Jazz with the very talented Rona & Meli opening things up at 5pm and our house Jazz band Basilaris Trio closing things down at 8!
Sat 6 PM Bear Affair 4: Spanish Tapas Beer Pairing Dinner Boxing Bear Brewing, 8420 Firestone Ln. NE Join us on our patio for an ALMOST summer night paired with a variety of our seasonal beers, chef-crafted Spanish tapas, and flamenco. Featuring chef Christopher Midyette And the artist dance group Spanish Broom. Tickets are $65 per person and include a welcome beer, three course tapas style meal with beer pairings and entertainment for the evening
Sat 6 PM One Year Anniversary Celebration Urbanmama505 Kombucha, 1014 Central Ave SW, Ste A Celebrating one year of love, abundance, and sharing wellness. Right after Open Mic 4-6pm, we will be graced with a jazz concert by Davis Nelson-Hooker, an amazing local musician. Elixirs and small plates for purchase
Sat 6 – 9 PM Gone Country Saturdays with DJ Soiree Ponderosa Brewing, 1761 Bellamah Ave NW It's Gone Country Saturdays featuring the amazing DJ Soiree! Start your evening with free dance lessons at 5 pm, followed by family-friendly entertainment
Sat 7:30 – 9 PM Saturday Night Stand-Up Bosque Brewing Co - Nob Hill, 106 Girard Blvd. SE Live from ABQ, it’s… Saturday Night Stand-Up Hosted by Nax Davis! Every third Saturday of the month! Seating at 7:30 - Comedy at 8. Featured line-up of local comics includes: MEG FINN, BRYAN LAMBE, SARINA OCHOA, MARY BYRD, ROBERT EYSTER
Sat 8 PM – 1:15 AM Apparition Goth Night Historic El Rey Theater, 622 Central Ave SW A hauntingly dark, classic goth night featuring the Apparition team: DJ Ren, DJ Batboy, DJ Moonside. Doors at 8. $10 all night. 21+ Tickets at the door. Expect goth, darkwave, death rock, synthpop, dark post punk, ebm, dark dance, industrial, witch house, horror punk and more
Sat 8:30 PM – 1 AM SABOR Latin Night - SATURDAYS Bama's 1865, 6007 Osuna Rd. NE May 11th - SPECIAL GUEST DJ ITALIA! DJ Gabriel Goza & DJ Pedro will be serving you the saucy Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, Merengue y Mas! Ample Parking, Safe Environment, Beautiful Venue, Good Food, Good Music, Good Vibes. 21+ / $10 cover
Sat 9 PM – 1 AM Cumbia + Rock en Espanol Juno, 1501 1st St. NW Grupo Super Verza with Ave. 69 and Lot Beat and DJ Tony. Baila! 21+, $15 at the door or online
** Sun 5/19 *\*
Sun 9 – 11 AM Elevated Roller Derby May Training Scrimmage Heights Community Center, 823 Buena Vista Dr. SE Officials' huddle 9:00AM. Captains' meeting at 9:20AM. First whistle 9:30AM. This is simply a black/white scrimmage. It will be used as an educational opportunity. NSO paperwork will be used as appropriate. You are encouraged to stretch your skills. Hospitality: This is a low/no production scrimmage, bring beverages and snacks for your own use. Bathrooms: The community center may not be open during the scrimmage. (That's the trade-off for a free space). You can stop at the nearby Starbucks before the event. Expectations: Skaters and Skating and Non-skating Officials are expected to follow all WFTDA Risk Management Guidelines. The venue is a designated alcohol, drug, and smoke-free space by the city of Albuquerque (sign up)
Sun 10 AM – 2 PM The Great Burque Bake On Rail Yards Market, 777 1st St. SW Get ready to whisk it all at the "Great Burque Bake-on," a special fundraiser for the non-profit Rail Yards Market: One dozen of Albuquerque's most talented bakers will dough head-to-head in a crusty competition for the ultimate bakery glory! Bakers brawl... You vote for the winners! This sugar-dusted showdown promises a blend of flour-fueled drama and buttery bravado, making it the yeast you can do to support your local confectionery champions. As these culinary wizards knead their way to the top, we guarantee you'll find their efforts both batter and sweeter than anything you've tasted before. Join us for a day of laughter, pastry, and a chance to see who rises as the crème de la crème of Burque's baking scene! 1) ORDER > Claim your Bake-on Box & exclusive market swag by ordering online May 10-16th, 2024. 2) LEARN > Follow our social media to learn about each contestant & their offering. 3) PICKUP > Grab your box of baked goodies & swag at the info booth Sunday May 19th. 4) ENJOY > Eat all the delectable goodies, savor the flavor, and read about all the contestants 5) VOTE >> Submit your votes online to choose the winners! (tickets) The Farmers' Market event is going down simultaneously with 175+ local vendors to explore, and is still FREE to enter and welcome to all. This funky fundraiser is going down during the FREE Rail Yards Farmers' Market. So you can peruse 150+ small businesses and enjoy the historic architecture while you enjoy your Great Burque Bake-on Box of goodies! All proceeds will benefit the Rail Yards Market. The Rail Yards market of Albuquerque is a certified 501(c)3 non-profit focused on building a resilient, sustainable, local economy where the surrounding historic communities thrive, all can participate, and everyone is enriched and inspired. Through food, art, education, and music, we invite the community together in an inclusive and festive atmosphere
Sun 11:30 AM The Addams Family Historic Lobo Theater, 3013 Central Ave NE THE HISTORIC LOBO THEATER is excited to bring The Addams Family to the big screen! Showing Starts at 11:30 am Tickets are ONLY $10 for General Admission $25 Brunch and a Movie Ticket $21 Brunch Only ticket
Sun 12:30 PM Annual Spring Tea Asbury UMC, 10000 Candelaria Rd. NE All are welcome to attend our Annual Spring Tea! This year's theme is "The Tapestries of Our Lives." Life can be like a tapestry; our quilt, with events, feelings, accomplishments, and even disappointments "stitched" in. Join us, for tea, while Cindy Kurey, AQS-certified quilted textiles appraiser, shares how quilting and her faith have helped her navigate life. She will also show her collection of antique, vintage, and modern quilts! There is no cost to attend, though RSVPs are required. Please call the church office 505-299-0643 or message us on Facebook to RSVP
Sun 1 PM Ruck Club May Callout - Rain Ruck North Domingo Baca Park, 8301 Wyoming Blvd. NE Since we are in Albuquerque, we will get creative to find water. No weight requirement; use your regular training weight. We will be rucking at least 5 miles. Hosted by F3 Albuquerque, which plants free, peer-led workout groups for men, but this event isn't just for men! Everybody is welcomed and encouraged to participate in this GORUCK monthly callout. Bring water, electrolytes, sunscreen. Expect to get wet, and dress accordingly
Sun 2 - 4 PM Film Screening: "Between the Stone and the Flower" JCC of Greater Albuquerque, 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE The film follows the journey of Genie of Milgrom and her decades long quest for her Jewish lineage inspired the film. She was born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Miami as a full Catholic. She was always burdened with a deep-rooted feeling of not belonging in her Spanish Catholic environment. Genie becomes more and more convinced that her family was Jewish in the Iberian Peninsula centuries before. Intro and Q&A with Filmmaker, Genie Milgrom (register for free)
Sun 2 – 3:30 PM Cuidando los Niños Fundraiser Cookie Class Sweet Pea Bakery, 2500 Central Ave SW Join us for a fun night out while making an impact in our community! Light House Studio and Sweet Pea Bakery are teaming up to host a cookie decorating class to benefit Cuidando los Ninos. This will be a full 1.5 hour class where local cookie artist Katie Sacoman walks you through decorating three floral themed sugar cookies. Each participant also receives a personalized cookie with their name on it. 50% of each ticket sold goes to benefit Cuidando los Ninos, a local organization working to break the cycle of homelessness for children and families by providing high-quality early childhood education, case management, supportive housing, and parent education. *This class will be good for participants age 10 and up. Please keep in mind it is an hour and a half long guided class. You know your child best!*

Hi, I’ve been wanting to post this for a while now. I just needed to process everything first. It’s a very long story..but I really hope this helps another woman in need ..or one who was/is so worried and lost..questionable like I was. You are valid..and You’re not alone.❤️
My story goes back to October of last year, 2023..around Halloween or before. My parents were out of town, they’re still somewhat strict even at my age of 24 at the time. And I saw the opportunity to invite my boyfriend over for the week to spend time together. I don’t have the most healthy household, my dad can be pretty unstable and toxic, and my mom can be very judgemental sometimes . Just not something I wanna be in much longer as I’m looking to move out soon. Anyways, they left and somehow around that week time frame , I fell pregnant (unknowingly of course) we were not being safe that week when we should have. But I love him and sometimes those feelings can take over.
My period ended in late September to early October. .(After many months or weeks of calculating how I must have been fertile that week.) My boyfriend did not ejaculate in me but he must have had some precum with sperm in it swim its way to me. Thats why we were so mindblown as to how this happened. I’ve been pretty good tracking my periods but my ovulation is weird. Also my periods are very irregular. So sometimes I’m not even sure when it’ll come. A couple days before my period would come, I noticed brown to pink blood which usually happens before my period comes..it only lasted 2/3 days …which I know now was spotting. But my period didn’t come…which this never happens…I started to notice something fishy I brushed it off and figured it was late because it’s irregular. It was now around 6 days late and I started to get panicky . I told my boyfriend about it and he became worried wondering why I didn’t tell him. I figured because of how irregular it was I thought there was nothing to worry about. I was also very active in the gym at this time so i figured that was another reason why. I didn’t want to imagine the possibility of even being pregnant. Call it denial I guess. I even tested when my period was a few days late and it came out negative. I guess the hormones weren’t strong enough yet.
Well now , about 3 weeks or so have passed. (I still can’t figure out when I concieved exactly) I was really freaking out. I noticed how tired I have been feeling ..practically falling asleep at work. Feeling so lightheaded …a simple trip down the stairs made me feel like I was gonna faint. I never felt that way either. I couldn’t finish my run at the gym…yeah something was up . One Saturday morning I couldn’t take it anymore and I FaceTimed my boyfriend after I got a pregnancy test. I let the stick set and told my boyfriend to look at it .
I heard the words “baby…what does that mean?” Somehow my world shut off. Like a ringing in your ears. I know what that meant, and so did he. He was frozen , a frozen, solid expression on his face on my FaceTime screen… I snapped out of it and yanked the stick to my eyes. And there it was…..positive ..clear as day positive in seconds. Pregnant as fuck. I actually hyperventilated. I don’t remember reacting much that moment other than pure Panick. I felt like a teenage girl in that moment my head was spinning. My boyfriend still on FaceTime trying to call me down , calling off work and sped to my house. I cried on the floor while he comforted me and we tested again since we had extra tests….all tests came out positive in seconds. I didn’t even know how far long I was. I had no idea I was even pregnant other than the tiredness which I was thinking might have been pms. I felt so stupid. I guessed it was early still. I snapped out of it and remembered I had actually saved the nearest abortion clinics to me. Which since I haven’t mentioned …I’m from Texas where it’s illegal past 6 weeks. I felt with it being overturned here..I might have needed to save them and get a step ahead. I still I felt hopeless. I knew what my decision was going to be I was sure. My boyfriend supported me and I’m glad to have him. We pulled ourselves together and called a clinic in New Mexico and booked a hotel near there. Which is an 11 hour drive by the way…. Across the whole state…if you’re from Texas you’ll know how big it really is.
We planned our trip the whole day. I called my boss and said I had medical emergency for four days, and so did he with his job. I came up with a lie and told my parents I was going to another city in Texas …”a romantic getaway if you will…”. The clinic actually gave me an appointment for the following week. The clinic receptionist said I was around 9 or 10 weeks which I was in shock …how?? They stop MA abortions at 11 weeks. My time was running out. I booked it, I felt that was my best bet. I walked downstairs after everything eventually with him , to which my mother was in the kitchen making food. She was smiling happy to see him as she greeted him. I couldn’t help but feel some sorrow knowing what I knew. I kept thinking about how she would be a grandma , and when I saw my brother or dad, that they would be an uncle or grandpa. My grandparents who I treasured all four them and thought them being great grandparents , my dog for petes sakes, how this could be the only time they’d meet my child. I don’t know why I felt like I was running out of time almost..I was going to be 25 soon and alot of my friends were engaged or having children getting married…why was I panicking? Im an adult my mom had me at 19 for fucks sake. My situation was different than hers though. She was married and owned a home by then. I really just wanted to be stable. Seeing some of my friends not stable with children and complain about it especially the stress and fatigue, made my decision more clearer. I just was stuck in a trance how that would be my reality if I were to keep it. That evening my boyfriend stayed with me the whole night and we just vented about life. His red and swollen eyes from all the crying shimmered in the moonlight. We stayed outside and watched the stars and just talked about for the week or so that would come what could happen, despite everything that was happening I loved him even more in those moments seeing him want to provide, and take care of me like that made me fall even more deeply in love with him.
Looking back at it I’m actually surprised I planned that much in the little timeframe that I had. New Mexico time is an hour behind. The clinic was going to close . But I did it somehow. The clinic lady gave me the line of a financial assistance.. since I requested to her that would we need help after she asked that question to us .. I didn’t even know clinics could do that .. it was a group that provided that kind of assistance, I felt so happy to know there was people out there willing to help us. I reached out to this number and website and a lady got in contact with me. The sweetest lady that I’ll never forget to this day. I looked at the website and they were religious, which blew my mind. I grew up on a religious family, and I still have my own beliefs, but I didn’t think I would ever see this kind of help from a religious organization.
Anyhow..What’s crazy to me is that week and a half or so of waiting my morning sickness hit me like a ton of bricks. It was horrible … I lost so much weight about 10 pounds maybe or more. I couldn’t hold anything down. My boobs are starting to hurt extremely bad to at this point and I couldn’t wear bras only very soft sports bras. I could smell fajitas a mile away..All I could eat was salads. I hated pizza , I hated pickles AND I LOVE PICKLES. it was tragic.. I craved fried chicken and I hate chicken…I craved Cobb or Cesar salads of anything. Specifically Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse. it was so insane. Any disgusting smell made me gag. I was puking three times a day. And I was upset I couldn’t sleep on my stomach. I was crying at work for no reason and grumpy dramatic all the time. My bf was so sweet to me this whole process though, bringing ginger gummies to me , ginger ale , food and Gatorade to help me . I felt so lucky. The only good thing out of it was my skin was so LUMINOUS, my hair was so silky and shiny…I felt so glowing. I guess that pregnancy glow is real. It was so crazy to me how this little thing inside of me was doing all of this.
In the week or so before everything I actually talked to what I felt like was a she. A girl. I talked to her in the shower and in bed, I sang to her. I still love her and always will. I wanted her to know me for the time we had left. I just knew I couldn’t give her the life she deserved . Atleast not now. Nobody actually wants to do this by the way…some of us just can’t. The time came for the road trip , and the 11 hour drive. We drove across the state , seeing the mountains and hills..the mountains getting bigger and bigger, the plateaus…stopped at some gas stations and got gas station food..(of course saw bucees) then we stopped in El Paso for some tacos and I remember a friend said the sunsets there are so beautiful. He was right.
We finally arrived in New Mexico, the roads looked different..”welcome to New Mexico land of enchantment.”it was dark at this time , shiny city lights from the hilly roads…we looked at each other peacefully with love…Iike we did it Forreal.. I can’t believe we actually pulled it off. At that point I was so tired, and nauseous from the drive..and all the gas stations stops. I couldn’t wait for the hotel. As soon as we got there I felt a peace of calm take over and I knocked out after my shower..(which was too hot and I felt like passing out from ..shortness of breath was also a pregnancy symptom of mine) . My boyfriend made my bed and got me food . That night he talked to what would’ve been he or she. And told our baby how much he still loves them. And so did I. It’s something that gets imbedded in your mind forever.
We had the appointment that following morning on December 8th. A day I’ll never forget. He woke me up and helped me get dressed. My body hurt, my boobs were so sore, he couldn’t touch them at all and I couldn’t sleep on them. My nipples brown still and sore , and I was throwing up yet again in this hotel toilet. I wanted it to stop. I wasn’t ready just yet. I was afraid of protesters as I had seen some on YouTube at this clinic location before . Yet none were there. I felt relieved. It was a very lowkey setting. You needed to press a buzzer button to enter. And no one else allowed but yourself. I didn’t want to go in alone but I did. the lady with financial assistance gave us $400 which covered the cost of the medication. I felt so grateful for her for that.
I look around the clinic, it was very serene and bright then dim in the back..and almost like romcom looking… like a clinic you’d see in a women’s show…like sex and the city I guess..how ironic . I filled out some paperwork and gave it back to her, no phones allowed so I set it in the basket. I actually saw a lot of the names of women who checked in and checked out on the check in list paper. Many just like me. A clinic assistant took my ultrasound , to confirm there was a pregnancy, which indeed there was. I was 7 weeks along, not 10. I asked her if she did see something since she was quiet for a bit to which she replied with “oh yeah” about an inch long . She never asked me if I wanted to see the ultrasound pictures which I kind of did. Maybe she didn’t ask because she thought I would panic and change my mind. thinking about it now I would’ve been nice to keep a picture but also I don’t know how id feel about it so I’m kind of glad in a way I didn’t and then I’m not so glad. either way my decision was clear to me still. I was too afraid to ask. I saw her print it out and set it in a folder.. and that’s the only picture I’ll have in my mind of what would’ve been..forever to come.
I was placed in a room with another girl. She was Indian, and slender looking, around 25-30 years. She looked very modest and reserved. White pants and a pink button shirt and ponytail . I felt like talking to her so I asked her “did you travel here ?” And she said no, she lived in the area. “How lucky” I thought. “To have the privilege of being so close in proximity to do this” I traveled 775 miles. To and from. I became obsessed prior reading/seeing other peoples clinic experiences, I noticed mine was similar but different..I guess no one really has the exact same experience I think. I asked her “are you nervous?” She blushed and said “kind of yeah..” to which I agreed as well. She seemed like she knew what she was In For I suppose. I just smiled at her, “hopefully I gave her some comfort” I thought. The clinic nurse or assistant walked in, same one. she looked even younger than me maybe 21 or 20. Had a pixie hairstyle and black scrubs . Tomboy looking. She Went over the steps and what we should expect..it sounded pretty painful. Idk why I wasn’t as scared anymore, I guess a relief overcame me. Or maybe I became numb. We signed another paperwork form to which after that point we waited for the doctor. We were told to bring books or a journal or some thing while we waited. I thought it would take pretty long, but it didn’t. We signed some more paperwork and The whole thing went by so fast I didn’t even get time to open my book pages.
The doctor was a man, he seemed very indie alternative , no more than 36 maybe. He asked if we wanted to take the pills separately or together after him re stating the steps and what to expect. The girl looked at me, I felt like she was nervous to do this infront of a stranger so I said “separately. “When I got to the other room with the doctor he asked me where I was from since he saw my form…I guess to make small talk. “ Houston Texas..” I said shyly. “Wow ok..well I guess I don’t expect you to come back for a follow up in person..we will give a phone call follow up for that, I know you’ve made quite a journey.” We both laughed a bit. he told me he had done some work down there. Everything was flat and open spaced..he spoke of the beautiful mountains here and I spoke of how it’s just something I needed to do. To which he agreed that’s for me to choose. He made me take the first set of pills in front of him. he gave me instructions for the other four pills that would go between my cheeks. The next day those would be the ones too let everything pass out of me. I should have booked an extra day for that at the hotel .. I remember thinking about it and telling myself “there’s no way I could go through this on the drive back home.. It could be very painful and uncomfortable I think…” since I had done alot of research…but I had work and couldn’t call off so many days. I had no choice and now for I didn’t expect the pain that would follow. I should really start taking my own thoughts and advice.
I called my boyfriend who is driving around the town trying to pass time informing him. My appointment was over with. He seemed astonished that it went by pretty fast. It was maybe an hour or so long. The financial assistance lady actually met me outside the clinic to give me a farewell gift. she was in a big van and brought me a cute little basket, filled with heating pads, crackers, heavy duty pads, and a wonderful little note that told me .. welcome to New Mexico that I was strong, and I wasn’t alone and that she’s always there for us if we ever need more help or if we know anyone who needs more help with her contact information. And with that note, I cried and hugged her I couldn’t believe such kindness from strangers existed. I bid her goodbye and I just felt so lucky that someone like her helped us. On the way out the parkling lot , I saw the Indian girl waiting outside to be picked up, and she was watching us get picked up. A man picked her up, about our age too, and I wondered if someone was making her do this or it was her choice. It was Erie, but I guess I’ll never know.
We drove back to the hotel after we got some Chinese takeout and processed everything, we watched a movie, and I was so exhausted. After I took a hot shower(which I almost passed out in still feeling the pregnancy nausea and breath shortness) I knocked out in bed, the nearly comfy bed my boyfriend made for me. I could feel my boyfriend‘s arms on my head and my shoulders. He was giving me a body rub and in that moment that’s what I needed the most his comfort and his love. It was one of the best sleep I ever had actually. The next day around 8 or 9am , I woke up to brown blood stained underwear. I guess the pills went into effect I had thought. I didn’t feel as nauseous. But I just felt more tired. The morning air was crisp and cool and the mountains were shining with the sunrise , as we walked down to the hotel breakfast room to get some breakfast. He served me up a cup of cereal and apple some bagels and apple juice while I sat and waited. I wave of calmness and nervous was at the same time took me over . The breakfast room was so calm for some reason as I watched other people eat before me. I realized everyone was out here loving their own lives. And we will never really know who’s going through what. I ate and enjoyed the quiet morning before driving back home . I just couldn’t believe how blissful and calm everything was.. maybe it was the calm before the storm you could say.
We packed up everything from our hotel. I didn’t have to carry a single thing nor did I even have to clean anything..i was so pooped out. My boyfriend is literally such a gift I could think. He’s had to put up with my horrible mood swings and attitude these past couple weeks, and my dragging energy. I know I got a pass being literally pregnant but still, you can’t help feel guilt somehow. As we got into the car all I could think about was our time spent here, it’s not the romantic getaway you’d think of, but it was something that brought us closer. To the grocery store exploring and little shops around town, the nice quirky people, and the scenic views..I actually liked the place. It wasn’t home, but it was a breather away from home life for a bit, even if it was a lot to bear. Maybe I’d come back for closure one day. We took off and looked behind us knowing what story will stay there. And we also thought about the long drive back. I would have to take the second set of pills anytime now. I was ready to get it over with, but nervous I couldn’t lie. I was actually so angry that for my choice, I had to come all the way out here without the convenience of my own city. I wondered how many other Texas girls or women from other states had to do the same. Women, and People will find a way to take control of their own lives somehow even if it means greater measures. I saw we passed by ciudad Juarez, supposedly one of the most dangerous cities to date, a city in Mexico that I’ve seen notorious for crime. We drove through another set of mountains, Texas plains are flat, so we don’t get to see this. I thought about how my life was like that..an endless mountain going up and down and such..I still couldn’t believe how far I was from home. I just wanted to go home.
Time to take the second oils..whew. The four that between your cheeks..two in each side . I was so scared I was doing this incorrectly because not even thirty minutes later or just about ..after holding them in for what felt like forever…..my body overcame with a terrible feeling…a feeling like a I had shit and extreme period cramps like I never felt before. All of a sudden I could literally feel my cervix opening gradually…I really thought I was having intense diarrhea for some reason. I got up from my car seat (my boyfriend was driving us back home) and I had yelled “PULL OVER HURRY I HAVE TO GO” I was uncomfortably moving in my car at this point in literally nowhere in fort Stockton tx. It was getting worse and worse and I couldn’t bear it any longer…it felt like my body was quivering at this point….my boyfriend was speedinggg down this empty road..to which we were in the middle of literally no where trying to find the next gas station.
My car was going about 100 at this point . I could see the panic on his face…while trying to keep his composure at the same time. I just didn’t want to scream to scare him. As soon as we got to one I ran a beeline for the bathroom…pulled my pants down and out poured immense blood. Could I be hemorrhaging? All of sudden, lemon and golf ball size clots came out of me..about 3 or 4. I was clenching my waist as the pain was EXCRUCIATING. No one told me it would be that bad. Every Reddit or response that I saw about the medicated abortion feelings, was that of a”it’s not that bad just feels like a bad period” well I say NO to that! I maybe passed out in that bathroom, when I woke up I was green and pale ..clammy and I couldn’t not stop shaking…hell…even the walls looked distorted. I truly felt like I was going to die. I have broken my collarbone before, snapped it actually almost in half when I was very young, and this pain surpassed it by miles. I’m actually not sure if my body went into shock from how unbearable the pain was ..but it felt like that. I groaned the more time passed and had to zip it when someone else came in the restroom. The pain and cramps came in about 30 second intervals after a while. I remember spending a good hour or so sitting there maybe 45 min crying and praying the whole time for me to survive this somehow.
I honestly thought someone was going to have to pick up my dead body from that stall. But I needed to be strong. I was wasting time to go home. I started texting my boyfriend and he was about to come in, I realized I couldn’t sit here forever or pass out and him find me like this. So I pulled it together and got up. Cleaned the blood off the toilet, and A girl was waiting for the restroom as soon as I got up and she looked very young. I thought to myself “ she’ll never even know what I went through in there , or why.” When I got back to the car to a very anxious boyfriend all I could do was groan and think “what if you know it was passed in there.” The guilt and pain was too much at that point I basically had to force myself to get it together. Thankfully financial assistance lady came clutch with the heating pads. I really needed those.
Maybe an or two has passed at this point , of me groaning in pain, and screeching about the pain..my poor boyfriend I knew at this point was very worried. But he made me comfortable, just giving me his touch and soft voice. If we needed to pull over then he didn’t mind. The heating pads financial assistance lady gave me were starting off. I started to wish I was more prepared getting a Battery powered heating pad. I had a 7/8 hour drive ahead of me without any cramps relievers and it started to get bad again at this point . We had to pull over again, and this time it was in junction tx. I made another beeline for the restroom and felt a clot literally fall out of me. Like I laid an egg or something. Here I was in my gray sweats beelining to the restroom wobbling running. I pulled my sweats off in the restroom and out falls the huge dark red clot the size of a baseball probably or a little smaller like a large lemon…falls on the floor. I missed the toilet . I stared at it almost astounded that my body is producing that. I hope it wasn’t…you know. I know some women who have dug into them to find ..you know. (It’s hard for me to even say the words sometimes) . I couldn’t bring myself to do that and how would I even? I cleaned everything up and wobbled out. I was hungry and nauseated and needed food. The doctor gave me ibuprofen, a very strong amount to help subside the pain and some nausea pills . (Which didn’t work) . Good old fashioned nuggets from McDonald’s somehow did the trick.
We drive a bit more, and by this time it was dark and we stopped in San Antonio. I was groaning the whole time moaning in pain. It got more bearable as the hours passed. We stopped at another gas station, and decided to get our mom’s a souvenir. It was something I just felt like we could do. I thought about them being grandmothers, and how they’ll never know. But hopefully one day they’ll get to be. And I know they’d be amazing grandmothers. We left and My boyfriend would just hold my hand while he drove and listened to a pod cast . Never in my life had I had a man be this kind and loving to me. What did I do to deserve him? I didn’t pay for much if anything nothing at all this whole trip..the patience , kindness, maturity, emotional intelligence he had was beyond my comprehension. And he’s still like that today. Every guy I dated before would’ve probably left or made this feel like it’s completely my fault and problem . I would’ve been alone. In comes thought number 234455556, how saddened I felt for the women who have had to do this alone.My heart went out to them in that moment, And still does. I would come to learn that one of my bestfriends went through this alone practically. My heart broke. Because no woman should ever have to…support is so important. Being there matters. Healing matters. We still support eachother about this to this day. And I love her 10000%.
We finally arrived in our town area to which I stopped at yet another gas station. Which was the eriest one of all.it was dark and green lighting almost. Like a GTA gas station..Or the back rooms feeling. I did my buisness and realized the bleeding was slowing down. Cramps were less painful now, I could move around more freely now and feel okay.
So we drove back home another 35 min maybe and made it to my house…there it was my home. I missed my dog the entire trip. I raised her and cared of her and I wondered if I was a good mother to her when we pulled in. Crazy how I thought about that after everything. But that’s the life that was mine and mine alone. We walked inside and my mom asked how it went. I know she believed us , I had to even fabricate photos from the web to send to her. I felt terrible for lying, but I didn’t trust my mom would understand. I once saw a video from a college girl from Dallas right after the abortion ban came in effect. She flew to Mississippi with her mother to do that , before that clinic shut down. And I thought “how lucky for her to have a family member support her like that especially her own mother .” I didn’t trust my family would be the same. How unfair I thought too, that some people will preach the word , try to make this about religion and “what’s right” yet not follow their own words or practices. How insane.
My brother and cousins greeted us well, we brought back souvenirs and talked about it.my cousins and brother knew about this atleast where we went , Though they never knew why. Little do some people even know you know?
My boyfriend actually gifted me a ps5 console that night we got back. I was thrilled….that I could have something to pass the time…I loved video games. And that night I bought hogwarts legacy. It would end up being my peace for a while. I cuddled my boyfriend the rest of the night until he had to go home. How odd after everything he had to drive back home and we would have to move on and continue everything back to normal. How to do you even do something like that after everything? How would we cope and grow from this. My whole life from here on out would sound the like song “idea 22” . As the many days and weeks passed I actually continued to bleed for 10 weeks straight. Nonstop, some days lighter than others. I actually tested myself January 12th since my abortion doctor recommended I needed to be sure it was successful.
They would call to follow up after. It came out positive… my heart SANK! I didn’t try to panic too much since I had done some research prior, to which it said that may be the pregnancy hormones left over still, that had not left my body. I thought this was over, and it wasn’t it seemed like it would never be over! I couldn’t go back and drive all that way. My stress would sky rocket from there. That weekend I called an ultra sound clinic to confirm if there was a pregnancy or not. My and my boyfriend went on a Sunday in downtown to go. I was so nervous for an outcome,….that I would see something on the huge screen. I walked in and pulled my pants a little down. The tech looked and looked, and couldn’t not find anything. The whole time I could hear my boyfriend breathing hard. And I could feel his eyes on me. The tech looked at me with sorrowful eyes. But she did not know my circumstance. We paid and then left and I waited for him to come out the restroom. I remember that hallway of the clinic looking so eerie to me, I could not understand why I felt so calm and sorrowful at the same time..was this grief? I saw a very pregnant woman pass by. That would be me if my reality was different I thought. It was so quiet there, I had to soak in what was for a moment . There was nothing there anymore , and I needed to start accepting it. My boyfriend came out , and he looked at me . I bursted into tears and cried yelled on his neck and shoulder and he held me.i cried all that I could.
I never expected myself to do that. I guess the past month was all held in. And in turn when we got to the car he did the same. Your life shifts seeing a very good, and grown man cry. ..to be vulnerable in that way. I had to be there for him as well. He always wanted a girl one day, so I knew he was grieving if that was his chance.
I did not bleed until my first period actually came in February , right before Valentine’s Day. I remember my OB even saying I could “enjoy” Valentine’s Day. I was so eager for the bleeding to stop. I had many OB visits, I was concerned I would need a D&C but that never happened. I actually told my OB I had a miscarriage out of fear I’d be prosecuted or something in my state. How you may be wondering? At around 4-5 weeks the persistent bleeding worried me so I made an appointment playing dumb telling them I found out I was pregnant recently and then believe I had a miscarriage. Seeking healthcare after something like this I feel is very important. I went to work and events like this. But when it came a relief of my shoulders was gone…I even had the most wonderful valentines dinner with my boyfriend at a five star restaurant . We hadn’t felt that relieved in months, we hadn’t had that much since I could remember..we really needed that. We could finally make love again after months ..safely of course. What a joy it was actually.
My second period was in time to be due. This whole time we had never been unsafe. And it was late…I knew and read that this could happen sometimes..but still I started to PANICK. The guilt I felt for stressing my boyfriend out was insane. His patience and kindness was certainly tested..but one could only wish for something like that in a person. I always considered myself lucky. At 8 days late I tested . I hated looking at pregnancy tests..but I had to ease my mind. My boyfriend looked at the result for me and I cried. It was negative. The last time I saw a negative result was soooo long ago. I could sleep a little better. Then it came at 12 days late. I was done freaking out. I was done doing this to myself. I couldn’t live like this. I was done stressing myself out and my partner. I realized I could control certain situations and then I could not. Whatever I could control… I would I decided. But worrying constantly will kill me. Will kill us.
So ends this story. I still think about it often, I still check in weekly with my boyfriend most times,I still wish I could tell certain people but I am not ready yet , I still think of what could have been, do I regret it? No not really ..do I feel sad sometimes..yes. I still feel I made the right choice. I still feel like it was a movie for me. I have learned to admire myself and the other women before me with the courage to do what they felt is their choice. It’s a process ..to all of you reading. It truly is. But you are all strong beautiful women, and you are not alone.
I plan on getting a tattoo of a ladybug soon. Ever since all of it, ladybugs have landed on me and my partner in the weirdest places, most random of places. We take it as a sign we are still loved and watched over. My heart is filled with love now. And my mind and body with healing. And as I grow old and grey, I will never forget. It will always be a part of me. 🐞

Three years ago I was a high school English teacher. Today, I'm a cybersecurity engineer. This is how I did it (and what mistakes to avoid).
Shameless plug (My video series: https://www.youtube.com/@Kyle.Marvin/)
Cybersecurity Overview
Three questions to start us off:
1. What is Information Technology and what other IT jobs besides security pay well?

1. What is cybersecurity and what your job duties would be?
   
2. And what is this about red/blue/purple teams that make up IT Security?
   

Main IT Domains
1. Networking. Network engineers design, implement, and manage network infrastructure, such as routers, switches, and firewalls.
2. Cloud. Cloud engineers do the same, but with cloud-based infrastructure and services.

1. System Administration. System administrators handle user account management, data backups, and system updates.

4. Help Desk. Help Desk technicians serve as the first point of contact for users seeking assistance.

Cybersecurity Analyst / Engineer Job duties:

1. Investigating security alerts, such as potential malware on a machine

2. Reviewing emails for indicators such as malicious links or attachments
3. DNS Filtering so that if a user does click a link, it doesn’t have a malicious effect
4. Conducting vulnerability assessments to find weaknesses in our infrastructure
5. Developing security policies, like Acceptable Use documents
6. Implementing security controls like MFA and EDR

1. Incident response during a data breach

8. Training users to have a security mindset

1. Audit for compliance to industry regulations such as HIPAA and PCI DSS

10. Identity Protection to ensure only authorized users gain access to company resources

Red vs. Blue vs. Purple
Blue Team: Their job is to set up a company’s defenses. Like mentioned earlier: they do email security, endpoint protection, DNS filtering, and respond to alerts. Their job is to try and keep all the bad actors out.
Red Team: These folks get paid to be “ethical” or “white hat” hackers. Yes - companies pay people to try and break through the blue team’s defenses. They may use social engineering (the act of manipulating people) or they may use technical skills, such as finding exploits and vulnerabilities in defenses.
Purple Team: Sometimes, the red and blue teams come together for military style exercises where the red team tries to break into something and the blue team defends. These are called purple team exercises. A few companies will even have a dedicated role for purple teamers to manage these exercises.

Why Choose Cybersecurity?
1. I work more with things now than I do with people. There are people-centered security positions, but there are also positions that focus on (non-coding) tech skills.
2. Median pay is $120,000 a year Information Security Analysts : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
3. Job growth of 32% into 2032 Cybersecurity Salary Guide: How Much Can You Earn? – Forbes Advisor
4. Cybercrime is MASSIVELY profitable. Companies need digital police. They need YOU. 2022 Cybersecurity Almanac: 100 Facts, Figures, Predictions And Statistics (cybersecurityventures.com)
5. Make a positive impact on the world by thwarting cybercrime.

Security (and IT) Certifications
Certification: CompTIA A+
Why: It helped me get interviews and ultimately land an entry-level IT role.
Who’s it for: Folks with no background in tech looking to break into the industry.

Certification: CompTIA Network+
Why: You may need more than A+ on your resume to land a job. Also, you NEED to know how networking works.
Who’s it for: Folks with no background in tech looking to break into the industry. If you already have an IT job, skip the test, but study the material! (CCNA is a good alternative IF you want to do network security).

Certification: CompTIA Security+
Why: Allows you to apply for secret and top secret security positions (DoD certified). Gives a good theoretical understanding of security.
Who’s it for: Folks with tech background looking to break into cybersecurity.

Then I would get one of the following:
Certification: BTL1 Blue Team Level 1 Certification » Security Blue Team
Why: Good entry-level certification to build hands-on defensive skills

Certification: eJPT eJPT Certification - INE Security
Why: Good entry-level certification to build hands-on offensive skills

Certification: PNPT Practical Network Penetration Tester (PNPT) - TCM Security (tcm-sec.com)
Why: Good entry-level certification to build hands-on offensive skills

Honorable Mentions
Google IT Support Professional Google IT Support Professional Certificate Coursera
Google Cybersecurity Professional Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate Coursera
Why Honorable only? They did not help me land a job, but have excellent content. CompTIA moved the needle for me in terms of interviews of job offers.

Security Projects
Email Security
Buy a domain and get yourself a personalized email address. Configure the DNS records (SPF, DMARC) to ensure it’s secure. You can add this address to your resume and highlight it as a skill you now have experience with! SO many companies do not have DMARC setup correctly and this is a HIGH demand skill. Email is the number 1 path for threat actors to compromise accounts. Knowing how to secure email is a must.
Antivirus
Find and install a free antivirus program, such as MalwareBytes on virtual machine. Look through all the configurations and see what changes you can make.
While on the virtual machine, download Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) and see how the AV reacts. Try downloading EICAR (European Institute for Computer Anti-Virus Research) and testing with that.
See if you can block files by hash. If you can, create a .exe file with some code from ChatGPT (maybe a PowerShell script that grabs system info and writes it to a .txt file), grab its hash, block it in the AV by adding the hash, then try to execute the file.
Security Awareness Training
Go through your personal email, hit your spam/junk folder, and you won’t have to dig long. Find out how to determine what malicious indicators are, and then create thorough walk-throughs on a few emails, highlighting what evidence you found, and how that evidence led to your conclusion.
Post these on Medium for visibility. Create a mini-course on educating users to not click on links, input their credentials, download files, verify if an email is from a trusted sender, etc.
You can take this to the next level by automating portions of this process: have a python script scan the headers, pull just the info you require, and then utilize APIs to analyze that data.
Network Security
pfSense is an open source firewall that you can setup in your home environment. OR if you have a spare Raspberry PI, then setup OpenWRT. Either are great options.
If you are not an active administrator of your home network, now is the time to start! Learning to secure your home environment will go a long way to securing an enterprise environment. Frankly you can just start off with the gear you have and see what options you can enable to increase security.
DNS Filtering
You can set up OpenDNS for 20$ a year or free!
Download, install, setup, and test. Can you get to websites you shouldn’t? What can you block? What should you block? What should an organization block to increase productivity and security?
Up your DNS filtering game by setting up multiple profiles that allow certain users access to some sites that others don’t have access to. For instance, allow Facebook for someone and block it for another user.
Document this process! Create a write-up or video or podcast. Post it online and share it with the community.
Password manager
Managing passwords is a pain. Do you know how many accounts you have? do you know if any have been compromised? So many folks use multiple open-source PWMs, such as chrome, firefox, edge…and more. Consolidate your passwords into a single location, update them to be secure, delete old/unnecessary accounts, enable MFA where you can.
Do you already pay for Nord VPN? Well they include a PWM. Or there’s a ton of options out there that are really affordable.
Do some research: should you use a cloud PWM? Or should you setup an on-prem Raspberry PI PWM? Find the option that suits your needs and get it going!

Bonus Projects
1. Eric Capuano wrote a 4-part blog series that details how to set up a homelab SOC Analyst style. https://blog.ecapuano.com/p/so-you-want-to-be-a-soc-analyst-intro
2. Reverse Malware Analysis by TCM Security https://academy.tcm-sec.com/

Wargames
Capture-the-Flag (CTF) events are cybersecurity competitions designed to test participants' skills in various aspects of information security. They involve solving a series of challenges that simulate real-world security scenarios. Participants are often organized into teams and compete to uncover hidden flags or solve puzzles to score points.
Six Reasons to Compete in a Wargame
1. CTF challenges cover a wide range of technical areas, including network security, cryptography, web security, reverse engineering, forensics, and more.
2. Participants must apply problem-solving techniques, analyze vulnerabilities, devise strategies, and explore different approaches to overcome obstacles.
3. Events often require participants to work together to solve challenges and maximize their score. The ability to work well in a team is highly valuable in real-world cybersecurity scenarios.
4. CTFs put participants under pressure to solve challenges within a limited timeframe, which helps develop time management skills, improve decision-making under pressure, and enhance your ability to prioritize tasks effectively.
5. Engaging in the CTF community allows participants to network, exchange knowledge, and build relationships that can be beneficial for career advancement and future collaborations.
6. Placing in the top 3 in a CTF is an accomplishment worth noting on your resume and demonstrates to employers that you have the previously mentioned skills.

Types of Wargames
Jeopardy
In this type of CTF, teams are given a board that looks like jeopardy with certain categories, such as OSINT, PWN, Crypto, etc. and there are multiple tasks worth varying points, for instance, PWN for 500. Completing these tasks awards points to a team.
Attack-Defense
A “gameserver” is provided by the organizers and runs throughout the competition and periodically stores flags on your Vulnbox
The Vulnbox is your running instance of the virtual machine given to you by the organizers. It runs all the services that the gameserver uses to store flags. Your job is to protect your flags by securing the services and ensure your VM is not exploitable (the Defense part of the game).
The other teams all have their vulnboxes, and after about an hour, the network will open up so that the other teams can start exploiting (aka the Attack phase) your machine and find flags. Successfully stealing and submitting flags from the Vulnbox of other teams determines your attack score!
Technical Preparation
College
Is college required? No. Does it help? Yes.
I have a B.A. in English – not tech related at all and this was more than sufficient to get a job. Many of my coworkers do not have degrees at all.
WGU has a popular program - Cybersecurity Courses Online – Bachelor’s Degree WGU

Bootcamps
Required? No. Helpful? Maybe.
Check out pay-what-you-can training from SANS instructors at Antisyphon https://www.antisyphontraining.com/
or
Popular YouTuber and Security Engineer Josh Madakor also has a bootcamp. https://www.youtube.com/@JoshMadakor

Technical Skills Development
Defensive Skill Building
1. Blue Team Labs Online BTLO (blueteamlabs.online)
Offensive Skill Building (ethical hacking, penetration testing, application security)
1. Hack the Box
a. Academy (for beginners) Best Online Cybersecurity Courses & Certifications HTB Academy (hackthebox.com)
b. Labs (beginner to advanced) Hack The Box :: Login
2. TryHackMe TryHackMe Cyber Security Training

Podcasts
Darknet Diaries – True stories from the dark side of the internet by Jack Rhysider (SO GOOD). Darknet Diaries – True stories from the dark side of the Internet.
Daily Cyber Threat Brief - Do You Know How EPIC Simply Cyber Is? (Max Nitro Edition) (youtube.com)

Books
1. Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War by Fred Kaplan
Dark Territory recounts the history of cyber warfare in the United States before the word “Cyber” was even coined. It covers a comprehensive understanding of how America began its cyber programs from the Cold War up through the Obama administration.
It is less about specific cyber attacks or exploits, although it does cover many, and more about the history behind the CIA, NSA, FBI, and all the other alphabet soup of the American government.

2. You’ll See This Message When It’s Too Late by Josephine Wolff
The first section recounts 3 major financially motivated cyber incidents: TXJ breach, South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) and the Zues botnet / Cryptolocker. You’ll get a good understanding of some defensive measures to thwart financial cyber crimes, along with a great history lesson.
The second section deals with cyber-espionage: DigiNotar (a certificate authority), China’s PLA Unit 61398, and the breach to the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The defensive measures one might take to counteract these crimes has some overlap, but is interestingly more difficult to prevent.
The third section highlights cyber acts of public humiliation: Spamhaus’ DDoS, Sony’s Breach (one of many), and the adulterous Ashley Madison website. These crimes are perhaps the most difficult to thwart and as the motivations and information required are different.
The final section is something of a review. It focuses on potential solutions to issues, the underlying economic costs, and the legislative agenda tied to these issues.

3. Cybersecurity and Cyberwar by P.W. Singer & Allan Friedman
The book delves into the history and current state of cyber warfare, providing a detailed look at the players, the technology, and the politics involved, from state-sponsored hackers to cybercrime syndicates, the authors take readers on a journey through the dark corners of the internet.
It also offers practical advice on how to protect yourself and your organization from cyber-attacks. From understanding the basics of computer security to implementing advanced security measures, it’s packed with actionable tips and tricks to help you stay safe online.

Defense in Depth
There are four types of controls (OK – there’s actually more) that, when combined, help create a defense in depth strategy. For instance, locking your front door, installing a camera and flood light, owning a big dog, and having a silent alarm is a defense in depth strategy to keep your home safe.
- The floodlight and camera are deterrents, which reduce the likelihood of being attacked.
- The lock on the front door is preventative, intended to make an attack unsuccessful.
- The big dog can reduce the effect of a break in, a corrective control.
- The silent alarm, a detective control, can signal the cops to come investigate.
Learn more here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-types-security-controls-expert-explains-purple-sec/
So what?
Cybersecurity has multiple domains where we implement multiple control types. Each of these can be a sub-specialty within security.

Email Security
According to Deloitte, 91% of all cyber attacks begin with a phishing email. Therefore, email security is a top priority. 91% of all cyber attacks begin with a phishing email to an unexpected victim Deloitte Malaysia Risk Advisory Press releases
As a security analyst, you’ll have two jobs:
1. Review user submitted emails to see if they are malicious, spam, or legitimate
2. Create email security policies to prevent malicious emails.

Endpoint Protection
As a Security Analyst, you’ll likely be responding to many AV or EDR alerts. For instance, your AV may be configured to block, quarantine, ignore, or delete files and processes. Depending on the situation, you’ll need to figure out if the file or process is malicious and how did it get to the endpoint in the first place. Did the user click a link? Did they download something they shouldn't have? Did they plug in a USB they found on the street?
A company’s worst nightmare is ransomware. This is a primary tool to prevent that.

Security Awareness Training
Backstory before we discuss this one.
Stuxnet was a computer worm that was discovered in 2010 and is believed to have been developed jointly by the United States and Israel. It was designed to target industrial control systems and specifically the centrifuges used by Iran in their nuclear program. The worm was able to infiltrate these systems by exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities and spread to other systems through removable drives and network connections.
What that means is, no security controls that we as analysts could configure would have prevented this malware. The question remains, how did this malware get into their system in the first place? After all, Iran’s nuclear program was air-gapped (not connected to the internet). So how did malware get on a system if there was no network connected to it?
User error.
USB drives were dropped into the Iranian parking lot surrounding the nuclear facility. Users would have had to pick one up, take it inside, pass security check points, and plug it into their work computers.
Now, you may think to yourself, “what idiot is dumb enough to do that?” My answer would be: it takes a very special type of tinfoil paranoia and extreme distrust to be immune to trickery.
But it still begs the question, how could this have been prevented? (Hint: it’s in the section title).

DNS Filtering
People like to click things. Things they shouldn’t. This is why phishing emails are so successful. People are click happy. So how do we protect against happy-clickers? DNS Filtering.

SIEM/SOAR
The tool of all tools. The SIEM gathers logs from everywhere and generates alerts for analysts to investigate. You can extend the functionality with SOAR but automating investigations.

Identity Access Management
With users now working remotely and using their own devices, how do we ensure that only legitimate users gain access to the correct resources?

Volunteering
Need experience to get a job? Need a job to get experience? Need experience to get a…well shit. How do we hack the cycle?
You can find volunteering opportunities at your local non-profits (food bank, community centers, libraries) or you can ask to work on security projects at your current company (for those of you who are currently entry-level IT, this is the best way to get experience).
If you need IT experience, check out ITDRC where you can volunteer in person or remotely. https://www.itdrc.org/

Additional Resources
Certifications
Security Certification Roadmap https://pauljerimy.com/security-certification-roadmap/
CompTIA A+ https://www.comptia.org/certifications/a
CompTIA Network+ https://www.comptia.org/certifications/network
CompTIA Security+ https://www.comptia.org/certifications/security
BTL1 https://www.securityblue.team/why-btl1/
eJPT https://security.ine.com/certifications/ejpt-certification/
PNPT https://certifications.tcm-sec.com/pnpt/
Google IT Support https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/google-it-support
Google Cybersecurity https://www.coursera.org/google-certificates/cybersecurity-certificate?

CompTIA Training
Professor Messer https://www.youtube.com/@professormesser
Mike Meyers https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?q=mike+meyers&src=sac&kw=mike+meyers
Jason Dion https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?src=ukw&q=jason+dion

Books
Cybersecurity and Cyberwar https://www.amazon.com/dp/1515950247/
Dark Territory https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010MHABUY/
You’ll See This Message When It Is Too Late https://www.amazon.com/dp/0262038854/
Atomic Habits https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RFSSYBH/
Speak to Win https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LV3UTK/
The Compound Effect https://www.amazon.com/dp/0306924633/
Meaningful Small Talk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WTWBVK8/

Podcasts
Darknet Diaries https://darknetdiaries.com/
SimplyCyber https://www.youtube.com/@SimplyCyber
Other Podcasts https://www.sans.org/blog/cybersecurity-podcast-roundup/

Reddit
Mentorship Monday https://www.reddit.com/cybersecurity/

Freemium Training
TryHackMe https://tryhackme.com
HackTheBox – Labs https://app.hackthebox.com/
HackTheBox – Academy https://academy.hackthebox.com/
Blue Team Labs Online https://blueteamlabs.online/
Over The Wire https://overthewire.org/wargames/

Projects
So you want to be a SOC analyst https://blog.ecapuano.com/p/so-you-want-to-be-a-soc-analyst-intro
TCM Security https://academy.tcm-sec.com/courses/
TCM Malware Analysis https://academy.tcm-sec.com/courses/enrolled/1547503

Online Degrees https://www.wgu.edu/online-it-degrees/bachelors-programs.html

Bootcamps
Antisyphon https://www.antisyphontraining.com/course-catalog/
Josh Madakor https://joshmadakor.tech/cybe

YouTubers
John Hammond https://www.youtube.com/@_JohnHammond
The Cyber Mentor https://www.youtube.com/@TCMSecurityAcademy
David Bombal https://www.youtube.com/@davidbombal
Kyle Marvin (shameless plug) https://www.youtube.com/@kyle.marvin

Volunteering
ITDRC https://www.itdrc.org/volunteer

CTFs
HackTheBox – CTFs https://ctf.hackthebox.com/
PicoCTF https://www.picoctf.org/
CTF Time https://ctftime.org/event/list/upcoming

Conferences
DEF CON https://defcon.org/
Black Hat https://www.blackhat.com/us-24/
Wild West Hackin’ Fest https://wildwesthackinfest.com/
I created this post and YouTube channel because I see the same questions in Mentorship Monday every week. I hope to update this resource and keep it as a go-to guide for new folks looking to break into the industry. Please ask questions, recommend content to add/remove, and help make this post awesome. I appreciate y'all!

Demographics
Gender: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)
Residence: California
Income Bracket: Won’t get aid anywhere
Type of School: Small (~130 students per year), Private, Academically competitive
Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): None
Intended Major(s): Computer Science or Robotics
Academics
GPA (UW/W): 3.89/4.41 (3.97 for UW for UCs)
Rank (or percentile): School doesn’t do ranking
# of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: 14 Honors (school got rid of AP classes)
Senior Year Course Load: Max allowed to take: Honors Economics, Honors American Literature, Race and Religion (graduation requirement), Advanced Honors Computer Science, Honors Calc BC, Advanced Honors Physics
Standardized Testing (List the highest scores earned and all scores that were reported.)
ACT: 35 (36 E, 33 M, 35 R, 35 S)
AP: Stats (5), Bio (5), APUSH (5), CSA (5), Euro (4), (Planned: Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Calc BC, Physics C: E&M, Physics C: Mech)
Extracurriculars/Activities (List all extracurricular involvements, including leadership roles, time commitments, major achievements, etc.)
#1: COSMOS—Selected to UCSD's four week on-campus COSMOS program for Cluster 10: Robot Inventors. Time was split between lectures from professors and guest speakers and hands-on work in the lab. Collaborated to solve different challenges culminating in the creation of a custom robot that included the user of a laser cutter and 3D printer. (4w, 55.0 hw of classes)
#2: Rapidly Manufactured Robot Challenge team member—Prepared for and competed at RoboCup 2023 in Bordeaux, France (only US high school team to qualify) with our rugged terrain-navigating search and rescue robot with advanced cameras for mapping and QR code detection. Currently preparing for RoboCup 2024 with semi-weekly team meetings to improve our robot and train younger members to take over senior roles. (2 yr, 40 w/yr, 6 hw)
#3: The League of Amazing Programmers—Completed all 9 levels of hands-on, project-based Java curriculum and passed the OCA (Oracle Certified Associate) exam. Currently a TA instructing students of varying levels. Co-founded "League XP," a group of program graduates who are working to develop and commercialize projects, including meeting with corporate counsel and venture capitalists. (4 yr, 40 w/yr, 4 hw)
#4: Co-founder and member of school's CyberPatriots team—Compete in multiple rounds annually in a national US Air Force-sponsored event that tests a team's ability to defend a computer network against threats. Mentor junior teams through weekly coaching sessions to pass down technical knowledge and competition advice. For the first time this year, we qualified for the semifinal round of the CyberPatriot competition and placed in the top 100 out of the more than 5,000 international teams competing. (4 yr, 41 w/yr, 3 hw)
#5: High School Book Exchange Website—Primary caretaker and updater for my high school's book exchange website. Assist with improving the code, adding new features, and managing data. The site is used by parent volunteers to record and track student transactions and manage inventory. (2 yr, 8 w/yr, 6 hw)
#6: Teen Volunteers in Action—Organization of young men who volunteer their time with family members to participate in volunteer programs and philanthropy throughout San Diego. Participated in a variety of activities such as Burrito Boyz where we made over 700 burritos and distributed them along with other needed items to the unsheltered in Downtown San Diego, San Dieguito County Park cleaning and beautification, San Diego beach cleanups, and helped serve lunch and play bingo at the Gary & Mary West Senior Center. (4 yr, 5 w/yr, 3 hw)
#7: High School Soccer—Played for the Bishop's high school soccer team all four years. Progressed from Junior Varsity in 9th and 10th grade to Varsity for 11th and 12th grade playing left defense. 2023 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Champions. (4 yr, 22 w/yr, 10 hw)
#8: High School Tennis—Played for the school's high school tennis team. Could not play in 9th grade due to COVID causing the schedule to overlap with soccer or 11th grade due to an injury sustained in the soccer season. (2 yr, 10 w/yr, 8 hw)
#9: Club Soccer—Play year-round competitive soccer. Currently playing for La Jolla Impact. Played various positions including left midfield and left striker. (4 yr, 5 w/yr, 3 hw)
#10: TOPSoccer—Soccer program for young players with cognitive and/or physical disabilities with the goal of fostering physical, mental, and emotional growth and instilling self-confidence and self-pride through soccer. Lead stretches and warm-ups and organize soccer drills. Pair up one-on-one with a player and help coach players through on-field soccer-based activities and fun games. Encourage a positive and inclusive atmosphere. (2 yr, 8 w/yr, 1 hw)
#11: Coding for Game Design—Selected to attend NYU's on-campus CREATE Lab video game design program. Time was split between lectures on principles of game design and collaborative projects leading to the development of a custom video game as a group project. (2 w, 35 hw of classes)
#12: InspiritAI—Participated in InspiritAI's artificial intelligence program for high school students workshop on the application of machine learning and AI using various libraries, tools, and techniques to tackle problems such as computer vision and classification. (2 w, 16 hw)
#13: UCSD Qualcomm Big Data Camp—Immersion in data science and real-world application through statistics and personal computing (KNIME software). Completed project analyzing the role of socioeconomic status on survival rates relating to the Titanic shipwreck. (1 wk, 30 hw)
#14: Hiking—Started hiking with my friends at the start of the pandemic. Worked our way up from local hikes to completion of Mt. Baldy, Upper Yosemite Falls, Ribbon Falls, and the Six Peaks of San Diego with the goal of hiking Mt. Whitney and Half Dome. (4 yr, 9 w/yr, 5 hw)#14: Linear Algebra—Due to scheduling limitations, I am only permitted to audit this course in linear algebra that is building towards the exploration of the math behind artificial intelligence. The course is an independent study where the students collectively decide the direction of the work alongside a teachementor. (18 w/yr, 4 hw)
Awards/Honors (List all awards and honors submitted on your application.)
#1: Joe Watson Best Team Player Award—Awarded to one student per cluster of the UCSD COSMOS program, selected by my peers and professors. Displayed strong leadership skills throughout the four week UCSD COSMOS robotics cluster. Recognized for my outstanding performance as a collaborator and team player.
#2: Editor's Choice Award—Awarded to one group at the Coding for Game Design High School Summer Program at NYU for the best game of the summer, selected by the professors. Organized and guided a multi-disciplinary group in the ideation and production of a 2D action platformer video game which incorporated the key elements of a successful game, as learned during the course.
#3: AP Scholar with Distinction Award—five 4+ scores on AP tests and average AP score greater than 5
#4: National Merit Commended Scholar—From the 2021 PSAT
#5: French Honors Society—La Société Honoraire de Français recognizes outstanding scholarship in the study of French language. The chapter provides a vehicle for focusing activities around French language and culture.
Letters of Recommendation (Briefly describe relationships with your recommenders and estimated rating.)
#1: CS Teacher: He is the head and almost the entirety of our schools CS and robotics departments/etc. He has been my teacher since 10th grade and he is our robotics team’s mentor. He has seen the best of me (in terms of the work I produce and in terms of teamwork/personality/etc). (10/10)
#2: 11th Grade English Teacher: Unfortunately some of the schools I applied to needed a STEM and non-STEM letter. I could not ask any of my history teachers (one left and the other is the head of speech and debate and got too many requests for me to ask them). In 11th grade I took two 1 semester English classes (and asked one of those teachers). I did good work and participated in discussions, but I only had the teacher for 1 semester. (~6/10).
Interviews
MIT: A disaster. The interview seemed very focused on my achievements and when I tried to talk about our robotics team’s trip to France and how we were able to preserve and how much we learned, her comment was: so you didn’t win?
Harvey Mudd: I think it went okay. He seemed to understand how much my activities meant to me and why I did them, but I feel like it did not really add much to my application.
UPenn: Of the 3, it felt the best. I got along great with my interviewer and it felt a lot more like a 2 way conversation than a Q&A session. He seemed genuinely interested in all of my activities and I got a lot more time and freedom to talk about the importance of my non-STEM activities (ex: hiking, TOPSoccer, etc).
Essays
I am not a great writer, but I felt like my essays were the best pieces of writing I have produced. I felt like each essay really represented me as a person and showed what mattered to me and why. My common app essay was about our robotics team’s struggles in France and how our expectations and goal of winning was not the most important takeaway from the competition (we got last). Instead it was about learning and the bond of teamwork that comes with working shoulder to shoulder overnight in a hotel lobby trying to fix our robot and how 24 hours after the competition I immediately took what I learned and applied it at COSMOS and the success that resulted from that. My supplementals for most places were usually pretty good except for the diversity essay. For those, I generally turned it on how diverse skill sets are crucial to success using the example of the NYU summer program and our group’s success. For the why major questions I tried to show how I enjoy CS because it enables me to help other people (ex: book exchange, TA, etc). I also had a good topic of my Linear Algebra and the Math behind AI independent study, where even though my school wasn’t going to give me credit, that wasn’t why I was doing it. (Instead it was about learning and enjoying working closely with other students where we each had different focused/desired takeaways but were able to tackle a bigger subject.)
Decisions (indicate ED/EA/REA/SCEA/RD)
Acceptances:
Santa Clara University (EA)
Purdue University (EA -> deferred -> accepted)
University of Colorado Boulder (EA)
University of Oregon (EA/Rolling)
University of New Mexico (EA/Rolling)
San Diego State University (RD/Rolling)
University of California Santa Cruz (RD)
Waitlists:
University of Michigan (EA -> deferred -> waitlisted)
Northeastern University (EA -> deferred -> waitlisted)
University of California Davis (RD)
University of California Irvine (RD)
Carnegie Mellon University (RD)
Boston University (RD)
Rejections:
Harvest Mudd College (ED2)
University of California San Diego (RD)
University of Southern California (EA -> deferred -> rejected)
Georgia Institute of Technology (EA -> deferred -> rejected)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (EA -> deferred -> rejected)
University of Washington (EA)
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (RD)
University of California Los Angeles (RD)
University of California Berkeley (RD)
University of California Santa Barbara (RD)
Columbia University (RD)
Harvard University (RD)
Yale University (RD)
California Institute of Technology (RD)
Washington University (St. Louis) (RD)
New York University (RD)
University of Pennsylvania (RD)
Additional Information:
To quickly expand on my school: generally very academically hard for most people* but not really “competitive.” People are very willing to work on homework together, cross compile notes, help each other prepare for tests, and many classes are designed with this in mind. In general, most people from my school go to smaller private/liberal arts colleges, but many go to Ivies/HYPSM (both for academics and we have a lot of sports commits, last year was a bit of an outlier but we had ~14 go for academics). (*The first thing most of my friends would say about my school is that it is hard and they get no sleep, but I mostly had a different experience. I was able to keep similabetter grades and activities/sports while going to bed at 10PM and not doing any work past 8/9PM.)
To expand on the rankings: I know I am at least in the top 20% and from comparing grades with others, I am at the top of the group behind the people who have a 4.0 UW.
Reflection
I knew from the start that my college results would not define the rest of my life and where I applied/wanted to go would not be based on name/prestige/ranking. I genuinely love school and I do the activities/etc that I do because I actually enjoy them (both are significantly different to a lot of my friends) and I know that wherever I go, I know I will do great. Also I knew that:

• Comparison is the thief of joy: I would not compare my results to anyone else's or feel bad that the school I end up getting into is ranked X while someone else gets into a school ranked X - 1
• I also would take each rejection in a personal way: If I was rejected, it was a sign that I would not be happy there. It would be likely some combination of the academics would be too hard or the fit was not good.

However, despite knowing all this, I still feel generally unhappy with my results. By far, of the 30 places I applied to, UCSD and Harvey Mudd were my top 2 choices. While obviously I would have been very happy if I got into any of the reach schools I applied to (Ivies, UC Berkeley, CalTech, UW Georgia Tech, etc), I feel like I did not fully consider the fact that I would not end up at UCSD or Harvey Mudd. I liked my school college counselor (even if she was mostly an echo chamber instead of guiding advice), but I feel like she very heavily implied that I had very good chances at UCSD and Harvey Mudd and said my essays were the best she had ever read and was very surprised when I told her my results.
Also, in spite of what I said earlier, it is hard not feeling the pressures of not going to a very very very highly ranked/prestigious school. It doesn’t help that my friends are going to Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Cornell, UMich, Harvard, Yale, and Berkeley mostly for CS/STEM and my parents and 7 of their cousins went to Berkeley. I think these feelings are not necessarily: “X got into a higher rank than me,” but more on the lines of: “X is going somewhere they wanted to go” and there is that open question of if I did get in to one of those, would I be happier because at least the fact that it is very very very very highly ranked makes up for my lack of excitement. Again, contrary to what I said earlier, I did end up applying to almost all of the top ranked schools in the US. However, I think there is also the question of (at least from my parents) if I applied and happened to get lucky at some of the other top schools I didn’t apply to (Cornell, Dartmouth, etc)* as some of my friends got in despite getting into no UCs. (*Parents consoled against those 2 especially initially; Cornell: people are depressed there and the weather is bad and Dartmouth: “worst of the Ivies”.)
I think my only 3 regrets of high school were:

• Not skipping a math level when I had the option to;
• Not spending more time looking into/visiting colleges before picking which ones I wanted to apply to (or maybe not "shotgunning" harder because I had more than enough time/energy to submit more applications that had good quality);
• And not retaking the ACT. On practice tests, I had been getting close to perfect in all 4 sections but on the actual test I missed like 12 questions on the math section which was usually my strongest. (Also parents really wanted a 36 overall.)

Overall, writing this has been mostly therapeutic and helped me (sort of) organize why I am still a little unhappy. I would like to finish by again saying: my parents are very supportive of whatever decision I make and not openly sad/disappointed/angry and I know that I will do great and I am not worried (just unhappy that I might end up where it snows…).

I'm not yet old enough to enlist, but I'm planning on doing so once I turn 17. I've done lots of research, and I think I want to be a 12b. As an engineer MOS, I'd assume it's a male-dominated area. I'm female. What's the situation like for a female soldier in a predominantly male field?
Also, would it be better to join an ROTC in college before enlisting, or go to a military academy, as opposed to being an enlisted soldier?
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What’s the quality of life for a 68W wanting to be stationed in Hawaii? I’ve got an Option 19 on my contract and my wife and I are trying to decide a good location for her to be able to work and also enjoy not being stuck in BFE like we have most of our lives. 24M if that matters at all. Thanks in advance!
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I am a college student, graduating in 8-14 months, for Management Information Systems. I have a lot of corporate software internship experience but I am looking to join the army because I can't imagine doing a desk job (at least at this point in life). Given my education I am only considering Intelligence or Cyber, and most likely 17C. As far as I've been informed nothing is as technical (software not hardware like 35T) or translates to post-service. I am looking to sign an option 40, spend a year in a Ranger Battalion, then go for special forces after I've given my time there. I've seen that Rangers are open to 17C enlistments. I am not signing a 18x contract because I have no experience with the military and I think would be better off taking it slow and acclimating both physically and mentally. I did not do army ROTC and at this point it is too late for me to join up. I am only interested in joining the army to go for Ranger or SF. Hopefully I can integrate my college and work experience into it, but if I had to make a decision I would prioritize RangeSF over getting the ideal technical MOS. I took the picat and got 99th percentile, not sure about line scores. Soon to go to MEPS. I am physically fit, but not at the level of rucking 100lbs for 8 hours. TLDR- I want action in the army as well as technical stuff, so I can do high priced contracting or maybe three letter work after I get out. Few questions: Is 17C my best bet? Should I look at OCS and how does that work (what part of the process)? What is the minimum time for a contract like this? Does this whole plan make sense? Please let me know if I am missing any information or if there are any different or better ideas. (Or ask me any questions)
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What are the differences between 35L and 35M? How do I know which one is best for me to reclassify as?
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Hello all! I am writing to get some clarification on MEPS. I am 22 years old and ready to serve my country. I have met with my recruiter and was asked about my medical history. I had a diagnosis of ADHD in high school, which I have now outgrown. I was also prescribed an antidepressant in 2018 (during high school) and again in 2021. I refilled both prescriptions twice in my life. I have been transparent with the recruiter and he suggested I fill out a waiver for the ADHD. I have obtained my prescription record which corroborates that I only refilled an antidepressant RX twice and have not taken medication or seen a doctor since 2021. As I entered adulthood I have learned to cope by eating healthier, staying active and educating himself on importance of maintaining a balanced lifestyle. My question is will MEPS disqualify me based on my history with depression from 3 years ago? Will I be ok to enlist? Have you had a similar experience? Thanking everyone in advance for your anticipated suggestions and guidance.
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Im graduating high school in the summer and plan on enlisting in the Army. I've got around 5 months left for my braces and I saw online that you can't go to basic with braces. Should I visit my recruiter and pick a ship out date (after hashing everything out, including taking the ASVAB) or should I just wait until then and maybe get a bonus for shipping out within 30 days then?
Also the MOS that I want, 27D has an ASVAB score recuirement of 105 Clerical, if I don't achieve that score on the first try, can I retake it or is it one and done?
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Does the Army have a plan for deploying units during mobilization? Many armies have reserve units that will be deployed in the event of a major conflict, filled with equipment taken from storage and mobilized soldiers. Do such units exist in the US Army? As far as I know they existed before 1991, but I don’t know the current situation
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I am 16 years old, waiting to enroll once I’m 17. I currently take EMS classes, and I’m interested in being a Flight Medic in the Army. If anyone is a Flight Medic, then I’d like to know what it’s exactly like being one? I’m also open for any advice on how to decide between all of the careers. I love to help people and work with trauma patients, but I’d also love to be on the ground and much closer to the combat, possibly in it too, but I don’t know if I’d want to take that big of a risk.
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I'm enlisting as a 68D in May. What is your day-to-day like? Is this job transferable to the civilian side?
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Info on mos 13f
Was just curious on the everyday life and the goods and bads. My Asvab score allows me almost any job but this one has stuck out the most.
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How do you Army Chaplains like your job? Do you have any extra info or tips on what they do and how you become one? And is it possible to reclass into one?
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Fort Meade (Civilian)
I have a family member who just moved to work at fort Meade as a civilian and I looking for others who live on base to get to know and hang out with (bonus points if they’re on or close to Reece Crossings!) It was a huge change and he moved so far from home and is trying get to know some new people. Any social media groups or advice is super helpful!
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Can anyone offer any insight on being an Army Guard infantry officer? Looking for overall job satisfaction, pros & cons. I know it’ll differ state to state however any kind of insight would be appreciated. My husband is prior service AD army, 11B. He’s currently deciding between enlisted air guard eod & army guard infantry. There’s many pros and cons to both, but right now we just don’t have any contacts to get in touch with to get an honest feel for what officer life in army guard is like so it’s making the decision difficult. I’ve been air guard for 10 years, so we’re very familiar with the unit & are able to talk to the shop directly. Right now commissioning is appealing, and it’s much easier process in army than air guard. He’s fully qualified, done with Meps and we’re really just at the deciding stage. Any thoughts are appreciated!
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What MOS should I pick?
So I’m thinking of joining the Army, and since they’re the only branch I qualify for, I was wondering what my options are.
Why do I want to join? Well, there’s not a lot of opportunity for me at home. Most jobs available are not only dead ends, but I can’t even get one single fast food job because they’re all taken.
I have no money to go to a university, and since I can’t get a job, I can barely pay for community college. Financial aid doesn’t cover my costs either.
I scored a 69 on the ASVAB. Here are my line scores:
GT106 CL108 CO105 EL104 FA106 GM102 MM99
OF103 SC106 ST107
For jobs, for starters, I’d love to travel a lot. I think that would be pretty fun. Initially I wanted to do fixed wing aviation in the Air Force or Navy, but they won’t take me, and I’m not really into Army aviation.
I thought about doing 19K (tanks), that seems pretty fun, but it doesn’t seem like they travel all that much. I thought about infantry for the guns…but I hear they’re not really going anywhere either.
So far, none of the jobs really interest me. I don’t really find most career fields interesting in general. I was always into artsy stuff like music or videos. I love creating things independently, but it’s also twice the fun when you create and finish together with a team.
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Hello, I'm make this post to ask if I would be allowed to join the army if I have constipation issues. My GI doctor told me to take Miralax for it and I've been taking it for 3 years now and can't go to the restroom without it. I've been interested in joining the army and I'm talking to a recruiter right now and he said I might be good. I'm going to take the ASVAB in a few days. Would I be allowed to join the army If I'm taking this medicine and would I be allowed to continue taking it if I were to be allowed to join. Like would I get it from the army pharmacy at basic or could I take it with me from home?
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I’m going through about a decades worth of old army documentation I’ve had in a dusty old container and kept moving forward between duty stations “just in case I get a random statement of charges”. I’m now shredding almost everything.
Is there anything I 100% absolutely should not shred?
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Which 91 series MOS should I join
Which 91 series MOS should I join I'm currently working on enlisting and have qualified for several 91 series jobs based on my immigration status and ASVAB scores. I'm very conflicted on choice between 91P, 91S, 91B and 91M (My prefered shortlist). Some insight on the daily life and satisfaction rate of these specific MOS. I would love some outside experienced opinions to help direct me to a better army career. My goal is to serve in the 91 series for a short time while I wait for a 15 series opening, or better till I can get a warrant packet in. Also I'm doing it for citizenship and college. Thanks for reading
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Overweight, Looking to join.
I guess I'll start this off by saying I know I'm nowhere near ready to join and probably far off the fat camp aswell, But I'm really interested in becoming a 17C. I'm 23 ATM but by time I feel like I would have lost enough weight probably 24 1/2. I weigh 338 pounds at 6ft. My questions are, What weight can I be at for the fat camp and do you think it is realistic to lose 100 pounds in a year.
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How is the 91P life in the army?
I'm planning on enlisting with the 91P mos, and I'm just doing my research and comparing other 91 series jobs I'm interested in.
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I used to love my garmount NFS, but have changed jobs and need black boots, what's the closest boot in similarity to an NFS, something that I can run/ruck in?
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Has anybody ever met or been a 12W in the 75th in this subreddit? I know the mos is small and then making it to regiment is a tall task on it's own. I'm wanting to join as a 12W Option 40 because I'd get the benefit of lifelong skills and being an elite soldier (if I make it of course) but I know it's a slim chance of me getting that MOS paired w Option 40 so I was just wondering if anybody has even heard of or known somebody to have a beret and be a 12W and what their job looks like in regiment
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I’m curious about the fspc course I’m 5 10 and 220 pounds and can’t really find any info about it I’m trying to talk to a recruiter I’m trying to figure out if I qualify or what ever
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i cant choose which one 11x or 13f i got a buddy who is 11b so i got a little info on that and i do as much research as i can on 13f but i don't know any of them to talk to personally, i think i'll be fine with either, i have a pretty good mindset but i just can't decide, i want to shoot guns and do all that fun shit (ik i'll hate it don't worry, that's the point) i don't know if i'll get enough of that in 13f but i also hear infantry people don't even do any of the actual shit 90% of the time so idk, could someone help me decide?
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Joining USAR Medical Corps as a physician
Hey guys, I’m looking to join the USAR as a medical student in the reserves. I have a few questions about retirement and career progression opportunities.
I’ll be getting off active duty with 5 years in the Marines and I’ve got a DD368 ready to prevent a gap in service from active Marines to Army Reserve. I’ve been accepted to medical school and it looks like the MDSSP program will be the best for my situation as I’m not interested in remaining full-time on active duty, don’t want to completely end my military career, and I want to keep Tricare for my family. The Army is the only branch that allows students to drill and draw stipends while only obligating them to reserve service after.
1) I’m planning to go for 20 years minimum. I’ll be at 11-16 years of total service (depending on how much financial assistance I accept) once my service obligation is up. Can anyone imagine a situation where they wouldn’t let me hit my 20 so I could get a reserve retirement? How long would they theoretically let me stay on as a physician in the reserves?
2) How often will reserve physicians be able to deploy, and are they truly 90 day deployments?
3) What are the penultimate career goals as a reserve physician? What are some career milestones you’d recommend I aim for?
4) How difficult would it be to serve on active duty orders? I’d be very interested in voluntarily picking up active orders from time to time.
5) Would I be able to apply for programs such as FAO, Congressional Fellowships, senior level schools/PME, and other broadening tours in the same way as active duty officers?
6) Would my career progression follow closely to the active duty timing once I join the Medical Corps? (Major at ~10 years, LtCol at ~17 years, etc)
7) For current and former reserve docs, would you do it again?
8) USAR and the Guard both have the same program. Is it worth considering the guard?
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What’s the difference between a 35L in the 75th ranger regiment and a 35L that’s not?
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Can family transport you from Basic Training at Fort Sill to AIT at Fort Sam Houston following graduation day? Getting mixed info.
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I’m a smart, capable student, in my senior year of high school, graduating in the top 5% of my class. I’m bound for UT Austin next school year but am now questioning if that’s the right move for me. I’ve gotten no scholarships and though my parents are willing to help, I’ll inevitably be forced to take out loans and likely won’t be financially stable for some time, if ever. I intend to study anthropology because that’s what truly interests me but I know there’s not much money in any career pertaining to that degree. Throughout high school, there’ve been recruiters coming into my classes, promising many appealing benefits such as paying for my college in full as well as my rent while I live at the city I attend college in. I just need to be in the army at least 3 years. Something that also appeals to me is the fact I can go into a career where I gain experience as an automotive mechanic, which is something that interests me and I find much value in. I consider myself fairly resilient and healthy and don’t feel incapable of doing what will be expected of me. With all these benefits, mechanical experience, basically free rent and college, and the opportunity to accumulate savings, the army sounds like the smartest, but not the most glamorous, option for me. My question to you all is: is joining the army worth it for me? Would I actually be able to go for three years, accumulate savings, and return to UT Austin to complete my higher education? Or is the recruiter painting too pretty a picture and though I may receive some benefits, it won’t be worth it in the end, sacrificing three years I could instead spend in Austin, living the traditional college life in a new, exciting environment.
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My friend just found out today that he will be doing basic training at Fort Sill instead of Fort Jackson. If anyone has graduated from there recently, I'm curious what your experience was like, and any advice you have for people going there. I'd also appreciate any advice on how to support him while he's there. Particularly, what should I expect with communication? I gave him envelopes and stamps so he can write when he is able. Are there certain things I should or should not include in letters? Thanks!
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Is 2-2 infantry division/ 8-1 cav still dog shit?
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Im in the process of joining as an E-4 and doing very well, asvab wise and everything else except a major thing, I had a suicide attempt almost 2 years ago and end it up in the hospital, I requested my medical records to see what they wrote, they put it down as intensional overdose and depression, I had a therapist prior but I’ve been treating myself with a psychiatrist since then, they I wasn’t sent to psychiatry because they didn’t consider me a risk for myself of others so I was never committed and just asked to follow up, also wrote down that I have very good coping mechanisms as though why I don’t require medication, does this means that I have no chance at joining the army and should just give up before going to meps? I told my recruiter about the depression but not the suicidal attempt, he says most likely I’ll need a Letter from my therapist.
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At the risk of seeming petty and impatient... How long does it take to get a call back after submitting the required documents to the recruiter?
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25H
I was originally going looking towards 25B but found 25H and seems interesting. Any 25H that can give some more information on this mos ?
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35M or 35P, which is better
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Hey everyone, kind of searching for some advice here.
I’m in my lower 30’s and signed an 18x contract - I ship in June. I’ve spent the last year preparing and am just now finding my stride and really hitting the running times I need to be competitive. I left my previous career in preparation of this and have been thinking about SOF since 2019.
I haven’t had any issues with training or my body up until recently. I played hockey and football growing up and have the wear and tear to show for it. Most notably, from separate incidents, I fractured a vertebrae and I had a back surgery for a herniated disk - both injuries not too far from each other in my lower back.
My problem is while I haven’t had any issues in a while (at least a year or two) I recently had a bad flare up that started as back pain and transitioned to sciatic pain. Both of these things have been pretty manageable in the past and pain is something I’m pretty accustom to.
With that all being said - I’m more self aware with this pain. I’m currently in the best shape of my life so far, and haven’t been able to train in four or five days because of this flare up. I know the training ahead of me is going to push me way harder than I ever could and wonder how my body will handle it. I’m aware of breaking away from the DEP, but it really bothers me to even consider that.
I just wonder if I missed the train and take this as a sign to refocus? Do I press on and hope for the best? What would you do?
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Should I take Continuation pay on my next re up? Career counselor is strongly advising. Guessed it because he says it's going to take away from our retirement and hinder me later on
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I have a safety razor with replaceable razor blades. Would I be able to bring that basic training
or will they take away the razor blades? Will I be better off just buying a disposable razor?
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How is Schofield (ARMY)
Anyone have any experience or information they know about 25th INF DIV 3rd BCT ? How’s life like for people who just joined ? Especially those in Signal mos. How is the deployment rate ?
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Is 35T the only 35 series job that doesn't have the language school requirement or has less language requirements than the other 35 jobs?
Also do any of the 2 year contract combat jobs have good day to day job duties? I only know the 11B Job (Infantry) so maybe there's a good job I'm missing in those
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how does joining without credit work? i’m getting married soon, and want to rent off base whenever i join. am i able to do that without credit? i don’t know how to adult :(
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Did 4 years AD, Then went IRR for 8 months, then reserves now in a will train slot where the school has been denied like 3 times now. Tired of waiting. Wanting to go back active duty reclass as a 19C(Seen that SWEET tier 9 bonus for E4) Previously I was a 13F in a ABCT. Is it just a whole new contract or? Has anyone does anything like this similar?
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I'm thinking of joining the reserves. I'm 33 married with kids. I have a job with local government, however I've always wanted to serve. It's been on my heart lately to talk to a recruiter and get it started. Anybody out there with advice as to what the initial steps are and what to expect. Thank you.
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Thinking of enlisting and I need guidance?
I'm gonna be graduating in the summer and originally planned on going to a 4 year college. I've gotten mostly waitlisted at almost all my colleges and might have to go to community college if I want to stay on that track. I live in a very affluent and rich area so the community college is good but I'm not sure if I want to go along with that and don't feel like taking a gap year.
I want to end up being a lawyer one day but I also want to be independent right now so say I hypothetically don't get off these waitlists, it's either CC or the military in my eyes. I only want to do 4 years because I still would have to attend undergrad and law school and I want to raise a family before I turn 35-ish. The army sounds the best to me because of the wide variety of jobs to choose from. The MOS 27D, paralegal specialist sounds pretty good as well.
I also want to live a full life and I understand that all the "jumping out of planes" and "shooting large guns" is mostly just a selling point, but it seems like enlisting in the Army is what makes these once in a lifetime experiences possible. There are so many benefits but at the same time, I would be re-entering civilian life and hopefully going into undergrad at 21, which seems crazy. I would be academically behind my peers by 4 years.
I'm really at one of the greatest cross roads of my life, does anyone have any advice, or have been in the position themselves? How is enlisting? What should I expect?
Thinking of enlisting, in need of guidance!
I'm gonna be graduating in the summer and originally planned on going to a 4 year college. I've gotten mostly waitlisted at almost all my colleges and might have to go to community college if I want to stay on that track. I live in a very affluent and rich area so the community college is good but I'm not sure if I want to go along with that and don't feel like taking a gap year.
I want to end up being a lawyer one day but I also want to be independent right now so say I hypothetically don't get off these waitlists, it's either CC or the military in my eyes. I only want to do 4 years because I still would have to attend undergrad and law school and I want to raise a family before I turn 35-ish. The army sounds the best to me because of the wide variety of jobs to choose from. The MOS 27D, paralegal specialist sounds pretty good as well.
I also want to live a full life and I understand that all the "jumping out of planes" and "shooting large guns" is mostly just a selling point, but it seems like enlisting in the Army is what makes these once in a lifetime experiences possible. There are so many benefits but at the same time, I would be re-entering civilian life and hopefully going into undergrad at 21, which seems crazy. I would be academically behind my peers by 4 years.
I'm really at one of the greatest cross roads of my life, does anyone have any advice, or have been in the position themselves? How is enlisting? What should I expect?
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Hello, I'm a recruit going in as a small arms repairman for the army. I am going to Fort Sill Oklahoma for basic training and then will be sent to Fort Campbell. In all of this, I am very confused as there is very little concrete discussion or evidence that I can find that tells me all the contact points I will be able to get with my loved ones. I know I can send and receive letters, but I don't know, how to go through that process, where if any i can acquire the materials to write the letters, and how soon I can expect to receive letters from my loves ones once I get in. I understand that at some point later in the training, to the drill sergeants discretion, that I will be able to gain access to my phone, but I haven't found concrete numbers as to how long and under what restrictions or if that is also to the drill sergeants mood and demeanor for the day. I also do not know how I will be able to get my address or other information to my loved ones so that they will be able to send letters to me or if there's a separate process for that as different in sending letters. I also do not realize much if any about how family day will work, under what restrictions, when it is, or how many can come.
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I realize this is a long, contrived, and possibly stupid list of questions. I also realize that I may sound quite dumb in asking them, but I am very close to my small circle of loved ones and would like to take any steps necessary to be as connected with them as possible while I am not there, which includes seeking all the information and resources I can on the matter, even if I'm an idiot for asking. Even just answering one of these questions would be a huge help and I would genuinely greatly appreciate it, thank you.
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So I’m graduating high school in May and for the longest time have been wanting to enlist in the military (every since i was little).
Now I’ve been thinking Navy (I love the ocean), but Army is starting to interest me more as I more than likely wont end up on a ship. The other reason for Navy is that the Navy recruiter seemed willing to help me as I will need waivers compared to the Army recruiter who didn’t seem interested.
I’m not in the best physical shape i will say, but i’m hoping to change that for when I can enlist. I do have a history of depression and anxiety which has been resolved. I’ve been off meds for 4 months for one, and 3 months for the other (i know i need to wait a year) I’m stable off of them. I know some people are gonna think i’m dumb for wanting to enlist due to past mental problems.
What’s your thoughts on army? is it worth it?
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Have been debating on "rejoining" the army again for some time now. (I say rejoining cause I went in 2017 when I turned 18 but quit due to Tiny Heart Syndrome) Anyway.
I am 25 now and have matured a lot over the past few years but something has always worried me about rejoining. A lot of the things I see not get answered is the niche stuff about the army. The weird almost stupid sounding questions. Where do I go when I get to my first unit? If I need to talk to an officer outside, do I stand at attention and talk to him, even if he keeps walking? Do I follow him? I'm Sure the questions I'm asking will be answered by someone close to graduation, but its anxiety I have about the weird niche questions.
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I guess my big question here is: Does it just come naturally after a while? Does it all just click and make sense at some point? I wanna feel like Ill eventually know what I'm doing and it will just become normal at some point. I don't wanna be the shitbag PVT who either doesn't make it or worse turns into a shitbag SGT eventually.
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Army Tattoo Question
Im a high schooler planning to do ROTC (shooting for a contract) then going active duty. Would you guys recommend just waiting to get tattoos until i’m in and contracts are signed just to be safe, or as long as I follow Army policy, I should be safe?
Anything to consider or anything i’d be automatically disqualified for with having those identifying marks on my body?
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I’ve enlisted already, leaving in July. Got MP for 5 years. I’ve got a couple of questions.

1. My training and boot camp are going to be combined (so 5 months). I know boot camp has a graduation, but since mine’s combined will I have one after trainings over? How will my living space be arranged? (I saw that some people going through AIT had more of a college dorm space.) Will it just be sorta like a switch from boot to AIT in the middle? Basically what’s different then just normal boot camp? (Other than length)
   
2. I’m going in as an E-3, are there certain things I should know more about? Will I be treated differently?
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I have tinnitus but my hearing is fine. Only thing that sorta worries me is boot camp at night. Is it completely quiet? Or is there a little noise. I think I will be ok but still is decently loud when it's completely quiet.
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Im about to turn 24 and have dreams of serving in the ranger regiment one day, however, i went through a break up almost 2 years ago that had really affected my mental health. It was a rather abusive relationship. My mother being a nurse practitioner really pressured me into seeing a doctor (not psychologist) about me being depressed. They prescribed me some anti anxiety medication that I never took. I'm actually rather against the practice of handing out medication like that to anyone off the street off of a 10 question worksheet. I found my stride again a couple months after that so needless to say, it's not a reoccurring issue. I'm wondering if this will disqualify me from joining up in a combat mos.
Tldr: doc said I was depressed, found my stride again and hasn't been a reoccurring issue. Will this disqualify me from a combat mos?
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I want to go into the Army after I finish high school and I plan on becoming an 11B or, if possible, try for 18 series. However, I am an only child and I have been told that I can't go into any combat roles. Is this true? If so, is there any way I can get around it with a waiver or something?
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Wondering which one is the current fitness test, ACFT or APFT?
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I failed my psych eval and Im wondering if anyone has any knowledge if l'm able to apply to another branch I was Appling to army and just got the word today that I failed and id be able to apply again next year is it possible 1 get a different evaluation from a different doctor or maybe I'd be able to apply to another branch and be able to be accepted I assume since I've been denied by the army I wouldn't qualify for any other branch but I'm not for sure does anyone know?
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Need some serious advice
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a pickle.
Its been a dream of mine to go into OCS and handle artillery, especially regarding laser weapons (Valkyrie comes to mind).
I've studied Physics and went into laser physics, currently working in a company as a manufacturing engineer (again working with high power pulsed lasers).
I'm 24 and my GPA is 2.7, from this point on I will list the problems. I can score 88 on the ASVAB btw
I've never lived in US despite being a US citizen. All my studies are abroad and I currently live in a country that allows me to do all the paperwork, contract included without leaving here. I'm already in talks with the recruiter and he said this wouldn't cause problems with clearance.
I have an ADHD diagnosis from 5 years ago, took ritalin for 2 years, been off for 26 months. This info doesn't show up in the records that I can reach. I also had an OCD diagnosis but that is completely off the books and I'm not medicated for it.
I know everyone is gonna tell me to be honest, but translating all the records, proving that I'm capable etc would be an herculean task and my dad (AF officer) as well as his friends are advising me to not mention it and just choose "no" on everything. They say that even with Genesis, they can't reach foreign records in that country.
I want to be honest, but I also want to accomplish my dreams without getting older. What would you do in my shoes?
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I will be leaving for boot camp in 2 weeks at Ft. Sill any tips? Also, my mos is 35G is this a good mos for post-military? How is promotion as a 35G and how is it day to day?
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Today I got the response that my moral waiver was approved. I want to do either 35L or 35M, I’m talking to a disciplinary counselor Tuesday. Has anyone with the experience got advice about the waiver for the 35L or 35M? Will I need one? If so whats the process? And what do I need to do?
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Was told by mod to post this here:
Yesterday I finished the last thing I needed to do in order to enlist (eye consult) at MEPS. I passed my exam & my recruiter said I should expect to enlist next Thursday/Friday. This has been a long time coming and I’m excited to start this new journey.
I’ve narrowed down the jobs I believe I would enjoy doing to 35L, 35F and 25B. I meet the requirements for all three but I’m genuinely having a tough time picking one. My goal after the Army is to do bigger picture law enforcement, and yesterday having spoke to many people in intelligence they said 35L would be the perfect MOS for me.
If I do go to MEPS next week to sign a contract I’m a bit worried they will try and fuck with me and try to persuade me to do something else. I plan on staying strong and not settling for anything else besides these three.
I guess what I’m asking is if anyone can give me insight to these three jobs, personal experience or things they’ve heard. Are these jobs hard to get? How is the quality of life? Are they interesting and fulfilling?
Is there a big difference between 35L & 35F?
Any insight is greatly appreciated! Thank you.
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Going to fort Eisenhower as a 25b wondering if I can volunteer for airborne while I’m there,and what would I have to do to get it?
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How do I volunteer for recruiting
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I'm not yet old enough to enlist, but I'm planning on doing so once I turn 17. I've done lots of research, and I think I want to be a 12b. As an engineer MOS, I'd assume it's a male-dominated area. I'm female. What's the situation like for a female soldier in a predominantly male field?
Also, would it be better to join an ROTC in college before enlisting, or go to a military academy, as opposed to being an enlisted soldier?
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What’s the quality of life for a 68W wanting to be stationed in Hawaii? I’ve got an Option 19 on my contract and my wife and I are trying to decide a good location for her to be able to work and also enjoy not being stuck in BFE like we have most of our lives. 24M if that matters at all. Thanks in advance!
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I am a college student, graduating in 8-14 months, for Management Information Systems. I have a lot of corporate software internship experience but I am looking to join the army because I can't imagine doing a desk job (at least at this point in life). Given my education I am only considering Intelligence or Cyber, and most likely 17C. As far as I've been informed nothing is as technical (software not hardware like 35T) or translates to post-service. I am looking to sign an option 40, spend a year in a Ranger Battalion, then go for special forces after I've given my time there. I've seen that Rangers are open to 17C enlistments. I am not signing a 18x contract because I have no experience with the military and I think would be better off taking it slow and acclimating both physically and mentally. I did not do army ROTC and at this point it is too late for me to join up. I am only interested in joining the army to go for Ranger or SF. Hopefully I can integrate my college and work experience into it, but if I had to make a decision I would prioritize RangeSF over getting the ideal technical MOS. I took the picat and got 99th percentile, not sure about line scores. Soon to go to MEPS. I am physically fit, but not at the level of rucking 100lbs for 8 hours. TLDR- I want action in the army as well as technical stuff, so I can do high priced contracting or maybe three letter work after I get out. Few questions: Is 17C my best bet? Should I look at OCS and how does that work (what part of the process)? What is the minimum time for a contract like this? Does this whole plan make sense? Please let me know if I am missing any information or if there are any different or better ideas. (Or ask me any questions)
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What are the differences between 35L and 35M? How do I know which one is best for me to reclassify as?
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Hello all! I am writing to get some clarification on MEPS. I am 22 years old and ready to serve my country. I have met with my recruiter and was asked about my medical history. I had a diagnosis of ADHD in high school, which I have now outgrown. I was also prescribed an antidepressant in 2018 (during high school) and again in 2021. I refilled both prescriptions twice in my life. I have been transparent with the recruiter and he suggested I fill out a waiver for the ADHD. I have obtained my prescription record which corroborates that I only refilled an antidepressant RX twice and have not taken medication or seen a doctor since 2021. As I entered adulthood I have learned to cope by eating healthier, staying active and educating himself on importance of maintaining a balanced lifestyle. My question is will MEPS disqualify me based on my history with depression from 3 years ago? Will I be ok to enlist? Have you had a similar experience? Thanking everyone in advance for your anticipated suggestions and guidance.
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Im graduating high school in the summer and plan on enlisting in the Army. I've got around 5 months left for my braces and I saw online that you can't go to basic with braces. Should I visit my recruiter and pick a ship out date (after hashing everything out, including taking the ASVAB) or should I just wait until then and maybe get a bonus for shipping out within 30 days then?
Also the MOS that I want, 27D has an ASVAB score recuirement of 105 Clerical, if I don't achieve that score on the first try, can I retake it or is it one and done?
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Does the Army have a plan for deploying units during mobilization? Many armies have reserve units that will be deployed in the event of a major conflict, filled with equipment taken from storage and mobilized soldiers. Do such units exist in the US Army? As far as I know they existed before 1991, but I don’t know the current situation
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I am 16 years old, waiting to enroll once I’m 17. I currently take EMS classes, and I’m interested in being a Flight Medic in the Army. If anyone is a Flight Medic, then I’d like to know what it’s exactly like being one? I’m also open for any advice on how to decide between all of the careers. I love to help people and work with trauma patients, but I’d also love to be on the ground and much closer to the combat, possibly in it too, but I don’t know if I’d want to take that big of a risk.
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I'm enlisting as a 68D in May. What is your day-to-day like? Is this job transferable to the civilian side?
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Info on mos 13f
Was just curious on the everyday life and the goods and bads. My Asvab score allows me almost any job but this one has stuck out the most.
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How do you Army Chaplains like your job? Do you have any extra info or tips on what they do and how you become one? And is it possible to reclass into one?
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Fort Meade (Civilian)
I have a family member who just moved to work at fort Meade as a civilian and I looking for others who live on base to get to know and hang out with (bonus points if they’re on or close to Reece Crossings!) It was a huge change and he moved so far from home and is trying get to know some new people. Any social media groups or advice is super helpful!
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Can anyone offer any insight on being an Army Guard infantry officer? Looking for overall job satisfaction, pros & cons. I know it’ll differ state to state however any kind of insight would be appreciated. My husband is prior service AD army, 11B. He’s currently deciding between enlisted air guard eod & army guard infantry. There’s many pros and cons to both, but right now we just don’t have any contacts to get in touch with to get an honest feel for what officer life in army guard is like so it’s making the decision difficult. I’ve been air guard for 10 years, so we’re very familiar with the unit & are able to talk to the shop directly. Right now commissioning is appealing, and it’s much easier process in army than air guard. He’s fully qualified, done with Meps and we’re really just at the deciding stage. Any thoughts are appreciated!
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What MOS should I pick?
So I’m thinking of joining the Army, and since they’re the only branch I qualify for, I was wondering what my options are.
Why do I want to join? Well, there’s not a lot of opportunity for me at home. Most jobs available are not only dead ends, but I can’t even get one single fast food job because they’re all taken.
I have no money to go to a university, and since I can’t get a job, I can barely pay for community college. Financial aid doesn’t cover my costs either.
I scored a 69 on the ASVAB. Here are my line scores:
GT106 CL108 CO105 EL104 FA106 GM102 MM99
OF103 SC106 ST107
For jobs, for starters, I’d love to travel a lot. I think that would be pretty fun. Initially I wanted to do fixed wing aviation in the Air Force or Navy, but they won’t take me, and I’m not really into Army aviation.
I thought about doing 19K (tanks), that seems pretty fun, but it doesn’t seem like they travel all that much. I thought about infantry for the guns…but I hear they’re not really going anywhere either.
So far, none of the jobs really interest me. I don’t really find most career fields interesting in general. I was always into artsy stuff like music or videos. I love creating things independently, but it’s also twice the fun when you create and finish together with a team.
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Hello, I'm make this post to ask if I would be allowed to join the army if I have constipation issues. My GI doctor told me to take Miralax for it and I've been taking it for 3 years now and can't go to the restroom without it. I've been interested in joining the army and I'm talking to a recruiter right now and he said I might be good. I'm going to take the ASVAB in a few days. Would I be allowed to join the army If I'm taking this medicine and would I be allowed to continue taking it if I were to be allowed to join. Like would I get it from the army pharmacy at basic or could I take it with me from home?
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I’m going through about a decades worth of old army documentation I’ve had in a dusty old container and kept moving forward between duty stations “just in case I get a random statement of charges”. I’m now shredding almost everything.
Is there anything I 100% absolutely should not shred?
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Which 91 series MOS should I join
Which 91 series MOS should I join I'm currently working on enlisting and have qualified for several 91 series jobs based on my immigration status and ASVAB scores. I'm very conflicted on choice between 91P, 91S, 91B and 91M (My prefered shortlist). Some insight on the daily life and satisfaction rate of these specific MOS. I would love some outside experienced opinions to help direct me to a better army career. My goal is to serve in the 91 series for a short time while I wait for a 15 series opening, or better till I can get a warrant packet in. Also I'm doing it for citizenship and college. Thanks for reading
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Overweight, Looking to join.
I guess I'll start this off by saying I know I'm nowhere near ready to join and probably far off the fat camp aswell, But I'm really interested in becoming a 17C. I'm 23 ATM but by time I feel like I would have lost enough weight probably 24 1/2. I weigh 338 pounds at 6ft. My questions are, What weight can I be at for the fat camp and do you think it is realistic to lose 100 pounds in a year.
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How is the 91P life in the army?
I'm planning on enlisting with the 91P mos, and I'm just doing my research and comparing other 91 series jobs I'm interested in.
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I used to love my garmount NFS, but have changed jobs and need black boots, what's the closest boot in similarity to an NFS, something that I can run/ruck in?
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Has anybody ever met or been a 12W in the 75th in this subreddit? I know the mos is small and then making it to regiment is a tall task on it's own. I'm wanting to join as a 12W Option 40 because I'd get the benefit of lifelong skills and being an elite soldier (if I make it of course) but I know it's a slim chance of me getting that MOS paired w Option 40 so I was just wondering if anybody has even heard of or known somebody to have a beret and be a 12W and what their job looks like in regiment
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I’m curious about the fspc course I’m 5 10 and 220 pounds and can’t really find any info about it I’m trying to talk to a recruiter I’m trying to figure out if I qualify or what ever
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i cant choose which one 11x or 13f i got a buddy who is 11b so i got a little info on that and i do as much research as i can on 13f but i don't know any of them to talk to personally, i think i'll be fine with either, i have a pretty good mindset but i just can't decide, i want to shoot guns and do all that fun shit (ik i'll hate it don't worry, that's the point) i don't know if i'll get enough of that in 13f but i also hear infantry people don't even do any of the actual shit 90% of the time so idk, could someone help me decide?
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Joining USAR Medical Corps as a physician
Hey guys, I’m looking to join the USAR as a medical student in the reserves. I have a few questions about retirement and career progression opportunities.
I’ll be getting off active duty with 5 years in the Marines and I’ve got a DD368 ready to prevent a gap in service from active Marines to Army Reserve. I’ve been accepted to medical school and it looks like the MDSSP program will be the best for my situation as I’m not interested in remaining full-time on active duty, don’t want to completely end my military career, and I want to keep Tricare for my family. The Army is the only branch that allows students to drill and draw stipends while only obligating them to reserve service after.
1) I’m planning to go for 20 years minimum. I’ll be at 11-16 years of total service (depending on how much financial assistance I accept) once my service obligation is up. Can anyone imagine a situation where they wouldn’t let me hit my 20 so I could get a reserve retirement? How long would they theoretically let me stay on as a physician in the reserves?
2) How often will reserve physicians be able to deploy, and are they truly 90 day deployments?
3) What are the penultimate career goals as a reserve physician? What are some career milestones you’d recommend I aim for?
4) How difficult would it be to serve on active duty orders? I’d be very interested in voluntarily picking up active orders from time to time.
5) Would I be able to apply for programs such as FAO, Congressional Fellowships, senior level schools/PME, and other broadening tours in the same way as active duty officers?
6) Would my career progression follow closely to the active duty timing once I join the Medical Corps? (Major at ~10 years, LtCol at ~17 years, etc)
7) For current and former reserve docs, would you do it again?
8) USAR and the Guard both have the same program. Is it worth considering the guard?
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What’s the difference between a 35L in the 75th ranger regiment and a 35L that’s not?
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Can family transport you from Basic Training at Fort Sill to AIT at Fort Sam Houston following graduation day? Getting mixed info.
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I’m a smart, capable student, in my senior year of high school, graduating in the top 5% of my class. I’m bound for UT Austin next school year but am now questioning if that’s the right move for me. I’ve gotten no scholarships and though my parents are willing to help, I’ll inevitably be forced to take out loans and likely won’t be financially stable for some time, if ever. I intend to study anthropology because that’s what truly interests me but I know there’s not much money in any career pertaining to that degree. Throughout high school, there’ve been recruiters coming into my classes, promising many appealing benefits such as paying for my college in full as well as my rent while I live at the city I attend college in. I just need to be in the army at least 3 years. Something that also appeals to me is the fact I can go into a career where I gain experience as an automotive mechanic, which is something that interests me and I find much value in. I consider myself fairly resilient and healthy and don’t feel incapable of doing what will be expected of me. With all these benefits, mechanical experience, basically free rent and college, and the opportunity to accumulate savings, the army sounds like the smartest, but not the most glamorous, option for me. My question to you all is: is joining the army worth it for me? Would I actually be able to go for three years, accumulate savings, and return to UT Austin to complete my higher education? Or is the recruiter painting too pretty a picture and though I may receive some benefits, it won’t be worth it in the end, sacrificing three years I could instead spend in Austin, living the traditional college life in a new, exciting environment.
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My friend just found out today that he will be doing basic training at Fort Sill instead of Fort Jackson. If anyone has graduated from there recently, I'm curious what your experience was like, and any advice you have for people going there. I'd also appreciate any advice on how to support him while he's there. Particularly, what should I expect with communication? I gave him envelopes and stamps so he can write when he is able. Are there certain things I should or should not include in letters? Thanks!
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Is 2-2 infantry division/ 8-1 cav still dog shit?
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Im in the process of joining as an E-4 and doing very well, asvab wise and everything else except a major thing, I had a suicide attempt almost 2 years ago and end it up in the hospital, I requested my medical records to see what they wrote, they put it down as intensional overdose and depression, I had a therapist prior but I’ve been treating myself with a psychiatrist since then, they I wasn’t sent to psychiatry because they didn’t consider me a risk for myself of others so I was never committed and just asked to follow up, also wrote down that I have very good coping mechanisms as though why I don’t require medication, does this means that I have no chance at joining the army and should just give up before going to meps? I told my recruiter about the depression but not the suicidal attempt, he says most likely I’ll need a Letter from my therapist.
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At the risk of seeming petty and impatient... How long does it take to get a call back after submitting the required documents to the recruiter?
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25H
I was originally going looking towards 25B but found 25H and seems interesting. Any 25H that can give some more information on this mos ?
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35M or 35P, which is better
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Hey everyone, kind of searching for some advice here.
I’m in my lower 30’s and signed an 18x contract - I ship in June. I’ve spent the last year preparing and am just now finding my stride and really hitting the running times I need to be competitive. I left my previous career in preparation of this and have been thinking about SOF since 2019.
I haven’t had any issues with training or my body up until recently. I played hockey and football growing up and have the wear and tear to show for it. Most notably, from separate incidents, I fractured a vertebrae and I had a back surgery for a herniated disk - both injuries not too far from each other in my lower back.
My problem is while I haven’t had any issues in a while (at least a year or two) I recently had a bad flare up that started as back pain and transitioned to sciatic pain. Both of these things have been pretty manageable in the past and pain is something I’m pretty accustom to.
With that all being said - I’m more self aware with this pain. I’m currently in the best shape of my life so far, and haven’t been able to train in four or five days because of this flare up. I know the training ahead of me is going to push me way harder than I ever could and wonder how my body will handle it. I’m aware of breaking away from the DEP, but it really bothers me to even consider that.
I just wonder if I missed the train and take this as a sign to refocus? Do I press on and hope for the best? What would you do?
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Should I take Continuation pay on my next re up? Career counselor is strongly advising. Guessed it because he says it's going to take away from our retirement and hinder me later on
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I have a safety razor with replaceable razor blades. Would I be able to bring that basic training
or will they take away the razor blades? Will I be better off just buying a disposable razor?
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How is Schofield (ARMY)
Anyone have any experience or information they know about 25th INF DIV 3rd BCT ? How’s life like for people who just joined ? Especially those in Signal mos. How is the deployment rate ?
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Is 35T the only 35 series job that doesn't have the language school requirement or has less language requirements than the other 35 jobs?
Also do any of the 2 year contract combat jobs have good day to day job duties? I only know the 11B Job (Infantry) so maybe there's a good job I'm missing in those
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how does joining without credit work? i’m getting married soon, and want to rent off base whenever i join. am i able to do that without credit? i don’t know how to adult :(
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Did 4 years AD, Then went IRR for 8 months, then reserves now in a will train slot where the school has been denied like 3 times now. Tired of waiting. Wanting to go back active duty reclass as a 19C(Seen that SWEET tier 9 bonus for E4) Previously I was a 13F in a ABCT. Is it just a whole new contract or? Has anyone does anything like this similar?
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I'm thinking of joining the reserves. I'm 33 married with kids. I have a job with local government, however I've always wanted to serve. It's been on my heart lately to talk to a recruiter and get it started. Anybody out there with advice as to what the initial steps are and what to expect. Thank you.
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Thinking of enlisting and I need guidance?
I'm gonna be graduating in the summer and originally planned on going to a 4 year college. I've gotten mostly waitlisted at almost all my colleges and might have to go to community college if I want to stay on that track. I live in a very affluent and rich area so the community college is good but I'm not sure if I want to go along with that and don't feel like taking a gap year.
I want to end up being a lawyer one day but I also want to be independent right now so say I hypothetically don't get off these waitlists, it's either CC or the military in my eyes. I only want to do 4 years because I still would have to attend undergrad and law school and I want to raise a family before I turn 35-ish. The army sounds the best to me because of the wide variety of jobs to choose from. The MOS 27D, paralegal specialist sounds pretty good as well.
I also want to live a full life and I understand that all the "jumping out of planes" and "shooting large guns" is mostly just a selling point, but it seems like enlisting in the Army is what makes these once in a lifetime experiences possible. There are so many benefits but at the same time, I would be re-entering civilian life and hopefully going into undergrad at 21, which seems crazy. I would be academically behind my peers by 4 years.
I'm really at one of the greatest cross roads of my life, does anyone have any advice, or have been in the position themselves? How is enlisting? What should I expect?
Thinking of enlisting, in need of guidance!
I'm gonna be graduating in the summer and originally planned on going to a 4 year college. I've gotten mostly waitlisted at almost all my colleges and might have to go to community college if I want to stay on that track. I live in a very affluent and rich area so the community college is good but I'm not sure if I want to go along with that and don't feel like taking a gap year.
I want to end up being a lawyer one day but I also want to be independent right now so say I hypothetically don't get off these waitlists, it's either CC or the military in my eyes. I only want to do 4 years because I still would have to attend undergrad and law school and I want to raise a family before I turn 35-ish. The army sounds the best to me because of the wide variety of jobs to choose from. The MOS 27D, paralegal specialist sounds pretty good as well.
I also want to live a full life and I understand that all the "jumping out of planes" and "shooting large guns" is mostly just a selling point, but it seems like enlisting in the Army is what makes these once in a lifetime experiences possible. There are so many benefits but at the same time, I would be re-entering civilian life and hopefully going into undergrad at 21, which seems crazy. I would be academically behind my peers by 4 years.
I'm really at one of the greatest cross roads of my life, does anyone have any advice, or have been in the position themselves? How is enlisting? What should I expect?
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Hello, I'm a recruit going in as a small arms repairman for the army. I am going to Fort Sill Oklahoma for basic training and then will be sent to Fort Campbell. In all of this, I am very confused as there is very little concrete discussion or evidence that I can find that tells me all the contact points I will be able to get with my loved ones. I know I can send and receive letters, but I don't know, how to go through that process, where if any i can acquire the materials to write the letters, and how soon I can expect to receive letters from my loves ones once I get in. I understand that at some point later in the training, to the drill sergeants discretion, that I will be able to gain access to my phone, but I haven't found concrete numbers as to how long and under what restrictions or if that is also to the drill sergeants mood and demeanor for the day. I also do not know how I will be able to get my address or other information to my loved ones so that they will be able to send letters to me or if there's a separate process for that as different in sending letters. I also do not realize much if any about how family day will work, under what restrictions, when it is, or how many can come.
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I realize this is a long, contrived, and possibly stupid list of questions. I also realize that I may sound quite dumb in asking them, but I am very close to my small circle of loved ones and would like to take any steps necessary to be as connected with them as possible while I am not there, which includes seeking all the information and resources I can on the matter, even if I'm an idiot for asking. Even just answering one of these questions would be a huge help and I would genuinely greatly appreciate it, thank you.
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So I’m graduating high school in May and for the longest time have been wanting to enlist in the military (every since i was little).
Now I’ve been thinking Navy (I love the ocean), but Army is starting to interest me more as I more than likely wont end up on a ship. The other reason for Navy is that the Navy recruiter seemed willing to help me as I will need waivers compared to the Army recruiter who didn’t seem interested.
I’m not in the best physical shape i will say, but i’m hoping to change that for when I can enlist. I do have a history of depression and anxiety which has been resolved. I’ve been off meds for 4 months for one, and 3 months for the other (i know i need to wait a year) I’m stable off of them. I know some people are gonna think i’m dumb for wanting to enlist due to past mental problems.
What’s your thoughts on army? is it worth it?
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Have been debating on "rejoining" the army again for some time now. (I say rejoining cause I went in 2017 when I turned 18 but quit due to Tiny Heart Syndrome) Anyway.
I am 25 now and have matured a lot over the past few years but something has always worried me about rejoining. A lot of the things I see not get answered is the niche stuff about the army. The weird almost stupid sounding questions. Where do I go when I get to my first unit? If I need to talk to an officer outside, do I stand at attention and talk to him, even if he keeps walking? Do I follow him? I'm Sure the questions I'm asking will be answered by someone close to graduation, but its anxiety I have about the weird niche questions.
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I guess my big question here is: Does it just come naturally after a while? Does it all just click and make sense at some point? I wanna feel like Ill eventually know what I'm doing and it will just become normal at some point. I don't wanna be the shitbag PVT who either doesn't make it or worse turns into a shitbag SGT eventually.
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Army Tattoo Question
Im a high schooler planning to do ROTC (shooting for a contract) then going active duty. Would you guys recommend just waiting to get tattoos until i’m in and contracts are signed just to be safe, or as long as I follow Army policy, I should be safe?
Anything to consider or anything i’d be automatically disqualified for with having those identifying marks on my body?
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I’ve enlisted already, leaving in July. Got MP for 5 years. I’ve got a couple of questions.

1. My training and boot camp are going to be combined (so 5 months). I know boot camp has a graduation, but since mine’s combined will I have one after trainings over? How will my living space be arranged? (I saw that some people going through AIT had more of a college dorm space.) Will it just be sorta like a switch from boot to AIT in the middle? Basically what’s different then just normal boot camp? (Other than length)
   
2. I’m going in as an E-3, are there certain things I should know more about? Will I be treated differently?
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I have tinnitus but my hearing is fine. Only thing that sorta worries me is boot camp at night. Is it completely quiet? Or is there a little noise. I think I will be ok but still is decently loud when it's completely quiet.
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Im about to turn 24 and have dreams of serving in the ranger regiment one day, however, i went through a break up almost 2 years ago that had really affected my mental health. It was a rather abusive relationship. My mother being a nurse practitioner really pressured me into seeing a doctor (not psychologist) about me being depressed. They prescribed me some anti anxiety medication that I never took. I'm actually rather against the practice of handing out medication like that to anyone off the street off of a 10 question worksheet. I found my stride again a couple months after that so needless to say, it's not a reoccurring issue. I'm wondering if this will disqualify me from joining up in a combat mos.
Tldr: doc said I was depressed, found my stride again and hasn't been a reoccurring issue. Will this disqualify me from a combat mos?
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I want to go into the Army after I finish high school and I plan on becoming an 11B or, if possible, try for 18 series. However, I am an only child and I have been told that I can't go into any combat roles. Is this true? If so, is there any way I can get around it with a waiver or something?
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Wondering which one is the current fitness test, ACFT or APFT?
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I failed my psych eval and Im wondering if anyone has any knowledge if l'm able to apply to another branch I was Appling to army and just got the word today that I failed and id be able to apply again next year is it possible 1 get a different evaluation from a different doctor or maybe I'd be able to apply to another branch and be able to be accepted I assume since I've been denied by the army I wouldn't qualify for any other branch but I'm not for sure does anyone know?
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Need some serious advice
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a pickle.
Its been a dream of mine to go into OCS and handle artillery, especially regarding laser weapons (Valkyrie comes to mind).
I've studied Physics and went into laser physics, currently working in a company as a manufacturing engineer (again working with high power pulsed lasers).
I'm 24 and my GPA is 2.7, from this point on I will list the problems. I can score 88 on the ASVAB btw
I've never lived in US despite being a US citizen. All my studies are abroad and I currently live in a country that allows me to do all the paperwork, contract included without leaving here. I'm already in talks with the recruiter and he said this wouldn't cause problems with clearance.
I have an ADHD diagnosis from 5 years ago, took ritalin for 2 years, been off for 26 months. This info doesn't show up in the records that I can reach. I also had an OCD diagnosis but that is completely off the books and I'm not medicated for it.
I know everyone is gonna tell me to be honest, but translating all the records, proving that I'm capable etc would be an herculean task and my dad (AF officer) as well as his friends are advising me to not mention it and just choose "no" on everything. They say that even with Genesis, they can't reach foreign records in that country.
I want to be honest, but I also want to accomplish my dreams without getting older. What would you do in my shoes?
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I will be leaving for boot camp in 2 weeks at Ft. Sill any tips? Also, my mos is 35G is this a good mos for post-military? How is promotion as a 35G and how is it day to day?
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Today I got the response that my moral waiver was approved. I want to do either 35L or 35M, I’m talking to a disciplinary counselor Tuesday. Has anyone with the experience got advice about the waiver for the 35L or 35M? Will I need one? If so whats the process? And what do I need to do?
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Was told by mod to post this here:
Yesterday I finished the last thing I needed to do in order to enlist (eye consult) at MEPS. I passed my exam & my recruiter said I should expect to enlist next Thursday/Friday. This has been a long time coming and I’m excited to start this new journey.
I’ve narrowed down the jobs I believe I would enjoy doing to 35L, 35F and 25B. I meet the requirements for all three but I’m genuinely having a tough time picking one. My goal after the Army is to do bigger picture law enforcement, and yesterday having spoke to many people in intelligence they said 35L would be the perfect MOS for me.
If I do go to MEPS next week to sign a contract I’m a bit worried they will try and fuck with me and try to persuade me to do something else. I plan on staying strong and not settling for anything else besides these three.
I guess what I’m asking is if anyone can give me insight to these three jobs, personal experience or things they’ve heard. Are these jobs hard to get? How is the quality of life? Are they interesting and fulfilling?
Is there a big difference between 35L & 35F?
Any insight is greatly appreciated! Thank you.
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Going to fort Eisenhower as a 25b wondering if I can volunteer for airborne while I’m there,and what would I have to do to get it?
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How do I volunteer for recruiting
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xoxoxo
Your consultation appointment is at three o’clock. You get there at two forty-five. The administrators take your information, or try to, downstream of a heated discussion about the upcoming basketball game. “Huh,” she says after the third attempt to run your insurance card. “I can’t get it to work. Guess you gotta enter it manually.”
“Okay.”
“It’s a ten-point spread versus San Francisco,” she says, still looking straight at you.
“No shit?” says her companion in the back.
xoxoxo
Conservative upbringings teach you about control and sometimes they don’t even mean to. Your parents, who your friends describe with things like “the most perfect mom in the neighborhood” and “if Ron Swanson went to Harvard”, demonstrate that all life’s challenges can be navigated with a proper education and religious virtue. You are obligated to read. To study. To become an informed member of society. In doing so you learn you are always responsible for your circumstances. You are in control. When the kids in your eleventh-grade poli-sci class discuss unplanned pregnancy you discover yourself at a loss, because how does anyone have sex without knowing the risks? It would be like your mother serving a meal without a salad plate: it’s unfathomable.
xoxoxo
The doctor comes in fifteen minutes late. She’s maybe a little younger than you, but the grim smudge under her eyes is just like yours. “So, what brings you in today?” she asks, with an espresso-enforced brightness behind it.
“I want a bilateral salpingectomy.”
“Gotcha,” she says, without looking up, but you see her mentally shuffle her prepared spiels for the one that fits this type of patient. “Say more.”
You try to assemble your identity in a way she can grasp. “I’m married,” you begin. “I have an IUD and I’m not getting younger. I know I don’t want kids.”
“Gotcha,” she says again, and she wins your everlasting affection when she says “Now let’s talk about the risks,” without once probing your decisions. After a brisk yet thorough conversation she says her surgical scheduler will contact you “later this week” to put you on the calendar. The next four days are some of the longest of your life.
xoxoxo
The scheduler doesn’t call you at all. She uses MyChart, which as best as you can tell is an app doctors invented so patients would stop calling them. But the scheduler is polite and gives you a surgery date: February 27th. You mark the time off on your work calendar and dream about waking up in a hospital bed, blissfully be-tubed and zooted to the gills, texting your friends the litter-in-bin emoji.
xoxoxo
Your sophomore year of college you lost the housing lottery and got a shitty apartment off-campus with the beautiful biology major who’d already graduated from the Disney Princess School of Heart-Melting Looks and Gentle Hand Gestures. She wanted the room with the smallest window for her migraines, she explained. About once a month she lay down in her room and didn’t come out for hours. It didn’t mesh with your understanding of what capable, successful women are like. Then again, you’d never had a migraine.
xoxoxo
When you became a sufficiently adult woman who made sufficiently adult decisions, you decided it was time to see an OB/GYN. Your coworker recommended one just ten minutes down the road from the office. He was warm and gregarious and caring, with an accent like melted butter on biscuits, and he helped you learn about birth control pills. He was nearly in tears himself when you screamed during a cervical biopsy. Later, when you had a ruptured cyst he prescribed you enough preoperative painkillers to wind up on a DEA watchlist. Your parents escorted you home and your doting mother took care of you for the day. Nobody discussed the appointment. That would have been inappropriate.
xoxoxo
You were new in your career but considering a different job. Someone recommended a small company, a fantastic arrangement with unbeatable retirement benefits and generous paid time off. The only hitch is that you had to apply for your own health insurance and the company reimbursed you. Because this was prior to the Affordable Care Act, you applied for insurance locally just to see what would happen.
On your way back from the Olympic lifting gym, where you had just set a new deadlift PR, you get the email about your insurance application. You were denied for seven different reasons, including “occasional insomnia” and “irregular periods.”
xoxoxo
Eighteen years of a conservative upbringing crumbled in the face of sixty seconds of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, by the way.
xoxoxo
Birth control pills became harder to remember regularly when you, a disciplined and regimented machine who rose on Saturdays at 7 AM, fell headlong in love with a man who only understands weekend mornings in the theoretical. After two separate instances of missing doses and suffering the cartoon-character mood swings that accompany Plan B you decided something more permanent was called for.
xoxoxo
As a child, you couldn’t wait to be a mom. As a twenty-two-year-old, you were open to the idea. By the time you got married you were beginning to have doubts, because you and your husband both had high-intensity, high-travel careers you enjoyed, and it became increasingly difficult to see where children fit into all that. It didn’t help that articles about climate change kept you up at night. Sometimes you cried about them.
There were also logistical reasons. Daycare in your major American city costs upwards of $2500 a month, nearly a mortgage, but without the possibility for a return on investment (unless states continue to roll back child labor laws). Not least of all, as a woman who spent years duking it out with MDD and now has a career she enjoys, you are the Platonic form for likely postpartum depression, and you know for a fact your country doesn’t provide the sort of treatment and time away from work you would need. Even if it did, you’re not sure it’s a struggle you would win.
xoxoxo
You are not a hypochondriac, but something about ovarian cancer grips you in a way other conditions don’t. Once again you feel like a clueless teenager unable to understand how something so deadly can be so under-researched, with so few preventions and interventions available. Your past surgeries have made you nervous, and every time you feel bloated for more than two days the oily voice of your lizard-brain hisses terrible things.
xoxoxo
You travel less now, and so you adopt two kittens. They are immediately the center of your lives. You love them, and you love going to the grocery store without worrying about whether you want to stay out later to grab a coffee. One summer evening, after you’ve spent the night cooking an elaborate meal that you enjoyed out on the patio with a particularly killer Loire chenin, you and your husband agreed that this was the extent of caretaking responsibility you wanted in life.
xoxoxo
Your beloved OB/GYN had his license suspended for cocaine abuse, stalking, and assault of his ex-boyfriend, and his practice finally shuttered with an unceremonious dial tone on the office line. You only found out about it when you checked his Yelp page, now littered with confused patients desperate for prescriptions and medical records, and then your coworker sends you a link to an investigative report on the local news. It turns out disciplinary measures and programs for physicians facing substance abuse issues are strictly confidential. You were and are sympathetic, although you wished you would have been informed that he was arrested immediately before he operated on you.
xoxoxo
Your diary entries for the week leading up to the end of Roe were borderline incoherent and not particularly original. “This is the end of so many things,” one says. “What’s beyond shock?” says another. “I’ve imagined everything getting worse my entire life, but somehow I never imagined it getting worse like this.”
xoxoxo
You got a copper IUD at the first OB/GYN who popped up on your search for doctors that took your insurance. No hormones: you’re no longer comfortable with pills exerting an influence you can’t fully understand or control. So you went to a dilapidated office building in the suburbs while the doctor slotted it in and made some casual *it’s-like-I-don’t-even-have-a-hand-in-your-hole-*type conversation.
“Do you live around here?”
"No, I’m in the city, but sometimes come out this way for work.”
“You have a high pain tolerance. What do you do for a job?”
You told her in general terms, and she went, “Oh, no wonder.”
“It’s nowhere near as bad as a cervical biopsy,” you said, because it wasn’t. You’d never stopped wondering whether you needed it, whether you needed any of it. You half-expected the OB/GYN to discover your uterus was held together with Gorilla Glue.
xoxoxo
Your husband has a business trip the week before your salpingectomy. He comes home Thursday night, bleary-eyed and pale, complaining of conference crud. You ordered him chicken soup from a fancy shop and listen to stories about the sales reps promising things the tech couldn’t deliver.The next morning you go to the hospital for your preoperative bloodwork. Somehow no one can find the record of your procedure, which surely throws off your results, because when the nurse says you’re not in the system you start excreting cortisol like it’s your last day on death row. They finally find you in a separate system because your procedure is at the outpatient surgical center a few blocks away.
A few hours later, your bloodwork comes back. The acronyms MCHC, WBC, and RBC are low past the low range of normal, but the nurses say it shouldn’t be a deal breaker. They tell you to rest up and eat healthy for your surgery the following week.
When you arrive home you find your husband in the kitchen taking calls. He holds up a white stick in his hand. “It’s COVID,” he says. You immediately camp out to a hotel downtown for the weekend, monitoring your every real and imagined symptom like a hawk, if hawks had poorly managed anxiety disorders. You’re pretty sure you’re in the clear until 22 hours before your surgery when you finally test positive. It’s the first time you have it.
xoxoxo
You get another entry to your already-lengthy list of reasons to have a salpingectomy, namely, that it might not be legal if you wait much longer.
xoxoxo
One morning around the time of your period you woke up with a headache. You don’t use painkillers much as a general rule—you never had them as a kid—but four hours later the headache worsened into something more insidious, the claw end of a hammer tearing into your brain. You took an extra-strength Tylenol, which was almost impressive in its futility. Later you developed a nausea that was hard to attribute to a flimsy lunchtime quesadilla. By two o’clock you convinced yourself that you could listen in on a meeting while still laying in bed; by two-ten the sound of a Zoom call became so excruciating that you gave up.
What happened next was a wordless nightmare, a slow-moving horror story punctuated by bouts of vomiting and aches so intense you would have begged for a cervical biopsy instead. Looking at screens made you want to puke. Looking at anything made you want to puke. You couldn’t connect the brain cells that could have told you what was happening. Your worried husband repeatedly tried to get you to the ER, but you insisted (through jerky gestures he understood: this is why you love him) that there was no way you could manage to put clothes on and sit in a car. You existed in a state of absolute agony for nine hours until, in the middle of the night, you manage to think oh my god, that hurt so fucking much.
The next morning, when you’re vaguely alive again, you find the following consecutive sentences in a study:
“Although the annual prevalence of migraine in women of all ages is 17%, the peak prevalence of migraine occurs in pre-menopausal women in their late 30s at approximately 30%. Few studies address epidemiology or treatment of migraines in midlife women.”
You read the sentences twice, three times, then five, but have to stop before you throw up again.
xoxoxo
The week before your surgery reschedule date you come down with a sore throat on one side. A telehealth doctor is convinced you have strep throat and writes you a prescription for antibiotics without so much as running a test. You gargle with salt water five times a day. You consider IV therapies. Your phone screen time shoots up from an average of four hours a day to eight, even ten, thanks to scrolling through every conceivable combination of “cold” and “surgery” in Reddit posts and obscure clinical studies. You eat entire cloves of garlic until your frantic Googling points out that mass amounts of garlic can act as a blood thinner, and then you develop a neurosis about bleeding out all over the operating table. You have nightmares about your teeth falling out. Using the MyChart ignore-me app you tell the surgical scheduler that you’re having cold symptoms although you’re still able to work as normal and have no congestion or cough. You can hear her confusion through the internet.
xoxoxo
You are the first patient of the morning at the city outpatient surgery center, tucked into an office building so nondescript and dimly lit your husband drives past it twice. You wait together until you’re herded downstairs with your fellow early patients (a colonoscopy candidate who talks three times too loud and an old lady who cracks wry jokes through an interpreter).
You post yourself up in a gown as soon as you’re instructed to do so and sit in the provided chair, which is like a recliner if it was designed to make you nervous. There are privacy curtains, but soon the room swarms with so many nurses, doctors, and aides that pretty soon you think you might be the one intruding. You process the morning’s gossip the same way you would start a television series halfway through, learning who’s to blame for sending all the patients before Brenda was ready and why Peggy is the only person who can get the rolling desk to open.
You have conversations with your surgeon, the assisting doctor, the anesthesiologist, and his assistant. They notice that you don’t make eye contact when they insert needles and don’t comment on it. A nearby nurse admits she’s listening in on your chat about how you used to do Olympic lifting. Peggy shows off a move with the desk that wins oohs and ahhs from the other working staff.
“Your vitals are perfection,” says the pre-op nurse, who is mostly just glad not to be talking to the colonoscopy guy. “Why are you even here?”
“Getting some things over with,” you say.
xoxoxo
This is a city hospital, which means that while the medical care is first-rate the frills are few and far between. You are perfectly awake and aware when they march you around the corner to the OR, which resembles nothing so much as a torture chamber crossed with a milking parlor (your grandfather was a dairy farmer). There are valves everywhere on metal contraptions that look worryingly retro. Hoses run up to the ceiling in colorful and mystifying configurations. It is at least fifteen degrees too cold to be comfortable. When they position you on the bed you’re tempted to moo.
“Okay,” the anesthesiologist says, as hands swarm around you, strapping you in, moving you down under your blankets. “I’m gonna ease you into it. How’s that sound?”
“That sounds great,” you say, although you don't have a ton of options in this situation. You are still waiting for it to kick in when you wake up in a recovery bed, shivering and roiling in pain that radiates up and down your body. A different nurse asks your pain level: you say seven or eight, implying urgency if not quite alarm. She slams morphine into the port in your hand like a syringe-wielding thriller assassin, and you groan and gnash your teeth. But three minutes later you get dressed.
xoxoxo
You didn’t want to be a mother anymore. Well, you didn’t exactly not want to be a mother, either. But you didn’t want children more than the self you built, piece by ungainly piece, until you could look in the mirror and feel pretty happy with the person looking back. More to the point, the world in which you wanted to have children doesn’t exist. The choice was made for you: it’s not your fault. You could never have controlled that anyway.
xoxoxo
At home there are roses in a vase. Your husband has built a voice-activated butler that will text him if you need anything, and bought you a weighted blanket to protect you from the curious cats that would otherwise try to settle in your lap. It’s warmer than it was yesterday, spring is here at last. You take some of the mild painkillers, dick around online for a bit, and take a long nap. Some hours later the pain gets worse, so you upgrade to the handful of fancy painkillers you haven’t had since your first laparoscopy. Then you decide to write about it before you go to sleep.
xoxoxo

Toriyama sensei's influence all over the world is hardy matched by anything that came after Dragon Ball. We all know and respect him for that. He was a great mangaka who had several successfull and popular titles. But this also lead to people overblowing things out of proportion So with due respect to Toriyama Sensei, i'm here to merely clear some of these misconceptions, purposeful lies and simple ignorance, via a compilation of Oda's official statements.
First of all i will say that this isn't abt Toriyama himself as a person or his quality of writing. It's abt Dragon Ball fans spreading misinformation. Stealing Credit of Different Author's Life time's work in the name of using someone's death as an opportunity to get some likes, is such a miserable thing to do. Some people are simply saying things for the sake of it to get as many likes they possibly can using this opportunity. It's also extremely disrespectful to Toriyama Sensei as well. Nothing is more miserable than using someone's death to feed your own ego by spreading lies.
I'd start with few things.
1. Liking and Admiring an author out of respect for his achievements ≠ Your work wouldn't exist without said author.
You can respect people without having to take inspiration from him. Oda-sensei is a huge fan of all kinds of media and we have seen him show his love for all kinds of media. He is also a huge fan of toriyama-sensei since he was a teenager and never shys to show love his for Toriyama Sensei. But saying he became a mangaka because of toriyama is simply a lie.
Oda-Sensei wanted to be a mangaka since the age of 4 due to a Pirate Cartoon called "Vickey the Viking". This is 10 yrs before Dragon Ball was even a thing or Toriyama sensei had became a writer.
Complete Interview from 2016
You can tell where exactly his love for pirates and mangas originated from. Which obviously has absolutely nothing to do with Dragon Ball. One Piece would still exist in it's full glory whether or not Dragon Ball was a thing.
2. People don't understand Google is a search engine which finds and provide you with things which are most similar to your search keywords. What u see at the top of search results aren't words out of bible. Stop believing them blindly.
Everytime this discussion gets brought up you will wayyy too many people on internet show screenshots of first thing that shows in your google search results. They never check where post is from or who wrote it or what credibility they have.
Worst offender of this is this specific, One Piece fan wiki fan forum post which casuals treat as "It's from One Piece wiki itself so it must be true".
Mr. "MadManMal" singlehandedly ruined perception of millions of people with one single post. There are more from screenrant,sportskeeda etc web but this is the worst of of them all.
3. Oda's artstyle
When talking abt inspiration, "Oda's artstyle is inspired by Toriyama" gets brought up a lot and use Oda saying "i used to imitate dragon ball manga's artstyle as a kid since i wanted to be mangaka" as proof.
https://imgur.com/a/hCmN6yJ
This is referring to a 12-14 yo Oda who is yet to officially pick up a pen for any manga or even start developing his unique drawing style.
I will quote Oda from same 2016 interview i linked above:

Q: since secondary school you'd started to get get ready for this..
EO: Well not really started getting ready...i just thought of drawing a pirate a manga, that's all. (referring to being inspired by Vicky the Viking)
Q: So how long.... for this idea to....
EO: If we look back from now, it's like a very great one but...actually I only started to learn how to draw a manga when i was about 17 yrs old,after i received award i was assigned with editor, for that time only i know that manga should be drawn in this way and began my study on how to draw manga. The actual begnning was that time so that idea remained as an imagination back when i still know know about nothing.

When he was 17 years old, Oda first made "Wanted!" and managed to win several awards including placing second in the Tezuka Award. This is where he started learning how to professionally draw a manga. He then got a job at Weekly Shonen Jump magazine as Shinobu Kaitani's assistant for the manga "Suizan Police Gang".
At the age of 19, Oda began working as an assistant to mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki for "Rurouni Kenshin" before winning the Hop Step Award for new mangaka. During this time, Oda drew stories one shot with a pirate theme entitled "Romance Dawn" with the character Luffy. The story was published by Akamaru Jump and Weekly Shonen Jump in late 1996. In 1997, One Piece debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump and sold 100 million copies as of February 2005.
When Oda joined Watsuki, he also started working on his own Manga with pirates he had always wanted to. He released Romance Dawn as a test but after seeing the reception, he wrote version 2 of Romance Dawn which is what we know today. This Romance Dawn had an artstyle and plot repurposed into the style One Piece would have in 1997. This is where his One Piece artstyle comes from. If you've read Rorouni Kenshin you'd know how similar Oda's artstyle is to Watsuki's artstyle. While Oda was working on Rorouni Kenshin he also referenced One Piece in it before One Piece's official serialization began.
Roruoni Kenshin CH160:
https://imgur.com/a/5sYGLTT
"Oda didn't want his drawing influenced by other mangaka beacuse otherwise his drawing originality would gradually fade away" is the reason for One Piece's completely unique artstyle. Saying his artstyle is based on Toriyama's because "he tried to imitate dragon ball as a teenager" is not only wrong but extremely disrespectful to both Oda Sensei and Toriyama sensei's memory.
4. Luffy's creation
This is personally most infuriating to me because people who do this, mischaracterize Luffy so badly that it should be criminal. Most of it is usually completely baseless, but at times it's misinformation and misintepretation of an old interview.
In said interview, Oda's asked what he did think of when he created Luffy. Oda replies in word. "Manliness". The further explaining how he wanted to write a story abt "A Man's World". OG Dragon Ball, which is based on chinese novel "Journey To The West" had an adventurous-esque world which Oda liked. Oda used that as a basis to write a completely new character which oozes of manliness, charisma, and optimism to explore "a man's world". He then added depth to him making him more humanistic, emotionally intelligent, deep layered char with a well refined strong moral compass which keeps getting reformed as story progressess. He also takes inspiration from Kenshin from Rorouni Kenshin, in regards to him not killing villains but instead crushing them psychologically.
Monkey D Luffy is NOT inspired by Son Goku!
i had several essays written last night to explain Luffy's character with this graphic but slept and then woke up to find i had closed my chromes. Which lead to whole post being erased and then me rewriting it again. This time i wouldn't be able to write a deep character analysis of Luffy and how he symbolizes these different concepts and represents ideas of those specific philosophers. But i will try to drop small explainations with a comparison between Luffy and Goku
First of all a surface lvl comparison between Luffy and Goku's personality traits.

Goku	Luffy
energetic, kindhearted, pure hearted, innocent, and generally stupid	enthusiastic, carefree, rude, self aware, incredibly wiser for his age, extreme emotional intelligence, brash but joyful and generally goodhearted. doesn't brood over troubles, faces death with infectious grin, lives in present, extremely charismati
never had any ambition, was just following bulma for most of the series, then got married and defender of planet from aliens	poster boy of all dreamers. literally kickstarted a whole era of "i wannabe king, hokage,mayor,champion,hero,free" or find something/someone (usually father figure). (but this is just for appearances, he actually has a hidden dream)
things simply happen to him for most of the series. doesn't have as much agency.	is a force of nature, actively ruining balance of world with every move every decision every thought. has responsibility of life of 10 other people who listens to his judgement to the t and follow his leadership to death.
can read, write and do math	never had any proper education since he was raised by criminals but can read and write somewhat
loves food just cuz/ comedic purposes	loves food because he understands pain of hunger, respects food as something of utmost importance (fell for sanji the moment he fed a bad guy despite him being a threat), food plays massive role in plot and his ambitions. i.e., his love for food actually adds more depth to his character.
respectful, caring, sometimes unknowingly rude	brash, outgoing, knowingly rude,doesn't follow rules and most of all, doesn't respect anyone unless they are worthy of such, Brazen hatred of authority and never does what he is told. Infact he does the opposite.
generally well mannered but falls short at times due to his own foolishness and obliviousness.	Terrible Manners, would say what he wants no matter who gets bitter (with few exceptions), unbothered abt others perception of him, doesn't use honorifics, doesn't even remember names generally , instead uses nicknames (which is considered INCREDIBLY rude in japan)
strong sense of justice and always strives to protect the innocent	strong moral compass which he himself defined by living with bandits, his brothers, and criminals in nearby slum.
upholds justice	doesn't care abt justice or laws defined by others, would act upon something if and only if it directly concerns him. doesn't want to be called hero. punishes people for what he believes to be right as One True King above all.
risks his life to protect the innocent no matter what circumstances or consequences	risks his life only for his specific ideals that concerns him personally (i.e., his moral code, his friends). doesn't care abt strangers. wouldn't help unless begged to do so.
hates evil bad guys	hates cowards, indifferent to ambitionless fools like bellamy (but still sees them with contempt), and hates doflamingo
believes everyone can be changed, usually doesn't kill bad guy because he wants to fight him again in future	unbothered abt anyone's and everyone's past. judges people for their present. would whoop people without ever thinking what will become of them in the future. would also most likely leave them alive after crushing thier dreams to shame them further.
pure of heart, even to an extreme. also has difficulty understanding the concept of deception	pure of heart, but knows some people would backstab him at a heart beat, never trusts people he judges them as suspects, would ally with questionable people and commit inhumane crimes to suite his selfish goals.
never knew when to give up (with 1exception)	believes in his own strength and his allies, above else, but also recognises when to give up and tell his crewmates to run. would sacrifice himself to allow his crew's escape
risks lives out of desire to fight stronger opponents and stupidity	risks lives of his comrades (who have chosen to be follow him specifically because of what he is) for his morals, would do extremely dangerous things despite knowing the consequences because he'd rather die standing upto his beliefs than live with regrets.
submissive to overbearing women	wouldn't think twice punching anyone if he wants to, or shutting down his closest female friend for acting unfitting of a crewmate of future pirate king. has extreme pride but also humble if it means he can help his friends
believes in fair fights, wouldn't take any advantage to win no matter the consequences. wouldn't run away.	doesn't play fair, doesn't expect his opps to play fair, would use everything possible to win, still mostly has pure 1v1s where he is at disadvantage due to circumstances/fate, doesn't care abt pure 1v1, would run away if it suits him (with few exceptions)
doesn't know marriage, sex or kiss. thinks marriage is food.	knows what marriage is but isn't intereted in it currently. has already rejected most beautiful women in the world twice.
reaction to close friends dying is rage, and shows rare few emotions to be a relatable human character.	shows a whole spectrum of human emotions from extreme rage to extreme depression which even made him suicidal, extreme joy to extreme sorrow, has random quirks which make him look more and more real and relatable. his treatment of people around him... He is almost too real.
you can predict exactly what he will say, how he will say, how he will react to something from the get go for almost all the time.	luffy's so extremely unpredictable all while being consistent with everything he does your reaction every single time is "hell yeahhh". it's like whenever he does it we go "ofc it makes sense he'd do this" but nanoseconds before it we have absolutely zero clue abt what he'd do. this continues on for 1000 f-ing chapters with each arc adding more layers to his character. Even after 1000 chapters One Piece fans can't predict Luffy's true dream. That's how deep his bag goes. This is also why him saying "I will be pirate king" at random unpredictable events are one of the most hype moments in all of One Piece.

i'd like to keep doing this for hours but obviously wouldn't read it if it's too long. so the point is just that both Goku and Luffy are fundamentally different characters. Stop mischaracterizing Luffy into something he isn't.
I already hate all the karens in One Piece fandom hell bent on making Luffy look like a stuffed toy who must be protected and infantilizing him to hell. It genuinely infuriates me.
will later edit the post with more stuff on luffy's writing and how he represent Nietzsche’s Übermensch, Sigmund Freud, Marx, Albert camus's and etc philosophies on different concepts. (assuming post gets good reception). Or comparisons between different deities, thier powers and symbolisms with Luffy.
5. Bit unrelated, but this post is basically what motivated to complete the post after it got erased first time. So i wanted to plug it here to increase awareness.
It basically says, Toriyama never gave no letter to Kubo or Jump after Kubo got rejected. It's a false lie.
Kubo's one shot got accepted the first time he applied for it. In fact it reached number 1 spot.
It was One Piece which was rejected 3 times by infamous Torishima san beforee finally caving in to it, while on contrast Naruto and Bleach were accepted on first attempt. Torishima san still to this day hope for a manga to come and surpass One Piece in sales as soon as possible.

Taito Kubo, author of Bleach, revealed that he has been hating Oda ever since his debut manga was defeated by ONE PIECE in readers' popularity poll.
In 1996, Chief editor Kazuhiko Torishima, known as editor for Dragon Ball, scolded Kubo that his manga was terrible and recommended him to read Dragon Ball and Fist of the North Star first volumes. But Kubo didn't read them, thinking "Damn you!!"

source:
Translated Version:

Former OP editor Sugita (the current editor for The Promised Neverland) was talking about some influences from Oda:

"...Sugita proceeds to reveal that, while he was One Piece's editor, Oda revealed that One Piece was something of a deliberate subversion of Dragon Ball through having a vastly more complex story and characters, while Dragon Ball is a manga infamous for its simplicity."
Basically Oda : praises Toriyama
Also Oda: "u simpleton" /s
Oda admired Toriyama but never wanted his manga to be like Dragon Ball. According to both himself and his editors, Oda is an ardent worker and perfectionist.(source:) He wanted to tell a story only he had imagined in a way only he could do.
Oda's Advice For Up-and-Coming Artists: https://imgur.com/a/uCAT4Wd
Saying One Piece wouldn't exist without Dragon Ball on this specific occasion isn't just disrespectful to Toriyama sensei's memory, but also Oda sensei while completely ignoring what he'd been aspiring to be with his lifetime's work. It's also a disservice to everyone who have been involved with One Piece for past 25 yrs to write an extremely unique and engaging story.
That'd be all. If you have any questions regarding anything i missed or a source for something i forgot to add, please let me know in the comments.

Hey everyone,
I’ve lurked here on and off for the past several years. I recently got into my top choice and wanted to post about the process I went through so other people can maybe learn something. It was a convoluted process so I’ll try to hit the high points here and if anyone has questions I’ll reply to comments on specific stuff. My main takeaway from this whole process is there is a LOT of randomness involved.
Like the title says, this was my 3rd round of applications. I had a good counting stats from college (3.9+ GPA, 512 MCAT) but my ECs were on the lower end. I had several years of research experience but minimal volunteering/leadership time and less than 80 hours of shadowing by the time I graduated. If I had to guess, this is why I only got 1 interview (UT San Antonio) that 1st year.
I got my EMT license while in college and started working an IFT job before my first round of applications. For those unfamiliar, I basically drove around old people who needed to go back to their nursing home or to another hospital. But, it counts as patient care hours, so I had ~500 clinical hours on that first application.
By the time I submitted my 2nd application, I was working in a very busy 911 system and had a lot more experience assessing pts and make clinical decisions. I made this the theme of my application, talking about how much I enjoyed the process of a differential diagnosis and developing a treatment plan.
I got 2 interviews (UT McGovern and Texas Tech) and needed up getting waitlisted at both schools. For whatever reason UTSA decided not interview me again even though I thought my application had gotten much stronger.
Year 3 brought some major changes. I changed 3 of my 4 letters of recommendation. I was unable to contact my research professor from college so I could not get her Letter of Rec. I switched to another professor from the Biology department at my college. I also got a LOR from the medical director at my EMS agency since I specifically talked about wanting to be a medical director in my application. I had ~6000 hours of clinical experience at this point from work so it made sense to build my application around that.
I also added some leadership positions related to training new hires and volunteers. The last big change was I would start paramedic school during the application window, which I felt emphasized my commitment to medicine as a career. I shadowed one ER doc consistently for several months as well to beef up my shadowing hours.
I got 2 interviews (McGovern again, and UT RGV) and finally got accepted to McGovern, which was luckily my top choice.
All told I interviewed at 4 schools, and only had one repeat interview at the school that eventually accepted me. I think my application got stronger over time but I always regained the same number of secondaries and never got more than 2 interview requests in a cycle so who knows?
I wanted to post this just as an extra data point for those of you still working towards admission. I made multiple changes to my application every year, didn’t join a bunch of clubs in college, swapped out LoRs, etc. and still made it. This whole process is kind of a crap shoot. There are no guarantees you just try to manipulate the odds in your favor as best you can.
Like I said at the top, if anyone has questions I’d be happy to answer them. Good luck everyone!

Welcome to the first month of the 2024 MLB Season! We are so glad you are here. Don't let the length of this post scare you, we just wanted to consolidate all the relevant information that people have questions about into one place to start the season off. This is your survival guide for the 2024 season, it should have all the pertinent information to answer most of your questions! (And if you have any more, feel free to ask them in the comments section!)
If you are a brand new fan I'd recommend going through most of it, if you're a veteran you'll know which sections you'll want to read by their headings. My goal here is that both new and returning fans can learn how to better enjoy the season and know what's going on on Baseball this year. Okay, take some time and read through what you want to read through below!
This is the eighth year of doing this. Every year I go through the previous years comments to find things that should be added or corrected for the next edition, so if you have any great resources or information that you think would be beneficial to add, please comment it below!
Sections:

• Introduction for new and renewed interest fans.
• Seoul Series and Opening Day
• Rule changes for 2024
• Finding a Team
• Knowing Where Different Teams Stand
• Baseball
• Your Team's Sub
• Twitter X, Podcasts, and YouTube Channels
• The Statistical Titans: Baseball Reference and Fangraphs
• Advanced Stat Tracking... aka the Stat Junkies' Crack
• Where to watch? Your TV and Streaming Guide
• MLB.tv
• MLB At Bat
• How to watch baseball.
• Where to watch highlights and game recaps.
• TL;DR: Find a way to enjoy the game.

Introduction for new and renewed interest fans.

Baseball has a long season. I don't just mean that in terms of time between opening day and the World Series (which can be considered long as it is), but also the 162 games played in 183 days, 13 times against the same 4 teams each. It can be daunting, and many people lose interest by "the dog days" of June and July.
This guide is meant to help you if you wish to avoid being one of those who feels overwhelmed and loses interest a couple weeks after Opening Day.
First and foremost if you are a new fan or newly returning, you must remember one thing: you do not need to watch every game. Many football fans, and even some basketball and hockey fans, find this difficult, they're used to setting aside a few nights a week to watch their team, and they can watch all the games. Baseball isn't like that. For the next six months, your team will only have 23 days where they won't be playing a game. And some of the games they play will start as early as 9:20am (Pacific Time), others will end after 1am (Eastern Time). If you miss a game it's okay, odds are there's another one tomorrow. If you miss a week, no big deal, hell if you get busy for a few months and aren't able to watch you team, that's not an issue, because you can still follow your team.
Baseball is a game to be followed. In the old days it meant picking up the morning paper and checking the box scores. Now it means being able to have a final score texted/tweeted/messaged/emailed/what-evered to you the minute the game ends, or rolling over in bed when you can't sleep and grabbing your phone to check the West Coast scores. It means being able to check reddit in the morning to see any breaking news from across the league, or catch a story you missed. We live in a time where you can go to MLB.com and get a recap of every game from last night in less than 10 minutes. Honestly, baseball was made to be consumed, and the technology age makes it easier than ever, whether you want to spend hours every day pouring over stats and analysis, or 15 seconds to see how your team and their playoff rivals did today.
The rest of this guide is mostly dedicated to ways that you can help yourself follow your team, and if you have time follow the entirety of MLB.
If you have any questions about terminology, aagpeng wrote a very useful guide!

Seoul Series and Opening Day

This year the MLB season begins with a two-game series between the Dodgers and Padres played in Seoul, South Korea on Wednesday, March 20th and Thursday, March 21st. Get your coffee ready early, because both games will start at 6:05am EDT and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Domestic Opening Day will be Thursday, March 28th - kicking off at 1:10pm EDT with the Mets hosting the Brewers. The next set of games start at 3:05pm and 4:10pm EDT, before the 7:35pm prime time game with the Cubs being hosted by the defending World Series Champion Rangers. Three west coast games start after 10pm EDT to close out a day that should see 12 straight hours of baseball!
Full opening day schedule.

Rule Changes for MLB 2024

Permanent Changes for 2024:

• Runners now have the full dirt area down the foul line between home and first as a runners lane without being called for interference.
• Pitch clock with runners on base reduced from 20 seconds to 18 seconds. With bases empty it remains at 15 seconds.
• Pitch clock now begins after a dead ball when the pitcher receives the ball regardless of if they are on the mound or not.
• Available mound visits for teams reduced from 5 to 4 - teams still gain a mound visit for the 9th inning if they have exhausted their visits by the end of the 8th inning and receive an additional visit every extra inning.
• Pitchers who warm up between innings are required to pitch to at least one batter before being replaced.

Potential future changes being tested in the minors:

• Fully automated strike zone
• Umps calling strikes, but teams having 3 challenges to a ball/strike call.

Rule Emphasis

• Umpires are instructed to more tightly call obstruction when fielders block a runners back to a base.

Finding a Team

I always recommend following the local team since you'll have more access to news about them in the local media and should be able to get their radio broadcast, as well as TV broadcasts of them if you have cable/satellite/streaming, and depending on where you're at the occasional over the air game, but if you don't live by a team or don't want to follow the local team, or are just looking for a second team to follow, I wrote this in depth guide to picking a team that's the right fit for you.

Knowing Where Different Teams Stand

Every year ESPN, Sports Illustrated, FOX, NBC, and every other sports related site puts out their season previews. These are great for getting a basic rundown of what is going on with each team, and a simple google search will bring up a plethora of possible articles to read.
For a succinct snapshot of team expectations, you can look at the fangraphs projected standings and projected playoff odds or for a slightly different model you can check the PECOTA projected standings and playoff odds. While these aren't as in depth as team previews, looking at both can show which teams are consensus favorites, and which ones are more wild cards in how they're expected to perform.
If what you really want is a fans perspective on what each team's expectations condensed into a few short comments, I'd highly recommend going through each teams day from our annual "Why will X team exceed expectations?" series.

Baseball

Alright, so plugging baseball on baseball seems a bit redundant, but I think it's a good reminder that this is a great hub for all your MLB news throughout the season while still letting you see the occasional amazing college/minor league/foreign league performance.
During the season there are a number of features to keep you informed of all the goings on around baseball.
Every day of the season (and a portion of the offseason) there are General Discussion threads called Around the Horn. These are great places to ask questions and discuss anything that you want to know about baseball but don't feel like it deserves it's own post. In the Around the Horn post you'll be able to see a full schedule of what is going on around Baseball every week.
During the week the subreddit runs a number of features. *Please note that these are always subject to change.:
Daily: Game Threads - New this year, baseball is experimenting with additional game threads throughout the week. Exact amount and timing likely to be tweaked throughout the season as demand dictates, but opening day and early on should be a great place to ask questions and get to know the teams.
Daily: Nightly Pick'Em - A ten year running contest to pick the result of one game every day. Here's last year's introduction thread where you can find details.
Monday: Power Rankings - A team of 30 fans from every team in baseball, led by masochist fearless leader kasutori_jack, releases their composite power rankings of the 30 teams. This leads to well thought out discussions and some in depth analysis, as well as salty fans crying about how their team is underrated (there may be more of the latter than the former, but it's still a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of how every team is doing).
Monday: State of the Subreddits - double_dose_larry took over posting a State of the Subreddits post that gives the top post from each team's subreddit from the last week. This is a great roundup post for staying up to date on what all the different team fandoms are feeling, and helps you catch any milestones you might have otherwise missed.
Tuesday: Weekly Awards - Led by lemcoe9 a different team of a fan from every team releases the results of their weekly (and monthly) voting for who the best position player and pitcher was since the last vote was taken. Once again, a great way to keep track of which players are on hot streaks, and who's dominating the league.
Wednesday: Wild Card Wednesday - Each week a new contest, trivia game, or just out of the box fun thread will be stickied! Got an idea? Let the mods know!
Thursdays: Division Discussions - Rotating between the Easts, Centrals, and Wests to do some more in depth talk about where the playoff races and teams stand. If you only have time for one baseball thread every week and want to keep up with the league, this is the thread to set aside time for.
Friday: Trash Talk/Compliment/Complaint - FRIDAYS ARE FUN DAYS, ROTATING BETWEEN TRASH TALK, COMPLIMENT, TRASH TALK, AND COMPLAINT THREADS! TRADITION STATES ALL COMMENTS BE IN ALL CAPS AND ENDING IN EXCLAMATION POINTS! ROTATION IS USED RATHER THAN HAVE A SET DAY FOR EACH ALL SEASON BECAUSE IT'S A LONG SEASON AND ANY ONE OF THE THREE THREADS CAN GET STALE FAST IF YOU DON'T LEAVE TIME FOR MORE AMMUNITION!
Saturday: Saturday is when the mods usually plug in occasional things that don't necessarily deserve weekly attention. Things like in depth stat discussions, memorabilia sharing, craft projects, etc.
Sunday: Game of the Week - Sunday night is the only guaranteed exclusive time slot for a game during the week, so there's always a stickied game thread for the game. The Sunday Night Baseball game thread is usually posted a couple hours before the first pitch.
In addition to all these features, it really is a great place to keep up with breaking news and highlights. It'll be posted here minutes after someone tweets it, and long before it's on MLB.com. Team beat writers get the stories first, and it's easier to check in here a couple times a day than follow every one of them.
Another note - for the best Baseball experience, you should use Old Reddit, which you can access by visiting old.reddit.com/baseball. Old reddit includes a fun sidebar with a full scoreboard of the day's action as well as the current league standings (with little flags that tell you who's in wild card position).

Your Team's Subreddit (And other team subs as well)

The mods at baseball have one goal - help you have the best possible reddit baseball experience, and a LOT of that is helping you get connected to other fans of your team (which feels a little like a cop-out because it means less work for us if you're doing more on your team's sub, but your team's mods aren't complaining.)
One of the main draws of team subs (other than in depth discussion with like-fan-minded users, getting breaking news and analysis on your team, team-memes, and other reddit discussions that come up from a group of individuals who can agree on one thing) are game threads. At this time (to the best of my knowledge) every team sub hosts game threads for their team's games, and you can easily access them in the sidebar during the season by clicking on the team's logo in the schedule.
Even if you're not a game thread person though, getting connected with a good team sub can make disappointing seasons more bearable, and great seasons more exciting, and I know plenty of users that said that their team's sub basically keeps them fans. Team subs are also a great place to get connected to...

Twitter X, Podcasts, and YouTube Channels

The best way to find the people to follow/sites to visit that interest you the most are to hang around your team's sub and note which Tweets/Sites that are linked to that most often peak your interest. Your list of favorite baseball writers is going to be different than my favorite list, and finding the right twitter personalities, podcasts hosts, and YouTubers can make game analysis more interesting for you even if your team is playing like crap and it's the middle of July.
Here are some common suggestions for some baseball twitter accounts, podcasts, and YouTube Channels that are often recommended by those around the subreddit to get you started, but like I said, find what you like and follow those:
Twitter X

Account	Account	Account
@MLB	@Ken_Rosenthal	@Buster_ESPN
@jonmorosi	@mlbtraderumors	@MiLB
@JeffPassan	@MLBInjuryNews	@keithlaw
@foolishbaseball	@BaseballAmerica	@brooksbaseball
@BenLindbergh	@ChrisCotillo	@mike_petriello
@MJ_Baumann	@FanRagSports	@TheAthleticMLB
@fangraphs	@baseballprospectus	@baseball_ref
@daynperry	@CBSSportsMLB	@CespedesBBQ
@GrantBrisbee	@JonHeyman	@cantpitch
@MLBRosterMoves	@darenw	@extrabaggs
@PitchingNinja	@CKampa	@MLBRandomStats
@Jomboy_	@DSzymborski	@IT_MLB
@theaceofspaeder	@based_ball	@ BaseballBrit
@OTBaseballPhoto	@MLBcathedrals	@baseballhall

Podcasts

Podcast	Podcast	Podcast
Rain Delay Radio	Effectively Wild	Baseball Tonight
MLB Pipeline	Fangraphs Audio	Talkin' Baseball
Baseball BarBCast	PosCast	Baseball Is Dead
Future Projection	Rates & Barrels	Foul Territory

YouTube Channels

Channel	Channel	Channel
MLB	Trevor May Baseball	MLB Network
Foolish Baseball	Baseball Doesn't Exist	JomBoy Media
Giraffe Neck Marc	Fuzzy	Andrew Vargha
Stark Raving Sports	Sadman Baseball	Made the Cut

The Statistical Titans: Baseball Reference and Fangraphs

Literally every day you will find a link or to BaseballReference.com or Fangraphs.com here, it's a given, and it's because these are the two most extensive free baseball databases that are easy to navigate. If you want to look up anything about baseball history, check Baseball Reference, if you want to look up how players stack up with non-proprietary advanced metrics or read an insightful blog post about why someone is overrated/underrated or overperforming/underperforming, check Fangraphs. With these two sites you have all the stats and figures you need to make a competent argument for basically anything you want with a little cherry picking.
A large part of the modern baseball world is statistics and you're going to find yourself getting more immersed in discussing the game if you can get a handle on all the terms getting thrown around. If you are brand new to baseball, take a little while to get to know the game before diving into these sites, but if you have a handle on the basics and are ready to know what this WAR everyone is talking about is, dive into the glossaries and find the statistics.
When you get the basics, creating your own analysis doesn't seem as daunting, and one of the reasons I love baseball is that I can deconstruct pretty much every play and find some meaning behind it. If you are like that and enjoy numbers, theoretical projections, and breaking things down into simple figures before reconstructing them into something long and beautiful, then learning the basics of sabrmetrics will make you a baseball fan for life. If, on the other hand, you just want to enjoy the game for the beautiful pastime that it is by watching, then we've got a little bit to go through...

Advanced Stat Tracking... aka the Stat Junkies' Crack

Fangraphs and Baseball Reference contain almost all the stats you'd need for a lifetime, but sometimes you just need something different, and there are some very helpful places on the internet to find some other, more specific or advanced data.
If you are looking for Pitch f/x data, strikezone plots, and/or a breakdown of a pitcher's pitches, check out BrookesBaseball.net. You can quickly find specific at bats in games, or entire games scatter plots to ruthlessly ridicule and rant about an umpire see why that last pitch was called a strike.
If you want to look up certain statcast data, like which pitchers are throwing the hardest, which fielders are having the fastest sprint speeds, who's hitting the ball the furthest, etc., you should check out BaseballSavant. Look at the "Statistics" and "Leaderboards" sections for more information.
If you are into looking up really specific historical queries, or just want pretty much every baseball stat ever, you can usually find it in the Lahman Database.
If you are looking for MLB API for your next coding project, you can find that information here. And if you're really into statistical analysis and want to test out your R skills, baseballr is the package of choice.

Where to Watch? - Your TV and Streaming Guide

So a big part of baseball is, you know, actually being able to watch the games (though as I talk about at the end, it might not necessarily be the case for you, and that doesn't mean you can't enjoy baseball, skip down and see what I'm talking about in the final section).
TV Networks
Fox/FS1- "Baseball Night in America": exclusive regional coverage of 2 or 3 Saturday night games on the broadcast network starting Memorial Day weekend. Non-exclusive games on the cable network, usually Saturday afternoon with some irregularly scheduled weeknight games as well. Also includes the All-Star Game, both division series and the league championship series for one league (NL in 2024) which are split between OTA and cable channels, and the entire World Series on the broadcast network.
ESPN - Exclusive Sunday Night Baseball game. Usually on ESPN proper, but may get bumped to ESPN2 in the early part of the season because of the NBA and NHL playoffs. None are currently planned, but can also go to ABC as well. Also includes opening night, the Little League Weekend game (which is on a Sunday anyway), the Home Run Derby, a few extra late-season games, and the entire Wild Card round of the playoffs (with some overflow to ABC and ESPN2).
TBS - Non-exclusive Tuesday night game all season. Also includes the other league's division series and league championship series (AL for 2024). Overflow is handled on TNT for the division series.
MLB Network - Simulcasts local home team broadcasts daily; many days they'll have multiple games. About once a week (though irregular as to which day) they have he non-exclusive MLB Network Showcase, which is produced in-house. Simulcasts and the Showcase are subject to blackout in home markets, and another simulcast will be substituted instead.
Streaming
Apple TV+ - Two exclusive Friday Night Baseball games produced in conjunction with MLB Network.
MLB.tv - Subscriber package for watching out-of-town local broadcasts. One game a day is always given as a free sample. Blacked out in the teams' home markets (due to deals between teams and sports networks - it has nothing to do with trying to get you to the ballpark) and for some national broadcasts. See section below for more details.
ESPN+ - One local broadcast a day (not the same game as the freebie on MLB.tv) is simulcast live on ESPN+ in addition to being on MLB.tv. Also on Sundays it simulcasts the Sunday Night Baseball game. More of a throw-in than anything, but if you already have an ESPN+ subscription it's already paid for.
There are also streaming services that grant access to most of the previously mentioned channels:

• Sling TV Orange package gets you ESPN, ESPN 2, and TBS.
• Sling TV Blue package gets you FOX, FS1, TBS.
• Youtube TV gets you FOX, ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, TBS, and some regional sports networks.
• HULU Live gets you FOX, ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, FS2, TBS, and some regional sports networks.
• AT&T TV Now Live a Little gets you FOX, ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, and TBS and your regional sports networks.
• AT&T TV Now Just Right adds MLB Network to the Live a Little channels.
• AT&T TV Now Go Big adds FS2 to the Just Right channels.
• FUBO Premier gets you FOX, FS1, FS2, ESPN, ESPN 2, and some of your regional sports networks
• FUBO Extra adds MLB Network

NOTE - With Bally filing bankruptcy there is an air of unease on what the future of regional sports networks versus direct from MLB streaming is going to look like. Stay tuned around here as news of this kind will be posted and discussed quickly.

MLB.TV - the Ultimate Fan Investment

Alright, so a few things to cover with this, first of all YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEGALLY STREAM IN MARKET GAMES IF YOU LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA. MLB.tv uses your IP address to see where you are located, and if it pings back that you are in a team's home market it will not let you watch the game LIVE. Here is where you can find what games MLB.tv will black you out from. National broadcasts on ESPN, FOX, and TBS are also subject to blackouts within the United States (MLB Network games are not). Before you ask, yes there are less than legal ways to get around this (spoofing your IP address, subreddit dedicated to mlb streams, etc.), but I won't be talking about those in detail here.
International fans, the only potential games you will be blacked out of are the Apple TV games and postseason games if your country has a network that paid for postseason broadcasting rights.
Even if you are blacked out, you will be able to watch the game 90 minutes after it finishes, so if you work a late shift or stay up late it might be worth it for you anyways even if you only want to follow one team.
Pricing tip - if you donate $25 to become a MLB Players Alumni Association Fan Member you get 50% off MLB.tv.
Military members and college students, don't forget to apply your 35% discount! T-Mobile Customers, you can get MLB.tv FOR FREE using the T Life App - it has been confirmed that this is back this year - sign up between March 26th and April 1st.
"But I don't want to watch EVERY out of market game, I just want to watch MY team!" Cool, for $20 less there's a single team option that will allow you to watch all your team's non-blacked out games! Personally, I'd pay the extra $20 for the opportunity to watch every Cole, Burnes, and Snell start, or put the Cubs on in the background while working on a Friday afternoon, but to each their own. For 21 teams there is also pre/post game coverage that you can watch along with the games.
"But I don't want to commit for a full year!" That's okay, there's a monthly option as well in case you know there are months where you can't watch as much.
Some of the fun features of MLB.tv include the ability to watch four games at once (added to more device apps this year) and quickly swap your audio from one to another (seriously, I'm never on commercial break when I'm watching baseball, unless there's only one game on I'm able to watch it all, and in September that's huge) and condensed games. What are condensed games? They go through and cut out all the time between pitches and innings, meaning if you want to watch a whole game in less than a half hour (or are searching desperately for a play to make a .gif or streamable out of that for some reason isn't considered a highlight) it's really easy. If you're someone who really wants to get into the game but can't figure out how to grind through watching a full game, Condensed Games are great for keeping up with a team while you learn the little details between pitches that somehow make watching the catcher twiddle his fingers exciting for some fans.
In addition, the previously separate MiLB.tv has been rolled in to the MLB.tv subscription, giving you access to watch minor league games from across the country! No more debating whether to pay $20 more to watch that one prospect for a week then forget you have the subscription because there are always MLB games on at the same time - access to watching any minor league games is now included! All triple A and double A teams will have their games streamed, and select lower level clubs will as well.
Also, MLB has added some great baseball documentaries to your MLB.tv subscription, giving you access to more than just games. They also have "Baseball Zen" videos that are great for relaxing to.
In addition, there is a great resource to enhance your total immersion into baseball if there are multiple games going on. Please note you must already be logged into MLB.tv to make them work. Baseball Reference has Stream Finder which lets you customize your preferences so MLB.tv will always switch to the game that is most relevant to you. This is great if you play fantasy and want to keep up with your players, are waiting for someone to hit a milestone, or if you want to make sure your action is broken into to follow a no-hitter in progress.
And in case you don't know which game to watch, every night is MLB Big Inning which features live coverage of multiple games bouncing back and forth between high leverage moments and storylines in progress, all directed so you don't need to make the game switches yourself. These also are not subject to blackout restrictions, so if your local team is in a tight game you'll likely get plenty of coverage.
MLB.tv also gives you a free subscription to...

MLB At Bat - The Most Underrated Way to Stay Connected to Baseball

An MLB At Bat subscription gives you access to every team's radio stream for every game during the season and postseason completely blackout free across devices. You also get this with an MLB App subscription. If there's a day game, you can bet I'm listening to it at work, if I'm mowing the lawn on a Saturday I'm listening to a game, when I can't sleep at night, on comes a West Coast game.
Baseball was made to be on the radio, it's a sport that is very easy to follow the action with the right announcer. At work (or school) it's great because you can half listen, and when the announcer gets excited you can instantly tune back in to hear what's going on. This is the most underrated way to stay connected to your team throughout the year. Before I could afford MLB.tv, this was the way to go, and it honestly makes me question every year whether getting the MLB.tv package is worth is when I can get 80% of the entertainment value from listening to the games (and every year I manage to "forget" to unsubscribe, for many reasons listed above).
Also, as a nice bonus this year, that MiLB.tv subscription that got rolled into MLB.tv was included in MLB At Bat as well! So if you decide you want to watch some games but don't want to commit to an entire year of MLB.tv, you can catch some upcoming prospects playing in the minors without spending the big bucks.

How to watch baseball?

So this is a question that we get from many new fans who are just trying to figure out what the hell is going on and why people find this game so fascinating. I'll get the elephant in the room out of the way, yes there are some "boring" parts of watching baseball on TV. The camera fans to a batter spitting and adjusting his gloves, the pitcher adjusts his crotch then licks his fingers, random shots of a bored looking manager, etc. When you are actually at the ballpark you can be watching where the catcher and fielders set up to try to predict the pitch that is coming (read The Hidden Language of Baseball by Paul Dickson for some great insight into how to interpret this), but on TV it's not usually the case. This is where I have some suggestions for new fans trying to get into it.
First off, if you are looking for just a relaxing day, embrace the slow pace with a beer and veg out on the couch while watching. It's meant to be slow and relaxing (until it gets tense and exciting, usually with runners on). Seriously, when was the last time you just sat and did nothing? Mid July afternoon games are a perfect way to reach that zen of half-consciousness, until something happens to get you sucked into the action.
Another option to stay engaged is keeping score. I find keeping score relaxing and looking back through a scorebook can be fun to see what you were doing a few years ago (except for that damn unfinished scorecard from 2015 where A-Rod hit the most predictable home run in Twins-Yankees history and I sent my scorecard flying to the other side of the room). As NPR once put it, keeping score is a knowledge making activity, and if you have the time and patience for it it is a great way to learn the game. There are a couple different guides to keeping score, and most scorebooks/cards will have a brief example of how to do so. If you have any questions, the Around the Horn thread is a great place to ask!
Gamethreads are another way to get together with other baseball fans and pass the time between pitches, especially in team subs you get to know the regulars and conversations start to wonder away from baseball at times throughout the game, and that's fine. Baseball is an excuse to enjoy a summer day.
For those that want to actually understand what is going on during that time, though, there are some options. Watching Baseball Smarter by Zack Hample (who despite his reputation on this subreddit knows some stuff and actually pops in from time to time to comment on different things) is a good starting place for new fans. Baseball for Dummies and The Complete Idiots Guide to Baseball are also good starting points for those willing to sit and read for a little bit.
If it helps, I wrote two posts on /minnesotatwins to help newcomers understand some of the nuances of the game:

• Watching the Count
• Bullpen Management

Where to watch highlights and game recaps.

There are many many places to see highlights and game recaps, this is not an exhaustive list, but is a good start.
For highlights, bigger highlights will often be posed here on baseball a few minutes after they occur, if you wish to post them please familiarize yourself with the subreddit rules. They also appear relatively quickly on MLB.com in each games Gameday area. For a pretty slick collection of highlights from across MLB, https://baseball.theate is a great place to exclusively watch highlights.
There are a few ways to get great game recaps. If you have MLB Network, every day Quick Pitch is an hour-long show that recaps every game from the previous day. It usually starts after MLB Tonight (about 10pm EDT) or whatever game MLB Network is showing finishes up, and runs until 10am EDT the next day. MLB.com also puts out recaps of every game by the next morning, usually a 2-5 minutes quick rundown of highlights that can be found on the game recap. It also puts out Fastcast videos on youtube and their website every morning which has a brief rundown of all the games from the previous day. Here's an example of a Fastcast from two seasons ago.
If you want one concise place to see most of these, efitz11 has been amazing the last few seasons and posted video links to every game recap and fastcast in the daily Around the Horn thread. Here's an example. I am unsure if they plan to continue it this year, but it would be surely appreciated!

TL;DR Finding what you enjoy about the game.

When it boils down to it, baseball is about finding entertainment and enjoyment, and don't let anyone try to tell you how to enjoy baseball. If you want nothing to do with statistical analysis and just want to enjoy what's going on on the field, don't let anyone tell you you aren't enough of a fan, and if you want to dissect a player into their strengths and components using statcast and advanced metrics don't let anyone tell you you're reading into the game too much. You can follow one team, and only one team, or you can follow multiple teams, don't let anyone tell you you're not a true fan for wearing another team's gear or enjoying their games. You might enjoy bat flips and flamboyance, or reserved speedy home run trots. You might not even enjoy physically watching a game (especially not if your team isn't playing), but find yourself loving keeping track of your team through the season and tracking your players or maybe just the thrill of the standings race and scoreboard watching or maybe you just love all the numbers that get thrown around and arguing about their relevancy. That's okay, eventually I believe enjoyment of the game itself will come, but even if it doesn't, the long baseball season is still creating a place of enjoyment for you, and that's what matters. If you have any questions, once again, feel free to ask them in our daily Around the Horn thread, or below in the comments, or if you really want to feel free to PM with questions and I'd be happy to answer.
So watch games this week and join in the discussion here, you'll naturally find yourself gravitating towards certain players or teams and enjoying different aspects of the game. Baseball is a long season, find what you enjoy, stick to it, dwell on it, and enjoy it.
TL;DR for the TL;DR - Baseball is fun

Greetings, y'all! After months of attentively reading so many others’ stories, I now feel “courageous'' enough to present my/my huzbie’s [sic nickname] situation . We hope for minimal caustic or snobbish responses to our plight. We are both pragmatic, but like many seekers of a better life out there, finding a compromise on top values has been difficult.

• Re-Editing to EMPHASIZE: Please bear with the length of this post as I have included as many details as possible; I am providing them for the reader like me who has enjoyed similar posts like this and can weigh all of what we are trying to avoid as well as all that my husband/I have learned. NOBODY is Obligated to Read through any post here so please be respectful that anyone sharing might be doing so with vulnerability. Thank you!

*We would be truly grateful for suggestions with rooted experience by others who left Philly and made elsewhere work!* That being said, thank you, again, in advance for your help and here is my unpaid, unpublished autobiography-- I mean, New town search. ;^}
I was originally born/raised in NYC (Queens, represent!) and have an immense appreciation for my upbringing there but will NEVER return. My mother grew up in Reading, PA,

• (result: have +extended fam in Berks County, Philly burbs, and some in suburbs of Cleveland, OH)

but since moving to NYC in 80s, she will also never LEAVE there, I am certain. I have some real East-Coast bluntness and grit as a result of growing up in Queens, but I would dare say, even though I've lived my fair share of the grittier side of NY a la “Good Time” film by Safdie Bros, I also led a privileged, culturally rich life but don't love it enough to make it my home again. We visit my mom+ great friends on average in NYC every three months, but I can only tolerate three days max there without feeling like I will have an impending anxiety attack. I have gotten very used to way less people passing you on the street in one go. One of our minor struggles, though, is gauging if we can handle this length of time apart from my cohort there with a more costly, higher-mileage distance. To a lesser extent, we also are considering my in-laws who live out about an hour from us in rural PA, but **family is NOT A TOP motivating factor for where/how far**. It's just under consideration.
In spite of its countless amenities [definitely miss the nightlife], I left NYC because it’s not a great socio-emotional fit. THE MTA is awesome and appreciate growing up with , but even though it is unparalleled, we don't require excessive public trans like that in a future place. When I used it for work regularly, population increases considering, it made commuting absolutely stressful- I don’t want that type of day-in/day out cramming like a sardine into a subway car. Even if I WANTED to return to Queens, I am 100% priced out of that possibility. I do not have gentrification complaints on housing; people need to find what works best for their pocket+lifestyles and my view is that capitalism without equitable regulation is at fault for the gouging- alas, I digress!
Six years ago, I moved in w/ [now husband] to Philly suburbs (two mainline stints). Together, we thoroughly were having endless fun in Philly for about a year and half, but during and post-pandemic, it changed significantly (as did many cities, I am aware). The isolation and regulations in practice really hit us hard, trying to score employment during wedding planning and deprived of many job opportunities, and the inexhaustible effort I made to cultivate community through various avenues pre-pandemic until now has been difficult- this truly is a city of “neighborhoods”, thus it's been hard to penetrate certain circles. While I am a devout Eagles fan, that alone doesn’t get you a hall-pass to friendship. I would say the city itself trends younger, and we are getting on in age and want a different cultural environment, scene, architecture, etc… We are also both so over-it with the over-the-top aggressive driving all over this state- wreckless and unmonitored due to lack of investment in policing matters on a smaller scale. City Council has a ways to go towards improvement and true representation- #facts.
The point: Although grateful for my time here in a sense, opportunities to create impact are also limited, imo (notoriously corrupt city government not withstanding, hah!). We currently reside in North Philly and are tired of endless incidents of violence (thankfully residing just on the outskirts of them) and my neighbors are unfriendly AF- blessed to have a wonderful landlord, I will admit. Philly has some positive living aspects {septa is cool and less claustrophobic}, but I honestly did not trade NYC to move to a different large and DIRTIER city overall. Gritty’s name is a well-earned and hilarious in-joke. We are coming up on three years past our goal-date to move out of Pennsylvania and have been searching with great dedication. We have made a points-based values system and are trying to hone in on what would make us “content." Please also take into account that we are not looking to replicate NYC’s or Philly’s top cultural offerings because we are not absurdly unrealistic:
Priorities (ALSO NOTE: We know that not all of these can be met simultaneously but happy to travel a little bit for some of them):

• Live within 2 hours of a large body of water, Great Lakes or the Ocean. *In my ideal world, my town would also be bikeable or walkable within 15 mins to a nice, small lake or large pond with a running path. Walkability is an over-used term here so I will venture to say that if I can walk around my town for 20-25 mins but then need a car for other things, that’d be fine. I would love a light-rail, trolley, bus into town but I understand that’s not always achievable.*
• Access to “Culturally Rich” scene within 15-30 mins, more ideal if some of these can be within our chosen suburban town: Diverse restaurants and co/ops or farmer’s markets with fresh produce, fresh seafood, cocktail or wine bars. We love to cook at home a lot but really enjoy interesting and innovative food creations when doing a restaurant date. Don't want to travel more than 40 mins to go on a dinner date or see music.
• Two or Three awesome-acoustics music venues (one for larger touring artists and others can be purely local musicians but definitely want an area invested in supporting this artform). We have a wide-range in tastes . Huzbies loves Jam scene as well (Lotus fam). Just saw Jr. Jones at Johnny Brenda's .. love that place and could be happy with a bar+upstairs concert venue like that. The more we can dance freely with brethren, the better.
• Community/townsquare Events with regular attendance or unique get-togethers like board-game meetups at the Brewery or Scavenger Hunts
• Local Independent Film Cinema or a Ba Unique Place that does cool Screenings or Film Festival Circuit
• Love working in vibrant coffeeshops. I want them to know how to make a balanced cortado and will know me by name and not kick me out for working hours on my laptop.
• Green Spaces or investment in green spaces forthcoming. Would love tree-lined streets and people who take care of their front lawn gardens.
• Under 350K Single-Fam Home in decent public schools area. We are trying for children but not banking nor will be upset if that doesn’t happen. Still, we both value good education.
• Not treacherous roads. So f*ing sick of hitting an unfixed pothole every other minute- There’s a joke in HBO’s series, Treme, about that in the finale to which we can relate.
• Less than 75 mins to International Airport
• Not a top 10 Highly Violent, Always on National and FBI lists Town/ city-annex
• At least One Top-Tier or Beautiful Architecture /interior space Library

Not Important:

• Looking for suburbs so can be right outside of or 30-40 mins driving of urban area
• “Blue State”- while I don’t want to live in a rural, closed-off, SUPER conservative/religiously dominant and MEAN-spirit town: Husband considers himself fiscally libertarian, both of us with old-school , logical progressive values and apathy towards politicians actually doing good for goodness’ sake. More interested in local ordinances and city council elects. Guessing Purple here?
• Major Sports teams culture; even though we currently live in a mini-frat city, it doesn't need to exist in next place. Huz wants to be able to commute back to two Eagles games a year in person. Don't want to get into fights for being a Birds fan ... we aren't those overly-riotous nor confrontational spectators. Ironically, I am also a Mets fan while he is Phillies but it's not a rivalry in house.
• Mountains are nice, of course, but we’d be happy to travel to them when needing a larger hike. My husband treks appalachian trail with friends every year and would be fine to commute to their meet-up places.
• Can Compromise on amount of snow and wondering about our tolerance for gray winters but husband would like four seasons and prefers cold over heat. I love the Winter Wonderlands look but have never shoveled snow day after day after day.....

Nice to Have:
- Mental and Physical Health Care Services not completely dominated by one corporate system
- Community Acupuncture
- Local Economy with less red-tape/Endorsing of Small, Locally Owned Businesses
- A True Love for Halloween and Christmas Decorations.
- Community Agriculture volunteerism
- Free Running, Biking, Yoga or other Fitness Groups in town
- Somewhat spiritually wish I could afford San Diego and that it had a few more season. These aren't within reach financially for us.
Considering:

1. Grand Rapids, MI
2. Other parts of Western MI?
3. Cleveland, Ohio (intimidated by crime statistics and overcast skies plus now air pollution discovery but Philly got an F according to American Lung Association)
4. If within the state, potentially Bethlehem but last resort.
5. Madison, WI-- Is there really a faux liberalism and incognito racism/difficulty to integrate people of color in Wisconsin? It's something I've read or seen mentioned in interviews with academic professors.
6. Richmond, Virginia

Definitely Nots:

1. All of New Jersey
2. D.C./NOVA: Insert Occupy WallST Philosophy here on cost of post-grad education versus opportunity and the economic mess of this nation’s false promises. Have an MA in International Affairs and don't want to pursue this degree anymore.
3. Kingston and surrounding Upstate NY towns on that side of the river– too depressed
4. New England (COL)
5. Southwest or California (Climate, Forest Fires)
6. Pittsburgh. We spent time there and would visit again but too congested, inland, and removed from other locations for us as well as far from larger body of water
7. Twin Cities: I won’t be able to hack the frostiness that’s always mentioned on this sub about MN “N-Ice.” I am super-tempted to visit otherwise
8. The Triangle: mentioned above, but too sprawly. Great areas, but HIGH COL for a single fam, explosive area with lack of infrastructure, etc…. Even though my allergies were suffering, I will take their gorgeous drivable lakes and forest greenery!
9. Ypsilanti, MI-have cousins there who love it but not quite the right fit. Nearby Ann Arbor is also over our budget though I know, it's amazingly bike friendly and hits a lot of on-paper needs. I'll take towns similar to this, though!
10. RochesteBuffalo/Finger Lakes. I'd rather be in Michigan if making a leap this far.
11. Pioneer Valley-- I went to Hampshire College in Western, MA and the Valley is lovely but not my ideal living scenario either.

• Extra: We are not career-tied which is why it has probably taken us longer than necessary to pick up and leave. I do well in events-planning and communications fields, but I am considering a return to grad school if scholarships are offered for some public-facing, socially good, creative career changes. TESOL, speech pathology, Recreation Coordination, or Preschool degrees while he is currently re-building his interests. If you made it this far, let me know if you recommend some programs here.
• THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR READING!

Countdown to Kickoff 2024: FC Dallas

Welcome to FC Dallas's entry in the Countdown to Kickoff!
11 years running for me posting these for /MLS every year, wow! Other than the first installment of Countdown to Kickoff, I've done every single year we've run it. How time flies!
It's also late again, which at this point is part of the tradition. In my defense, I'm actually sick this week, and it's been a struggle to sit up. Stress takes a physical toll, y'all, take care of yourselves.
As is also tradition, I always like to start these with a bit of a short view back to the past. When I first wrote one of these in 2014, MLS had 19 teams, Chivas USA was the younger Los Angeles team, Minnesota was still in the NASL, and the NASL still existed.
It's been amazing watching this league, and this community, grow exponentially since then, spreading soccer to more and more places and people. If you're reading this, I'm glad you're here! And maybe someday, you'll be writing one of these posts yourself, for a team that doesn't exist yet either.
Let's get into it.

Basic info:

Full club name: FC Dallas (formerly Dallas Burn) Subreddit: /FCDallas Location: Frisco, Texas (Press here for a handy map!) Stadium: Toyota Stadium, 20,500 Head Coach: Nico Estévez (2nd season) Captain: Paul Arriola Owner: Hunt Sports Group, chairman Clark Hunt President: Dan Hunt Reserve Team: North Texas SC
Kits:

• Primary: 2024-2025 "Afterburner" (to be updated with new sponsor!)
• Secondary: 2023-2024 "Burn Baby Burn!"

Jersey Sponsor: UT Southwestern/Children's Health
Trophies:

• 1997 U.S. Open Cup
• 2010 Western Conference Champions
• 2016 U.S. Open Cup
• 2016 Supporters Shield

Rivalries:

1. Texas Derby vs Houston Dynamo - The Texas Derby, the biggest rivalry in Texas bar none. Since San Jose's relocation to the Lone Star State in 2006 (and subsequent MLS Cup successes), the inherent hatred between the DFW Metroplex and Houston has only grown stronger in MLS. The two sides compete for "El Capitán", a massive fucking Civil War-era Howitzer cannon that's still fully operational. It's the coolest trophy in sports and I will tolerate no arguments to the contrary.
   
2. FC Dallas Fans vs The Dallas North Tollway - Despite attendance increasing last year, despite increased marketing by the team online and offline to grow the brand around the metroplex, and despite the fact that the area of Frisco/Plano/The Colony/Little Elm right by the stadium is among the fastest growing regions in the country, nothing brings out random animosity like the Dallas North Tollway. There's a very long story as to why the only way to get to an FC Dallas game can involve up to four toll roads, but it mainly boils down to Frisco and The Colony not joining DART, ever. So we're all stuck with toll roads and inconvenience.
   
3. Copa Tejas - Another complicated story, of a new Texan MLS team with a dubious origin story. Austin got their team, and leapfrogged San Antonio in the process, with a good deal of questionable conduct from Precourt Sports Ventures. Fortunately, San Antonio still survives in USL, The Crew were saved, and now Texas has 3 MLS teams. Since inviting Austin to the Texas Derby is completely impossible, a new trophy was created, based on the already existing USL Copa Tejas. Dallas won it outright in 2021, and finished 2nd due to draws in both matches against Austin in 2022. Things heated up a bit more in the playoffs, but there's still not that animosity there. Truth be told, we don't really think about Austin all that much.
   
4. FC Dallas vs Sporting KC in the Open Cup - Way back in 2004, Dallas first played Kansas City in the Open Cup, and Kansas City won 4-0. Fast-forward over a decade to 2015, and once again, Dallas drew Kansas City in the Open Cup. Kansas City once again won by 4, with a 6-2 final score. Since then, Dallas has faced Kansas City in the Open Cup twice more, in 2017 and 2018. Kansas City won both games. The 2017 match went 0-0 into extra time despite Kansas City playing with 9 men for 75 minutes, and Dallas conceded 3 extra-time goals and got a red card of their own to lose 3-0. Dallas has never beaten SKC in Open Cup play, ever, and I have no idea how or why it keeps happening.
   
5. Brimstone Cup vs Chicago Fire - Back when MLS was young, Dallas was the Burn, and MLS had a Central Division, some passionate supporters created the Brimstone Cup, celebrating the legitimate animosity between Dallas and Chicago during the 2001 season and playoffs. Unfortunately, the following season, the Central Division was eliminated and Dallas and Chicago found themselves in separate conferences. Through 2011, the league managed to scheduled at least two matches between the sides, but that came to an end for 2012, and due to the pandemic, no match at all was played in 2020 and 2021, threatening to extinguish the rivalry for good. 2022 brought with it a return to Soldier Field for FC Dallas for the first time since June of 2005. The match ended 0-0 with 6 yellow cards. Make of that what you will. 2018 didn't feature any red cards, but did see a total of 5 yellows and Dallas conceding late to lose 3-2.
   
6. FC Dallas Fans vs FC Dallas Front Office - The biggest year-round rivalry, FC Dallas fans have been questioning the decisions of The Powers That Hunt for as long as they've been involved with the team. With them actually giving a shit in recent years and marketing the team all over, attendance continues to grow, with 2023 breaking the record set in 2014 by more than 1,500 fans, and putting FC Dallas into the 18k zone for the first time ever. That, along with some actually really exciting signings has the collective fanbase less vehemently angry at The Powers That Hunt.
   
7. Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup vs Columbus Crew SC - This is one that doesn't get talked about much, and I'm only thinking about it again because I recently explained the entire Austin/Precourt/Columbus saga to a work colleague dipping their toes into MLS. Less a true rivalry than a point of interesting MLS history, the Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup celebrates two of the three teams Lamar Hunt owned before his passing in December of 2006. Lamar Hunt was a football man at heart (including founding the American Football League and creating the Super Bowl), but converted to soccer as the NASL came together, owning the Dallas Tornado for their entire existence. When MLS came together, he owned Columbus and Kansas City, paid for Columbus's first stadium in 1998 (MLS's first dedicated stadium), saved the league from collapse in 2001, and bought the struggling Dallas Burn in 2003. Under Uncle Lamar's stewardship, FC Dallas got its new name, its own stadium, and its now famous academy. If you're wondering why Dallas fans got so vitriolic during the #SaveTheCrew saga, now you know. Outside of MLS, he also helped bring the World Cup to the USA in 1994, and the entire Open Cup tournament is named in his honour. Thank you, Uncle Lamar.
   
8. The Rest - At different points in time, Dallas has had rather substantial beefs with much of the Western Conference. Seems like at least one fan from every Western team on /MLS hates FC Dallas for something, and we probably hate them for something too.
   

Current Roster

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player	No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	USA	Jimmy Maurer	20	FW	ARG	Alan Velasco
2	DF	BRA	Geovane Jesus	21	FW	COL	José Mulato
3	DF	USA	Omar Gonzalez	22	DF	GHA	Ema Twumasi
4	DF	USA	Marco Farfan	23	FW	USA	Logan Farrington
6	MF	ECU	Patrickson Delgado	24	DF	USA	Amet Korça
7	MF	USA	Paul Arriola (C)	25	DF	USA	Sebastien Ibeagha
8	MF	USA	Sebastian Lletget	27	DF	USA	Herbert Endeley
9	FW	CRO	Petar Musa	29	DF	USA	Sam Junqua
10	FW	USA	Jesús Ferreira	30	GK	IDN	Maarten Paes
11	FW	USA	Dante Sealy	31	FW	GHA	Eugene Ansah
13	GK	USA	Antonio Carrera	32	DF	USA	Nolan Norris
14	MF	ESP	Asier Illarramendi	35	MF	USA	Tomas Pondeca
15	DF	USA	Isaiah Parker	41	FW	JAM	Tarik Scott
16	FW	RSA	Tsiki Ntsabeleng	77	MF	USA	Bernard Kamungo
17	DF	USA	Nkosi Tafari	80	MF	USA	Alejandro Urzua
18	MF	CAN	Liam Fraser	99	MF	ROU	Enes Sali
19	MF	USA	Paxton Pomykal	—	FW	USA	Malik Henry-Scott

Predicted XIs

Opening Day

		Paes
	Ibeagha	Tafari	Junqua
Endeley	Fraser		Illaramendi	Sealy
Kamungo				Arriola
		Musa

Primary Choice

		Paes
	Ibeagha	Tafari	Junqua
Endeley	Pomykal		Illarramendi	Sealy
Ferreira				Arriola
		Musa

Secondary Choice

		Maurer
	Korca	Gonzalez	Junqua
Twumasi	Ntsabeleng		Fraser	Farfan
Lletget				Sali
		Farrington

Here's a predicted lineup per 3rdDegree.net's depth chart. Full disclosure, I write for 3rd Degree when I'm not moderating /MLS and complaining on Twitter, but Buzz is the guy when it comes to FC Dallas and there's no better predicted lineup out there.
Big thing to note, the roster is 2-or-3-deep at almost every position, so there's likely to be near-constant rotation.

2023 Season in Review

• Final Standings: 7th in West, 13th overall, 11-13-10 record, 46 pts, +4 GD
• Playoffs: Lost Round One to Seattle

Dallas had a strange sophomore season for Nico Estévez. Preseason in Spain was underwhelming, and the lone domestic match was a loss to those Orange bastards.
The regular season started not with a bang, but with a disappointing 1-0 loss at home to Minnesota, setting the tone for an inconsistent, injury-plagued, streaky and slumpy mess of a season. Five wins from the first eleven matches is good; choking away leads to Vancouver and Portland less so. Entering summer, Dallas looked OK, beating Austin on the road, Vancouver at home, and ekeing out draws against Houston and San Jose.
And then it was summer.
As is unfortunately routine for FC Dallas, hot weather seems to mean cold feet and lukewarm results. Across 8 matches from late May into July, Dallas won 2 and lost the other 6, including a flattening in Austin. It seemed to get most of the losing out of the way, though, as following another loss in St Louis to wrap up August, Dallas engaged the tie fighters.
The final nine matches saw the Hoops win twice, 3-1 in Utah and 4-1 in Carson, and draw all seven others. The tie fighters carried Dallas across the line and into the playoffs - making the Round One cutoff by just two points.
In the Open Cup, Dallas went one-and-out against Nashville, at least getting elminated by a new foe.
In the Leagues Cup, things were far more exciting. An opening shootout loss to Charlotte and a 3-0 rout of Necaxa meant Dallas advanced to face Mazatlan, and a late goal from Eugene Ansah sent Dallas into the Round of 16 to face Inter Miami and some new kid they signed from Europe but who plays for Argentina.
In a game that was, well, probably the most ridiculous game I've ever seen and might ever see, Dallas and Miami traded goals and own goals alike to finish regulation level 4-4. If Paxton Pomykal hadn't missed a penalty, Dallas would have knocked Messi and Miami out.
Wrapping up the season, Dallas drew a very familiar playoff foe in Seattle for Round One, and immediately proceeded to lose the plot. The 2-0 opening game was never close, and sucked the air out of our sails for leg 2. Instead, Dallas rallied and roasted the Sounders 3-1 in a packed, rowdy house. This, of course, set up expectations for the final game, wherein Dallas tried their damndest to shut the Sounders down, and managed to hold them to one goal, but couldn't find any for themselves. Alas.

Transfers Out:

• Justin Che (DF) to Brøndby IF - Justin Che rose through the academy ranks, turned pro with NTSC, and made his first team debut in 2021. He was also selected to spend half the season with Bayern Munich's system, playing for Bayern Munich II. In following seasons, he was mostly loaned out in Europe, playing top flight Bundesliga minutes for TSG Hoffenheim. He seemed to impress, and Denmark's Brøndby bought him in the summer of 2023. He's since been playing second-tier ball in the Netherlands with ADO Den Haag. Good for him!
  
• Edwin Cerrillo (MF) to Los Angeles FC - Cerrillo was part of the juggernaut 2019 North Texas side that steamrolled through for a double in USL-1, and very clearly found himself playing MLS minutes. After thoroughly winning the starting defensive midfielder spot, he was locked in for the long run. Everything was set for him, until Illarramendi arrived, and then his starting spot was gone. With only 6 months left on a deal and him rejecting a contract offer, the trade for GarberBux makes sense.
  
• José Martínez (DF) to Córdoba CF - On arrival, Martínez added some much-needed depth and reinforcement to a depleted backline. But as time has gone on, his age has caught up to him quickly, and between lackluster performances, an expensive contract, and injury concerns, FC Dallas passed on his contract option. He's back in Spain already.
  
• Facundo Quignón (MF) to Belgrano - Quignón had some strong moments during his 2.5 season stay in Frisco, but like many other players, he's on a big contract that doesn't reflect what he's consistently able to offer, and thus, he's back in Argentina.
  
• Collin Smith (DF) to New England Revolution II - This is a bit of an odd one, as Smith was a perfectly serviceable backup right back after Geovane Jesus tore his ACL. He also looked solid on loan with Birmingham in USL. That said, there's also Herbert Endeley being converted to RB for a third option, so maybe that's why.
  

Transfers In:

• Eugene Ansah (FW) from Hapoel Be'er Sheva FC - Ansah joined midseason as an extra option up top on a 1.5 season deal, and scored his first goal for Dallas in the Leagues Cup shortly after arriving. Given the recent history with fixture congestion and injuries to key attacking pieces, having another option to slot in to score some goals is cheap peace of mind.
  
• Asier Illarramendi (MF) from Real Sociedad - Holy fuck, Illarramendi. Already one of the greatest players to ever wear the shirt, and he's only spent half a season here. Throw as much money at him as it takes to keep him until he's ready to retire and teach the academy kids how to play.
  
• Liam Fraser (MF) from Deinze - Liam Fraser, meanwhile, has become a backup for Illarramendi as a serviceable spare holding mid who can also swap in for Paxton as needed. Not setting the world alight, but he's firmly above average and holding his own. He's also probably not peaked yet either.
  
• Enes Sali (MF) from FCV Farul Constanța - This is a bit of an ambitious signing for Dallas. Sali is the youngest full international ever for Romania, and he's already played in the UEFA Champions League. Very high ceiling on this kid, and Dallas has him locked down for the long haul.
  
• Alejandro Urzua (MF) from North Texas SC - Yet another homegrown signing through the FC Dallas academy pipeline, Urzua has spent two seasons with NTSC and has been deemed ready for the big show.
  
• Tomas Pondeca (MF) from North Texas SC - Just like above, Pondeca too had a breakout campaign with NTSC, particularly after moving from the wing to the "free-8" central midfielder. Great story to see a player go from open tryouts, to MLS Next Pro, to the big time, in under a year. Second open tryout signing for FCD after Kamungo.
  
• Malik Henry-Scott (FW) from University of Tulsa - Malik, older brother to Tarik Scott, was in the academy but instead of getting a pro contract ended up going the college route. He's now back in Frisco, likely to spend some time with NTSC to start.
  
• Omar Gonzalez (DF) from New England Revolution - Before he established himself as a major face of American Soccer both in MLS and with the USMNT, Omar Gonzalez was a DFW-area youth player with Dallas Texans and won the Dallas Cup. Great veteran presence for a very young roster.
  
• Patrickson Delgado (MF) from Independiente del Valle - FC Dallas and young South American midfielders, a long-running method to add depth to the roster and see if they can't turn a profit on a player. It's a loan deal for Delgado, but there's an option to buy should he impress.
  
• Petar Musa (FW) from Benfica - Holy fucking shit, the Hunts did it, they opened their wallet and bought a big name 9 in the prime of his career from a major European club. Never thought I'd see the day. The young Croatian international is the biggest signing in FC Dallas history, and the excitement is real.
  

Draft Picks:

• R1 S3 - Logan Farrington (FW) from Oregon State
• R2 S44 - Turner Humphrey (DF) from Oregon State - did not sign
• R3 S73 - Mads Westergren (FW) from SMU - did not sign

Prognosis:

I had a mixed bag with my prediction last year, expecting the team to do far better on the field than in the stands, and ended up flipped. Dallas limped above the play-in positions, and got stomped in every tournament that wasn't the Leagues Cup. In the stands, though, things were spectacular, with FC Dallas not just breaking their 2014 record of 16,816, but shattering it with a spectacular average of 18,220.
So with that out of the way, based on how this roster looks, the current slate of injuries, and the off-the-field momentum, here's my 3 guesses.

Best Case:

The reinforced and deeper roster weathers through the injury issues and the summer heat. Dallas takes the Texas Derby, Copa Tejas, and at least one other major trophy. Dallas makes a solid playoff run that goes down to luck and randomness and chaos to make the conference final. The attendance record breaks again.

Worst Case:

You know the drill, everything goes full #FlamingMeteor, and things look more like 2021, or god forbid, worse, and players start demanding trades. This is FC Dallas, after all, and inexplicable collapse is in our DNA.

Reasonable Case:

Dallas makes the playoffs by a hair, the team deals with injuries and heat and congestion in the summer by dropping results but makes a run in one of the knockout competitions. A few players have breakout seasons, with at least one getting sold by the end of the year for big money. Attendance holds steady, and hype for the team locally continues to grow gradually.

Concluding Remarks

In my post from last year, I was rather optimistic that FCD would improve on the field as they had done in 2022 under Estevez, and that really didn't happen too much. I guess that's what I get for putting my hopes up for this stupid team. So this year I'm pumping the brakes just a touch to keep expectations manageable and not let myself get too high off my own flavoraid. To be honest, I'm much more annoyed about the state of the Open Cup than I am about Dallas's disappointing 2023.

Online Resources

Official Links: Website Twitter Instagram
Unofficial Links: 3rd Degree
please come to our games, they're fun, honestly

Welcome to the /MLS Sporting Kansas City Countdown to Kickoff!

If you fancy a trip back in time, here are 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.
Now on with the show!
Team Name: Sporting Kansas City Head Coach: Peter Vermes Technical Director: Brian Bliss Captain: Johnny Russell Stadium: Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS Ownership: Sporting Club Mascot: Blue the Dog Kits: Primary, Secondary Supporters Groups: The Cauldron and South Stand SC Subreddit: /SportingKC MLS NEXT Pro Affiliate: Swope Park Rangers Sporting KC II News and Commentary: KC Soccer Journal, The Full 90, Talkin' Touches Podcast, No Other Pod, Home and Away podcast
Twitter Follows: Chad Smith, Mike, Daniel Sperry, Drew VanderPloeg
History: • MLS Cup: 2000, 2013 • Supporters’ Shield: 2000 • US Open Cup: 2004, 2012, 2015, 2017 Coaches: • Ron Newman (1996-1999) • Bob Gansler (1999-2006) • Curt Onalfo (2006-2009) • Peter Vermes (2009-Present)
Sporting Legends: • Winger Predrag “Preki” Radosavljevic (1996-2000/2002-2005) • GK Tony Meola (1999-2004) • Coach Bob Gansler (1999-2006) • Defender Jimmy Conrad (2003-2010) • DefendeCoach Peter Vermes (2000-2002/2009-Present) • Owner Lamar Hunt (1995-2006) • Midfielder Chris Klein (1998-2005) • MidfieldeAssistant Coach Kerry Zavagnin (2000-2008/2009-Present) • Forward Mo Johnston (1996-2001)
• Forward Josh Wolff (2003-2006, 2008-2010) • Goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen (2010-2013)
2024 Season Opener: Saturday, February 24 at Houston Dynamo
2024 Home Opener: Saturday, March 2 vs. Philadelphia Union
Preseason Roster
Predicted Preferred Gameday 20: 4-3-3

-------------------Pulido------------------- --Salloi---------------------------Russell-- -------------Thommy-------Walter----------- --------------------Radoja-------------------- -Leibold-----Fontas-----Rosero-----Davis- ---------------------Melia—---------------------- 

Subs: Pulskamp, Voloder, Castellanos, Pierre, Hernandez, Rodriguez, Tzionis, Shelton, Agada

2023 Overview

Western Conference Table

Pos.	Team	Pts.	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD
7	FC Dallas	46	11	10	13	41	37	+ 4
8	Sporting Kansas City	44	12	14	8	48	51	-3
9	San Jose Earthquakes	44	10	10	14	39	43	-4

Offensive Leaders

Player	Minutes	Goals	Assists
Alan Pulido	2217	14	3
Johnny Russell	1699	8	3
Daniel Salloi	2875	7	9
Erik Thommy	887	5	11
Willy Agada	684	3	0
Gadi Kinda	831	3	4

Season Review

2023 saw Sporting have one of the worst starts in league history, going 10 games winless, failing to score in 7 of those games. It was understandably the most upset I had ever seen this fanbase, and Peter Vermes took a lot of criticism and many called for his job. He generally had one response: wait until the DPs were back, then you can judge. The same issue that kept SKC out of real playoff contention last year carried over into the first part of this year: DP #9 Alan Pulido and DP #10 Gadi Kinda were injured.
So what happened when they returned? After the first 10 games of the season, SKC went on the road to the Seattle Sounders, who had thrashed them in KC to the tune of a 4-1 scoreline. This time, Sporting had Pulido and Kinda in the starting lineup. Erik Thommy scores in the fourth minute, assisted by Kinda. Pulido scores in the 31st minute, assisted by Thommy. KC holds on for the 2-1 victory at Lumen Field, their first of the season. We all know what happened after that. SKC would go on to win 12, draw 5, and lose 7 of their remaining games to land 8th in the conference standings, unthinkable after that 10 game start. That 1.7 ppg pace would have been good for first in the West if replicated over the course of the season.
Then, the playoffs. Despite a 0-0 draw with the Earthquakes, this game felt comfortably in hand the entire time because Sporting KC had Tim Melia and the Quakes were apparently unaware of that fact. Melia did what he does and absolutely stonewalls the first two penalties and KC cruises to a win. Both of those saved PKs came from players who had PKs saved by Melia the last time San Jose played a playoff match at Children’s Mercy Park, when the team pulled off an incredible 3-0 PK win. This one would set up a playoff match that everyone wanted to see: KC vs St. Louis.
Despite two embarrassing losses in STL in the regular season, KC went into CityPark determined to win when it counts the most. And they did. They earned a 4-1 scoreline coming off the back of Logan Ndenbe scoring his first professional goal, followed by Remi Walter, Gadi Kinda, and Daniel Salloi all getting on the scoresheet to redeem the poor results in this building in the regular season. KC could now win the best of three series in two games by taking care of business at home. In one of the best atmospheres in the league, KC fans (and more than a few STL fans) packed Children’s Mercy Park and watched a tense game that saw Ndenbe score his second professional goal (and play half of the game on a torn ACL), Salloi double the lead, and then 20 minutes of anxiety for the entire stadium as Pompeu scored in the 86th minute and the referee announced 12 minutes of stoppage time and let 15 go by before blowing his whistle. Sporting KC completed the sweep of instant rivals St. Louis, and was the lone lower seed to advance to the conference semifinals. They would go on to lose 1-0 to the Houston Dynamo and receive an apology from PRO for not giving a red card and a penalty early in the game for a handball on the goalline.

Players

Players Out

Name	Age	Position	Exit (New team)
Gadi Kinda	29	MF	Out of contract (Maccabi Haifa)
Cam Duke	23	MF	Out of contract (Crown Legacy)
Kendall McIntosh	30	GK	Out of contract (San Antonio)
Felipe Gutierrez	33	MF	Option Declined (Retired)
Kortne Ford	27	DF	Option Declined (SKC II)
Graham Zusi	37	DF	Option Declined (Retired)
Roger Espinoza	37	MF	Option Declined (Retired)

Gadi Kinda: Gadi Kinda returned home to Israel after rejecting contract offers from KC. It’s been reported he wanted to be closer to family. Kinda was a force in the midfield, adding a level of individual ability that freed up much of the KC attack throughout the playoffs. This frees up a DP spot for KC.
Cam Duke: Once a promising young player, Duke never really delivered on expectations and has dropped down a level to pursue more professional opportunities.
Kendall McIntosh: Kendall was the starter for large stretches of the season when Melia was injured, but put up the worst shot stopping numbers in the league. At 30, there’s little chance he was going to appreciably improve, so KC moved on to
Felipe Gutierrez: During his second stint at the club, Felipe served as a decent depth piece, but struggled with fitness and injuries and retired during the offseason.
Kortne Ford: After a season-ending-injury, Ford spent most of the year rehabbing. He’s with SKC II now, presumably planning to make a comeback to the first team if he can get healthy and return to form.
Graham Zusi: I’ll just steal what the club wrote about him: “Zusi has spent his entire 15-year professional career at Sporting and won four major championships in Kansas City—the 2013 MLS Cup and Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017. The longest-tenured player at one club in league history, Zusi was an MLS Best XI honoree in 2012 and 2013 and has a team-record seven MLS All-Star selections. The versatile veteran—who has transitioned from central midfielder to winger to right back during his tenure in Kansas City—is Sporting’s all-time leader in appearances (411), starts (358) and minutes (32,723) across all competitions while ranking second in assists (90) and total goal contributions (125).”
Roger Espinoza: And the same for Roger: “Espinoza has spent 14 seasons in Kansas City, helping the club to three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles and 10 playoff appearances. Across all competitions, the former MLS All-Star midfielder ranks second in team history in appearances (399) and minutes (29,162) while sitting fifth in assists (49). Espinoza is Sporting’s all-time Open Cup appearance leader (26 matches) and is tied with Zusi for third on club charts with 21 appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs.”

Players In

Name	Age	Position	Previous team
Memo Rodriguez	28	MF	Austin FC
Alenis Vargas	20	FW	Sporting KC II
Zorhan Bassong	24	DF	Farul Constanta
Ryan Schewe	21	GK	Georgetown University

Memo Rodriguez: The longtime Dynamo joins KC after a brief stop in LA and Austin. While he’s never been prolific, he’s still just 28 and will be useful depth behind Thommy.
Alenis Vargas: A promising Homegrown forward earns a contract with the first team. It’s possible he sees the field earlier than expected with Shelton already injured and Russell getting older and already nursing a knock from preseason. Given Vermes’s track record with young players, though, I wouldn’t expect to see a lot of Vargas in his first season.
Zorhan Bassong: Left back depth with MLS and international experience.
Ryan Schewe: Fills out the GK depth chart, and gets to learn from Melia. KC is hoping he develops into a starting-caliber GK over the next few years, but I wouldn’t expect to see him any time soon.

2024 Preview

Things to Watch

Continuity/depth
SKC returned nearly all of their 2023 starters, who went on a 24 game run as one of the best teams in the league. The only major departure was Kinda, who only had 7 goal contributions and made the midfield more of a puzzle given his positional similarity to Thommy. Vermes is betting that the same team a year older will produce similarly to last season. Maybe he’s right. But this roster was already one of the oldest in the league, and last year the depth proved to be completely insufficient in the first 10 games of the season. With no significant additions on the bottom of the roster and the top of the roster largely the same, an injury crisis could get ugly very quickly.
New DP?
Kinda has left, opening up a DP spot that can be completely unrestricted while still retaining access to all three U-22 spots. Who does KC go get? What position should they get? Nearly everyone agrees it should be an attacker, but should it be a midfielder or a winger? A midfielder would send one of KC’s highest paid players to the bench in either Thommy or Walter. A winger would necessitate benching either the captain in Russell or one of their best players, Salloi. When will they arrive? Probably not until summer, but Vermes says it’s possible it gets over the line during the primary transfer window. Personally I like the idea of a summer transfer best, since it gives the team time to figure out which position is in most need of help, plus players are much more available in the summer.
Sporting Director
I couldn’t get through this without talking about the biggest off-season non-move: The hiring and then firing of Gavin Wilkinson. SKC announced a fairly significant change in how the front office is made up: there’s a new “Sporting Director” position that reports to Peter Vermes but is in charge of player recruitment and roster building, among other things. A welcome change for many who felt like Vermes tends to wear too many hats. The problem was who they hired: Gavin Wilkinson, who oversaw multiple abusive situations across both the Portland Timbers and Thorns, attempted to cover them up, and even endorsed a coach that he knew abused players. KC knew all of this, which is why they tried to soften the backlash to the announcement by not naming him in the title of the post and attempting to “Friday news dump” the story before it got picked up by The Athletic. The Sporting KC fanbase unanimously hated the decision, causing many to cancel season tickets, pledge to no longer support the team while he was employed by them, and many prominent podcasts and fan websites openly contemplate what their coverage would look like moving forward. This fury lasted for 8 days until Sporting KC had to relent and “mutually part ways” with Gavin Wilkinson. It came as a relief for many, but the fact that the organization thought it was a good idea in the first place is damning. They had hired a search firm to fill this position, one which presented a number of high quality candidates that notably did not include Gavin Wilkinson. They then ignored the search firm’s recommendation, hired someone who clearly had not learned why what they did was wrong, and had to quickly reverse course on that decision when they realized they couldn’t always count on their fans to be blind cash cows. That position now remains unfilled and it’s unclear if or when they will place someone in it. With no significant player signings, this debacle of a decision remains the defining point of the offseason for SKC, and it’s an ugly one.

Prognosis

Realistic Best Case Scenario Despite overperforming their underlying numbers to achieve the impressive record over the last 24 games last season, the team remains rock solid and can overcome small injuries to key players because they don’t all happen at one time. The team signs an attacking DP early in the summer who hits the ground running, providing the sort of impact Thommy did when he first signed. SKC ends up as a high seed in the Western Conference, and trophy contention comes down to luck and form.
Realistic Worst Case Scenario The team is old and often injured. Depth doesn’t perform because they haven’t been exposed to enough quality minutes in previous seasons because the coach doesn’t like to rotate or substitute early. A new DP comes in the summer, but they underwhelm as they get used to the league. SKC misses the playoffs for the third time in six seasons, and faces a real reckoning in the offseason.
Realistic More Probable Scenario
The form for 24 games last season doesn’t carry over into this season, but the underlying numbers point to something closer to 1.4 or 1.5 PPG, leaving KC in contention for a home playoff spot in the West. Older players are injured for stretches, but nothing devastating and only small lineup changes are needed to compensate. The team brings in a new DP, but they just do ok in their first season in the league with no offseason to get oriented. It’s possible KC makes a run in the USOC, if it survives, but trophies don’t seem to be in the cards unless a few dominoes fall favorably for Sporting.

Please note I am not personally affiliated with any of the knowledge resources I recommend. I receive no compensation from anyone for anything, I'm merely trying to help people who are at the very beginning of their IT career journey. I try to recommend free resources wherever possible.
​ (Updated for 2024) This plan is cybersecurity focused but can be adapted to most non-developer career paths. It is mainly intended for people trying to start an IT career with mostly free or very cheap resources available on the internet. It's inspired by a good friend of mine who dropped out of high school to go to work in IT. He never attended any college but now works as a cloud architect for NASA.
EDIT: Many people have asked for a pathway to cloud engineering. The best one I've found is detailed here in this post explaining what to do to get a cloud job.
To start a career in cybersecurity you should be aiming to eventually get hired into a position as a Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst. A SOC analyst position gives you some insight into a whole range of different information security problems and practices. You'll see incoming recon and attacks, your organization's defenses and responses, and the attacker's counter responses. You'll get experience using a Security Information and Event Management system AKA SIEM. You'll become familiar with all of the security tools in place and start to figure out what works and what doesn't. You'll learn the workflow of a security team and what the more senior engineers do to protect the enterprise. SOC analyst jobs are not entry level (see this discussion) but rather a mid-level career goal. After a couple of years in the SOC, you'll probably have a much better idea about your own interests and the path you want to pursue in your career.
Here's how you get there:
Step 0 (optional): If you have absolutely no tech experience whatsoever you may first have to try to get a job in retail or the service industry that is technology adjacent. Such jobs would include GeekSquad at Best Buy, cell phone sales or technician at a provider like Verizon or T-mobile, or cabling and rack and stack at a commercial data center (smart hands). My first job after college was in data processing for a cell phone billing company. I did QA for huge stacks of paper cell phone bills, it really sucked. I got fired when they caught me using company resources to look for a better job. It was good enough to help me get my second job which was helpdesk at a large ISP.
If this is where you're starting, getting the CompTia A+ certification might be really helpful for you. This is considered to be one of the best introductory certifications a new technical track IT worker can obtain. Thanks to redditor u/Average_Down, who put together a really thorough study guide for CompTia A+.
 
Step 1: Get the CompTia A+ (optional) and Network+ certifications. You MUST understand IPv4 networking inside and out, I can't stress that enough. Professor Messer videos are great and free: Professor Messer A+ series, Professor Messer Network+ series
Subnetting is a topic that gives a lot of people trouble but can be important in understanding network architecture. Berry Smith's video series on subnetting: - IPv4 basic overview (Part 1) - IP addresses vs. phone numbers (Part 2) - Classes of IP addresses (Part 3) - Public/Private IP addresses and subnet masks (Part 4) - What is subnetting and why to subnet - How to Subnet a Network Part 1 - How to Subnet a Network Part 2
Mike Meyers has about the best all in one Network + book out right now, you can get that from Amazon for about $40. You can also check out Mike Meyers' channel on Youtube, he has a lot of Network+ videos as well.
Here is a great post with a comprehensive list of study resources for CompTia exams, thanks to u/canadian_sysadmin for this great compilation!
 
Step 2: Start learning some basic Linux. The majority of non-desktop business computing is done on a UNIX type platform, this will not change anytime soon. This is by far one of the best investments of your time you can make, very solid 4/5 Linux skills can make an IT worker millions of dollars over the course of an IT career, no exaggeration. People, that is life changing money.
The Bandit wargame is an excellent exercise to start learning concepts and commands.
The free online version of the book The Linux Command Line by William Shotts is also a great resource for Linux newcomers.
For those looking for a good Linux systems administration book, I'd highly recommend "Unix and Linux System Administration Handbook" by Evi Nemeth, et al. The information is presented in a way that is comprehensible to regular people. You can get a used copy of the fourth edition for about $10.00. The second edition got me through my first three jobs back in the day.
If you're more of an audio or visual learner freecodecamp.org has some high quality free intro Linux courses on Youtube:
Linux Operating System - Crash Course for Beginners
Introduction to Linux – Full Course for Beginners
The websites linuxjourney.com, Tecmint.com, and Linuxpath.org are all exceptional online resources for learning Linux.
For the DIY crowd this post has some great instructions for buildout of a Linux SA homelab. The instructions are sound and there are helpful hints in the comments. Learn to be a Linux Sysadmin task list by u/IConrad
Finally, Linux From Scratch (LFS) is a project that provides you with step-by-step instructions for building your own customized Linux system entirely from source.
 
Step 3: Start looking for helpdesk or tech support jobs online. You have to do a year or two here to get some hands-on experience on your resume and begin to build your confidence with your technical skills. If you've had great student internships from a degree program or you have experience from military service there's a good chance you'll be able to skip this step. If you don't have that or any other previous IT experience then starting at the bottom is pretty much unavoidable.
If you can, use your local community college career center to get some help with a job search or maybe an internship. Many community colleges maintain relationships with local employers and can act as a potential pipeline to an IT job. The career center people often know who's hiring and when and they can help you with your resume as well. This is also a good time to consider taking a programming class or two, preferably in python. Community colleges can be great for that, Mark Zuckerberg learned to program at one before enrolling at Harvard and he ended up doing pretty well for himself. If you can't take a class at community college there are a few free reputable self-paced python classes out there: - Automate the Boring Stuff with Python free online book - Harvard CS50’s Intro to Python – Full Free University Course - Free Python Programming Course - University of Helsinki
The helpdesk job may only pay $20 - $25 an hour or perhaps a bit less but it's only for a year or maybe two years at most, then up and out. Unless you are completely satisfied with mid-level wages you have to continue to improve your skills and embrace greater job responsibilities. A lot of people get stuck at this helpdesk stage for six, seven, eight years and it's a career killer. Why is that?
Two reasons. First, when hiring managers see 3 - 4 years of helpdesk on your resume they begin to assume you have no professional ambition or drive to embrace greater industry responsibility. Once you cross the 5 year mark that assumption increases and you may not be considered for higher level positions at all by people that think all you're good for is entry-level helpdesk work.
The second reason is that you risk becoming a Lotus Eater. In Greek mythology, the Lotus Eaters were a race of people living on an island dominated by the lotus tree. The lotus fruits and flowers were the primary food of the island and acted as a narcotic, causing the inhabitants to sleep in peaceful apathy. Sometimes visitors would find the island. After they ate the lotus fruit they would forget their home and loved ones and long only to stay with their fellow Lotus Eaters. Those who ate the plant never cared to return home or move on with their lives.
Small and medium business owners love to bring on inexperienced new IT hires for $20 an hour and then work them like dogs. In a year or so, they give a raise of a dollar or two an hour. But something unusual happens. For the first time, the IT worker can pay all (or almost all) of their bills in the same month. Then when they get home every night they're too tired to study for certs or work on upskilling. Instead they play COD or Fortnite for a while, then fall asleep. Then at work the boss decides to improve morale with a pizza party or a smartphone raffle. Everyone feels loved and keeps working hard to make the company owner rich. And oh my gosh, it's just so much effort to look for another job. These helpdeskers have become trapped in complacency, content to work as hard as they can to enrich others while ignoring the potential of their own futures.
One of the things I did right in my career was to minimize my time on helpdesk, I was only there for nine months. Come up with a game-plan for your own career. Don't become a Lotus Eater and stay out of the IT version of quicksand. DON'T GET STUCK ON HELPDESK.
 
Step 4: Get the CompTia Security+ certification while you're looking for your first tech support job or shortly after. Every IT job has a security component now so think of it like basic training in the military. Everyone needs to go through it. You should be able to do the cert in just a couple months if you focus and use a good Security+ study plan.
This is also a good time to start building increased awareness of contemporary information security issues. Some top resources:

• Top 10 learning and practice platforms to build up confidence in cybersecurity
• Archived webcasts from the SANS Institute
• Archived webcasts from Black Hills Information Security
• Bleeping Computer
• Dark Reading
• Krebs on Security
• Social Media Recommendations in this post

 
Step 5: Once you get that helpdesk job, try to do every security related task you can. Ask the senior engineers questions when you get a chance and if they are working maintenance windows ask to shadow them as they work. Eventually they may start giving you some of the more routine tasks and you can add those to your resume.
 
Step 6: Attend Bsides conferences (very cheap), there is almost certainly one within a couple hours of you. Live cybersecurity conferences are making a comeback in the post-pandemic world and they can be very helpful for raising your profile and learning about contemporary issues in security. More importantly these conferences often have sessions dedicated to resume reviews and cybersecurity career counseling where you can get real industry professionals to help you. Go with a friend or a classmate and split expenses, it's worth your time.
 
Step 7: Try to join a local hackers group similar to NoVA Hackers or Dallas Hackers.
It's possible to get your first security job from contacts made at a local hacker meetup. Physical pentester Jek Hyde got their first pentest engagement from a Dallas Hackers associate and never looked back. Hacker groups like these are for knowledge enrichment and community building, not illegal activity. As long as you check your ego at the door there's no reason to be intimidated.
 
Step 8: Network with everyone you can at security conferences and in your hackers group. Professional networking is extremely important and if you want to be a Red Teamer (and that's most of you, right?) it's absolutely necessary. Pentesters are a tight-knit bunch where everyone knows everyone. The best way in to this highly selective group is to know your shit, then act like Case in Neuromancer, find yourself a Dixie Flatline and impress the hell out of them.
 
Step 9: After you get those certs and some technical work experience, apply for every SOC analyst position you can. It might be difficult to move, but you might have to consider moving to a city that's a tech hub because that's where the jobs are. Seattle, San Francisco and NYC are all outrageously expensive so consider some up and coming tech cities like Dallas, Raleigh NC, Nashville or Austin. Mastercard's infosec dept. is out of St. Louis now. KPMG has a huge facility in Orlando.
Post-pandemic there are more WFH jobs available so if you don't want to move you could concentrate on those, though it might take a bit longer. Competition for WFH jobs can be insane with openings often getting flooded with hundreds of low-merit applications. If WFH is your goal you will likely need to be very patient, especially if you're just getting into cybersecurity. You're probably better off getting an office based job first to build your familiarity with security operations, then looking for WFH once you're an experienced infosec worker. To check on the geographical availability of cybersecurity jobs take a look at the CyberSeek Heat Map for open cybersecurity positions.
 
Step 10: Keep applying until you get that SOC analyst job. Make sure your resume has lots of keywords on it that reference your certs, technical skills, hardware and software you've used, etc. This is to beat automated scanners and ensure that your resume is actually seen by a person. Use lots of details in your work experience on your resume. It's not enough to say you used a technology, you have to say what you did with it and what it did for the business. Try to use STAR format when revising your resume, that will also help with talking points during interviews. Competition for SOC jobs can be fierce so use your resume to try to stand out and make sure you get noticed and become a candidate for interviews. When you start applying for SOC jobs you might also want to do some homelab exercises to improve your chances of getting interviewed and/or landing the job.
Back in 2015 when I was hired for my first security role most candidates only needed a year or two of helpdesk experience to make them legit contenders for SOC roles. In 2024 competition has become very stiff for these jobs with many people applying to them from cybersecurity degree programs and bootcamps. Hiring managers for SOC positions often have their pick of dozens of applicants. It still might be possible to land a SOC analyst role with a year or two of industry experience and just the CompTia Network+ and Security+ certs. However, an applicant that wants to be a very strong candidate for SOC might also want to consider obtaining Cisco's CCNA certification to demonstrate additional IP networking expertise as well as the CompTia CySA+ certification. These credentials can help generate the interviews necessary to obtain a SOC job by helping a candidate stand out from the competition. Some YT videos that might be worth checking out: - David Bombal's free CCNA course - Andrei Ciorba's free CySA+ course
Once you start landing interviews it's a good idea to start practicing for them. Thanks to u/bcjh for posting this guide to interviewing for cybersecurity jobs.
 
Step 11: When you finally get that SOC job go out and celebrate. Guess what, you're an information security professional!
A SOC analyst job should pay from $60K - $80K. You'll stay there for a year or two and get a couple more advanced certs like CISSP, CCSP, OSCP, or eCPPT and then leave for a new job making $80 to $100K. After 5 or 6 years in the IT/cybersecurity industry with some focus and hard work you should be at $100K+. From there you should be able to map out your own path to $200K, $300K, whatever.
Something to keep in mind is the salary level you're shooting for. $100K still puts you in the top 20% of salaried workers in the US and the top 10% of workers on the planet. Companies do not give these jobs away. You have to prove yourself over and over. It's tough, but probably not nearly as tough as being a first responder, ER nurse, long haul trucker, or inner city fifth grade teacher. You can do it if you simply refuse to quit. Good luck!
The program above is mainly for people that are starting from absolute scratch and using no resources beyond the Internet. If you're actually in some sort of formal degree program I'd also highly recommend at least one programming class, preferably in python. Being able to automate tasks is an invaluable skill as a SOC analyst and will set you apart from those that can't.
And since we're on the subject, allow me to give a word of advice to those of you actually enrolled in a degree program. It's great that you're putting effort into getting your associate degree or bachelor's degree or whatever it is you're getting but you should understand that on its own, a degree will not guarantee a job offer. In fact, doing the minimum necessary to graduate like showing up for class and turning in homework assignments will almost guarantee that you will be waiting for a job after graduation for quite some time. It's 2024 and the entry level of the IT market is fiercely competitive now. You have to distinguish yourself outside of the classroom as much as possible to have a reasonable expectation of getting a job once you complete all your coursework. How to do this? What matters most to hiring managers is that you can demonstrate IT skills and problem solving abilities. What are the best ways to demonstrate such skills? - Internships. By far the best way to demonstrate problem solving skills and talents is to use them in a professional atmosphere and internships are the main way to do this. Make getting an internship a very high priority from your first day of school. - Presenting technical topics at a conference like B-sides, students do this all the time. - Earning professional IT certs like Network+, Sec+, CCNA, even OSCP - Volunteer for an open-source project - Join a CTF team - Attend one or more hackathons - Create, join, or attend a Leetcode club - Bug bounties or vuln hunting, this can make your reputation and get you paid - Pick up some 1099 work on Upwork or Fiverr - Do the cloud resume challenge (see below) - Use your university career center to help you with your jobs search
Most of all, work on your google-fu. If any of the above sound appealing, start googling away.
 
Step 12: For people who are interested in focusing more on cloud engineering or DevOps than cybersecurity this post has a lot of good info on how to plan a transition.
The Cloud Resume Challenge could be a really good way for people trying to get cloud jobs to acquire and show off cloud skills to potential employers. A lot of people seem to have used it successfully for this purpose, including u/rishabkumar7 who documented his progress in a series of Youtube videos.
One excellent option for beginners learning AWS is this cloud training class by Adrian Cantrill. At $40 for the class the financial risk is minimal and learning a lot about cloud is becoming essential for technical IT workers. The course is 75 hours and assumes pretty much no prior technical knowledge beyond basic computer literacy. With the freebie AWS cloud projects Cantrill posts the course is closer to 100 hours, that's a ridiculous value.
Perhaps AWS is not part of your plan. On YouTube there's also a free class on Microsoft Azure by John Savill that people seem to really like.
Based on her personal experiences Gwyneth Peña-Siguenza created a very solid study plan for skills necessary to get a cloud job. The author recommends six months to complete the plan, but I think that's a pretty optimistic timeline. People that have had significant previous technical IT experience could probably get there in six months. Most people that may only have a bachelors degree or a year or less of IT work experience will probably need closer to nine months to a year to complete it.
There are a lot of roadmaps to DevOps and SRE jobs out there but I think this one is pretty comprehensive: Step by step guide for DevOps, SRE or any other Operations Role in 2023
In a now classic post from 2019, u/lottacloudmoney recounts his initial foray into Cloud Engineering. Four years later he self reports compensation over $200K so he is definitely someone to listen to:
How I went from $14hr to 70k with no experience
Would you like to be an SRE at Google? Fabrizio Waldner managed to do it and detailed his achievement in this Medium post:
How I got a job at Google as an SRE - Introduction
I've recently seen some comments that Linux is "on the way out", perhaps because it's been around for so long. Any reports of the demise in the business world of UNIX or Linux are 180° incorrect. Redditor u/Hungry-Landscape1575 went from intern to SRE mainly by sharpening and leveraging Linux SA skills:
From $0 Intern to $160K SRE in seven years
For further information on what it takes to get a DevOps/SRE job you can also check out this extremely informative and insightful series of posts by u/deacon91:
Part I - What hiring teams look for in prospective DevOps/SRE candidates.
Part II - From helpdesk to Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) in just five years
Part III - SRE in 2024, A checklist
 
Here are the stories of some people that have climbed the mountain. Each of them did it their own way, but they all did it one step at a time:
It finally happened, HIRED! First IT job, $27 an hour
First IT job, $50K!
First IT job, $55K plus benefits!
55% comp increase for first IT job!
$24K increase in less than a year!
$22K to $55K in two years
u/lottacloudmoney goes from $28K to $70K in one year, this one's a classic
First IT job, $60K!
127% salary increase in just three years!
$0 to $85K in two years
$0 to $85K in two years after a business degree
$0 to $85K in three years as a veteran
$18K to $100k over 6 years with no degree, if you read just one post make it this one
$38K to $100K in eight years
$31k to $120k in 15 months
$30K to $105K in five years
$20K to $120K in four years
Steady progress, $45K helpdesk to $150K Sr. Manager in fifteen years
$50K to $160K SRE in five years
$30K to $180K in five years
New IT Grad runs out of beer, kicks ass, lands $140K graduation offer
$0 to $400K in ten years
Many Pathways to $$Six Figures$$ in IT

This is very long but it’s a good read to give insight into MH and the rewards and challenges of it.
I want to share my journey through mental health and how it can be very tough and rewarding at the same time. I have struggled with MH issues all my life, I’ve attempted suicide 5 times since 2020. I now have 4 diagnoses and an MEB lined up. Here is my MH story from the first day I asked for help.
It all started May 2023, when I walked into mental health at Lackland and cried my eyes out to a provider. I was told come back in a month, and had lost faith in the system very quickly. My first sergeant made some calls and got me into the IOP program at BAMC, which was a half day program. I missed a lot of work, and my flight chief would constantly call me asking where I was, when my Appointment was going to be over. So much so that during one appointment the LT COL who was my prescriber called my shirt and asked why I was being ostracized and asked for a memo from mental health to give to my flight chief. Things calmed down for a week and it went back to the same bullshit. I work in a SCIF, and was very stressed from the workload and constant berating from my flight leadership. And it affected my work performance and my trust in my leadership.
In July, I snapped, walked into my first sergeant’s office and said I’m done, I hate this job, the Airforce and started ranting, she let me rant and cry, she escorted me to MH and we had a “Fun” conversation with the flight chief and my supervisor after I met with MH. I was given a new provider who works for the USHSC and wears a coast guard looking uniform which is weird but funny, I didn’t know that was a thing tbh. The decision was made to send me to a full day PHP Program at San Antonio Behavioral Health, during duty hours I was there for a around a month, during which time, I got increasingly anxious and depressed working through my trauma. I voiced my concerns to my doctors at SABH and I was taken out of PHP and placed into the victory unit at SABH in a inpatient unit for 30 days, my shirt again was very supportive, took care of my animals and made a plan to have someone watch my apartment and animals within 4 hours of informing her about me going in patient and would check in with me weekly. I was apart of the Military sexual trauma group and felt very understood and cared for. My provider at SABH was one of the best doctors I have ever met in my life. She truly wanted to help veterans and military personnel, she was prior Air Force. This was eye opening for me, I learned a lot about my trauma and how it affected me, I had a lot of child hood trauma, including physical, emotional and sexual abuse from my mother and brother. I also had deployment trauma, which I won’t go into due to it still being very triggering to me and possibly others on this forum. I was diagnosed with Major depressive disorder and PTSD and given a “healthy amount of drugs”. I improved thanks to the drugs but more importantly the therapy I went through at SABH.
In September I was discharged from inpatient and sent back to PHP for 2 weeks. I then went back to work, my chief moved me to a new office to help me and to combat the rumors going around my old office and the issues with the still current flight chief. I continued to have MH appointments and was doing very well. I loved my new office and was supported well by them. I have always been very open at work about my journey and encouraged airman to seek help if needed.
Then the holidays hit, Christmas has always been a rough time in my family and I didn’t go home this year, ( at advisement from my providers). It brings up past trauma and was also part of the sexual abuse I experienced. I felt alone and depressed. I drank more to the point of blacking out and began isolating from everyone. January 7th I had made the decision to hang myself, I had taken leave Thursday and Friday, and was planning to do it Wednesday night so no one from work would come looking for me the next day. I had letters written and drove over to my GF to say goodbye, I tried to hide it from her, but she knew something was wrong, she eventually got out of me and told me I needed to go to the ER. I was hesitant, I knew my career was on the line and I didn’t want to go back to the start line. I eventually decided to go to the ER.
I then drove to BAMC and called my shirt on the way, sobbing and crying. At some points on the drive, I wanted to just veer into to a guardrail or into a tree. I had to stop and pull over multiple times to wipe my tears and to try to calm down. She met me at BAMC and hugged me when she saw me. I walked in and told the triage nurse I was suicidal and my plan. , I was then taken to a room with no cords or anything. All my clothes and phone were taken and I sat there till 4am, as they were trying to find where to send me. I met with the on call psychiatrist and explained everything. My blood, and urine samples were taken. My first sergant was right by my side the whole night staying up with me till I was transferred to 6T at BAMC, the pych ward unit and was there for 7 days. I was very sad and felt so disappointed that I was back where I started. I also had to hear a lot of BMT kids talking about how mean their MTI’s were, but that’s a whole other thing. Also hospital food is awful
I was open to my doctors and nurses, I told them about my drinking habits and my trauma and shared openly in groups just as I did at SABH. I was discharged and referred back to Lackland MH and to ADAPT. I was diagnosed additionally with Borderline personality disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder Mild along with MDD and PTSD . I had 2 Team treatment meetings with my new commander (a very good first impression) and now am back on a High risk tracker and I am also being sent to the ARMO (what the DAWG used to be) for a MEB. The past attempts being so close together was the main reason for the MEB along with the new diagnoses.
I went back to work and continued meeting my providers weekly, and started the ADAPT Program, I have been sober 3 weeks now. Just a couple days ago I had a meeting with my command team and my security manager. A incident report was opened up to the DIA CAF and I was handed an interim suspension MFR that informed me of my suspension of my clearance. I was told to gather my things from my office and my tokens and green badge were taken and I was led out by my security manager. I now do CST work on NIPR in a completely different building and unit ( I am on loan to a new unit). This was a gut punch, while it was expected and I did know these conversations were happening, it still hurt. Being led out and looking back on my past 5 years and seeing my career being taken from me stung. It also made me believe the stigma behind MH and clearances is still very much alive. Although I would not trust myself either if I was a commander. The borderline personality disorder was the contributing factor to the suspension as well as the ADAPT referral.
So there has been ups and downs, but I am happy I made the decision, and while yes, it can affect your career and your future career options, I would tell anyone to seek help. Everything I have done has been voluntary even adapt, I was never command directed to get help. I would not be here today without my shirt, my dog and my GF. Or my deployment friend. Life is hard and it can get overwhelming. But remember the Airforce is just a job, and it’s not worth your life. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, don’t be afraid to take a knee and don’t be afraid to go to mental health. My provider I have is amazing and has been very supportive and open to any ideas I have. Even recommending me for EMDR therapy and 1 on 1 trauma therapy. I am safe now, I still have morbid thoughts but no active. I have rough days, nightmares and flashbacks still. I have a long journey but I would not change anything I did. It made me a better and healthier person, and I thank god every day for my shirt. I also thank god for SABH and 6T. So that’s my journey so far and I know it’s a long and difficult road ahead but I am hopeful.
TLDR- Get the help you need, and don’t let your career be the reason you aren’t on this earth anymore. Be honest and open with your providers and command. And advocate for yourself! Do not suffer in silence. My inbox is always open to anyone needing to vent or talk or to ask questions about MH or any of the programs I have been involved in.
Edit 1: I am safe, and I am not having any active thoughts. I do not have any firearms in my home.

Maxim Group Virtual Conference ran Jan 24-25 and I located a transcript this morning on CEO. This provides the missing information from "The Money Narrative" post which covered what they felt was key points. Overall this provides some good clarity on several portions of the general Reliq Health Product and should provide a bit more context for anyone who doesn't really know what the company does and why it should be a slam dunk as an investment. All things being equal of course since we know there are some significant issues with them right now as well. Without further comment. Here is the transcript:
​
Hello. We're here with Chris Shields. He's the Interim CEO of Reliq Health Technologies. It's ticker RHT on the TSX Exchange. Chris is going to give you a brief overview and then we're going to do some Q&A. If anyone has questions, you can type them in the chat box and we'll make sure to get to them. Chris, go ahead.
Unverified Participant Okay, great. Thank you, Allen. It's great to be here this afternoon and I'm happy to provide everyone with, you know, some updates on what's going on with the company. But as a start, for those of you who aren't familiar with Reliq, we're a rapidly growing health tech company that develops innovative virtual care solutions for the multibillion-dollar healthcare market. Our platform benefits everyone in the healthcare space. We're focused mostly on Medicare patients that are chronically ill. That population is, you know, in the range of 50 million to 60 million patients in the US. We provide a comprehensive, turnkey solution that allows clinicians to seamlessly roll out new billable virtual care services to their patients, and those patients will see a significant improvement in health outcomes. Our programs also allow facilities, whether they're skilled nursing facilities or assisted living facilities or rehab hospitals, to really reduce their readmittance rate by up to 90%. We expect to have continued strong growth over the next few years, and with margins greater than 70% – gross margins greater than 70%, and EBITDA margins greater than 40% by the end of 2024. And we expect to be cash flow positive in early 2024. The company has been on a period of pretty rapid growth over the last few years and we don't see any real significant downturn in that over the next 5- to 10-year period.
We got a lot of questions from investors on, you know, how long do patients actually stay on your platform? And surprisingly, patients are on there for an extended period of time. These are chronically ill patients who will be on the platform, you know, almost all for the rest of their life. And so if you look at the actuarial tables, a person who's just getting into Medicare at the age of 65 will likely be on the program for 20 to 30 years. Even a patient who starts at age 85 is likely to be on the program for 5 to 7 years. And so these are not short-term programs, although we have some. Some of our individual programs are short term, 30 to 60 days. But the majority of our programs are for patients who will be on their for, you know, 5 to 25 years.
We've had a couple of really exciting recent milestones. We recently signed a physician network with over 300 locations across the US, and that network includes 750 physicians and expected to add over 100,000 physicians by the end of 2025. We also added a leading US healthcare company with 75 locations in 8 states. That client has been recognized by both Newsweek and US World & News Report for having some of the top US long-term care skilled nursing facilities in the US. And then we also signed a large US healthcare system that operates over 1,200 care centers across 7 states, including skilled nursing, hospitals, home health agencies, hospice, and primary care. And that healthcare system has more than 10 million patient encounters a year across the network. We also had a large healthcare network that we signed last year that recently we put out an announcement that we've expanded the services, the geography that we provide services for. So, initially we announced last year that they would give us 10,000 patients in South Texas. They have recently expanded that to the Laredo area. And then in – by the end of 2024, we'll also add San Antonio. So, that like will add 50,000 patients to that program for that network.
So, our two big priorities for 2024 – well, I would say three. I'll get into this in a few minutes. But, you know, our number one priority is getting our financials filed. But our number two and three priorities are growing these large four healthcare companies that – in the US that we signed last year. So, of those, they have, you know, millions of patients that can be added to the platform. So, our goal is to keep them happy, keep growing the business we have with them while we grow our other existing business. The second area that I think we have a lot of growth in is we do a little bit in mental health, mostly behavioral health integration, and about 25% of our patients are currently diagnosed with that. But it's more likely to be 50%. And there are a number of new codes that CMS is adding for mental health. It's a big push by CMS in the US to add a lot of mental health virtual care, because right now most patients are unable to get the services they need easily. It could be months to years to get appointments. And so mental health practices are full and generally not taking significantly new patients. But as the chronically ill patients in the US have very high rates of dementia, Alzheimer's, anxiety, depression. And so those – addressing those issues goes hand-in-hand with addressing their typical issues of high blood pressure, chronic heart failure, diabetes.
Question & Answer Section I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Can I just follow up on what you said about mental and behavioral health? Like can you maybe give an example so I can understand – that we can understand how you use remote patient – how you propose to use remote patient monitoring for mental health patients and what type of healthcare institution would be you dealing with?
Yeah. So, at the base level for mental health, you have your primary care physician of the patient and they identify, you know, typically the patient has, you know, anxiety, depression, may have early Alzheimer's, may have early dementia, and they generally try to get them in with a mental health provider, psychologist, psychiatrist. But that doesn't happen quickly in a lot of these patients because we deal with a lot of patients who have the least access to care in remote areas. They have even less ability to get the help they need on the mental health side. So, at the base level, behavioral health, which we can provide under our existing platform and programs, requires that a care manager work with the doctor and provide a care plan for that patient. And it would really address what are the underlying issues that that patient has? What do they need to do to improve their mental health? So, there may be some goals or there may be some services that they need. And the care manager will work with the patient and the patient's family to identify where those services are available in the area, help them to get set up with those services, make sure they follow up, and then track the goals that they have. And so there may be some goals that the physician has identified that really will help to improve their mental health. And always in many of these cases, the number one goal is to make sure that they stay on their medication and they have high medication adherence. And so medication adherence, along with mental health is always a big concern and something that is tracked. So, once the patient gets stabilized, then, you know, a lot of the underlying other chronic conditions improve dramatically because the patient is now eating better, they have better routines. And so overall, their overall health gets better. But CMS is really expanded upon that. And they have another program called Collaborative Care Management, which then includes a psychiatrist and psychologist that meets with the patient virtually once or twice a month in addition to the care manager that's providing care for them. And so that's an added benefit. More time, virtual care time, more reimbursement for both the physician and the mental health professionals. This year , CMS has also extended that to now therapists can bill for these services so we can refer now patients from the primary care to a therapist. And the benefit of that is therapists, There are a lot more therapists out there and there's a lot more available time for therapists to spend with patients. And so that's really going to be a big, big driver for mental health for us and for patients in 2024. We spend a lot of time in working with patients in skilled nursing facilities and assisted living, and a large portion of those patients have undiagnosed mental health conditions. So, the first job our team has is to make sure that, in addition to looking at, you know, the standard issues of blood pressure, high blood pressure, diabetes, weight, you know, any of the other chronic illnesses that we really make sure that they have their mental health addressed. And there's a number of standard tests for mental health testing. Most of those have over the years been done in person, you know, at the doctor's office or at the mental health professionals office. But in the last few years, there's been a number of groups that have put together virtual care tests. And so we're really helping at the forefront to bring those tests to the patients. So, there's a range of different acuity tests that can be done online, either over the phone or virtually that really help to assess patients mental health. And it can really help to look at the progression, either positive or negative for those patients. So we can do it both in-person at a facility or virtually for patients who are having our services delivered remote.
Very interesting. I'll follow up with that more. Hey, two questions came in from the audience. So, let me – I usually forget to look at them, so let me make sure. One is how are you spending the funds from your recent raise? And then the second one is the company cash flow positive? Will further financing or private placements be required?
Yes. So, as we put in the filing documents, the majority of the funds from the private placement are put towards growth with our new clients. And so that's – I could go through the list, but a lot of it is in hiring new staff, travel since we're now starting with these new clients to be operating in states that we didn't have physical footprints. So, we have implementation teams that now go to those states to help onboard. The large skilled nursing facility that's in eight states, most of those states are states we haven't previously operated in. So, we have to bring our staff in early on and then backfill by hiring additional staff physically in those states. And there's a lag between, you know, bringing people on, getting them trained, onboarding the clients. And then when the client start to get reimbursed for those patients and then pay us. And then the second one is, you know, it's hard to say whether we need a raise or not. We're currently, obviously because of growth, having to do a raise in the few months where we need additional cash for additional growth. That may continue. We could, you know, sign an additional several large US health plans or Medicaid advantage plans and, you know, require more funds for growth. So, it will depend on the growth rate and how quickly between the start of onboarding of these new clients, and them getting the patients on, getting their reimbursement, and us billing for services. that lag time will determine if we need additional funds.
And in there, there was a question, is the company cash flow positive?
No, we're not because we just needed to raise money. If we were cash flow positive, we wouldn't have had to raise the additional capital.
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Okay. Well, one of the things I want to – you've done – you've won a significant amount of contracts in the last 12 months. What would you attribute to the – and these are like subscription recurring revenues, high margins. So, like, if you're able to ramp these customers up, they represent, you know, good cash flow. But the basic question I have, though, is what would you attribute the reasons behind being able to win so many contracts?
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Yeah, it's interesting. I would put it up to, you know, three different categories. One, we consistently get feedback from all of our clients that they've done searches, but a number of companies in the space and consistently they say our platform is by far the best out there. It's the most comprehensive, includes all of the CMS, virtual care programs, but it's the easiest to use and the most intuitive. And I think that goes back to our previous CEO's vision for what we do. And you know, she has said a number of times, and I repeat this to customers, we want to meet the patient where they live and we want to make this, the service we provide, to be as simple for the patient as possible. More complicated it is for a chronically ill 85-year-old patient, the less likely they are to be adherent. And so many of our patients don't even know that they're on a virtual care program. They just know they have a device. They test, they press a button, they have a care manager call them weekly and talk to them about their readings and their nutrition and anything else that goes along with their chronic illness. And then they go to their doctor periodically and tell them what a great job our team is doing. And so I'd say the first thing is our technology is the best out there. We can do the most from a I'll call it a triage perspective where the clinical staff can really go in the platform and identify the patients that are at most need for immediate contact with the care manager or with the doctor. And then there's lots of tools in there to look at all the data and really assess the patient's progress. And so between making it simple for the patient, but having a strong, you know, in the background platform that can generate lots of data, identify patients at risk and, you know, provide the assessment on whether different treatments may be working for those patients, that's really the number one thing that differentiates us from most companies out there. I mean, the majority of companies, if you look out there, have an app that's connected to a smartphone and connected to a device, and that really doesn't work for the chronically ill older patient. I'd say the second thing that really differentiates us is the fact that we've been doing this for so long. We have lots of data to show our customers on the efficacy of these programs, whether it's, you know, improvement in health outcomes or whether it's keeping patients out of a hospital or being readmitted to a skilled nursing facility. And then the third thing I would say is really the fact that we've put together a turnkey program.
When we first started doing a lot of these activities, we found all kinds of different bottlenecks and points at which our clients would stall out. And so over time, we have removed all of those. The first one we started with was how do we get our clients to onboard faster? We did that by putting together our own implementation team, lots of tools to do pre-authorizations and eligibility checks. The second thing we put in place last year was to start really looking at adherence because we had found that our clients were not doing a great job at keeping patients adherent. So, we took over a lot of the care management from our clients and we started putting together the programs that we found the most effective to get patients up and running and adherent. And for clients that we've been working with for several years, the majority of their patients are 70% to 90% compliant. So, we feel we'll be able to get all of the ones we transferred last year from below 20% to up to 70 to 80% over time. And I think the other category is we get a lot of word of mouth. So, every doctor that we get onboarded tells, you know, five of his friends and then, you know, we may get two to three of those and then they tell additional ones of their friends. So, we have a group of, you know, sales teams out there and – but we do very little marketing at this point. We did a lot early on, going to trade shows, doing advertising. But at this point, we just get referrals in on a weekly basis from all of our existing clients. And, you know, even the large health companies are calling one of our partners out there to ask about how they can implement these services. So, I don't know if that answered your question or...
No, that's great. You collect lots of data from your patients, but how do you think about the potential in the future of monetizing that data?
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Yeah. So, we feel that, over the long term, big data will be as big a part of our revenue generation as the rest of the business. And we have a couple of our clients that are just starting to look at using machine learning and artificial intelligence to mine the data that they have. And so we can look at a whole range of things. If you are following the industry, clinical trials are horrendously expensive and don't have great adherence rates and many of those are now moving to community-based settings to help address some of that and to improve and expand on clinical trials. And so you could have a group of doctors in a certain area that will have thousands of patients that are eligible for a certain trial and drug company or someone who's doing a different treatment will get those patients on that drug or following that treatment. And then you can follow those patients and they can do this at multiple settings across the country and then put all that data together. But most of those patients have to come in to an office, you know, once a week, once a month to get their vitals checked. And that's really limited data for these clinical trials. It's so much better if those patients can get readings every day.
Now, some of the trials include patients doing their own readings and writing them down. But study after study will show that patients doing self-reporting is inaccurate at best. They may not want their doctor to know how bad they were at some points in the month. So, they may fudge some of the data. Probably happens less on clinical trials, but it's still not as good as having real-time data. And so most of the clinical trial companies have realized that we need to involve some sort of virtual monitoring as well as, you know, with devices. But also including potentially, you know, having virtual surveys done on a daily or every couple of day basis to really understand what's happening with the patients and getting more information on potential side effects that are hard to get from the patient from their notes. They may not have remembered. They may have not taken a note – they may not have done their notes after taking medication until a day or two later. Whereas, you know, on a virtual meeting with them, you can get that information down right away while it's still fresh in their mind. And so there's, you know, a – even retrospectively, we can look back and we can pull all of our patients that, for instance, who are on a certain medication. And we can look at the efficacy of that medication for different age groups, different underlying chronic issues, different geographic locations. We can look at things like their diet and then we can provide all that information to, you know, a drug company that's interested in how is their drug actually working. And in that case, they don't even need to do a clinical trial. They just take our data and then they sort through it and they can make some additional assumptions on even potentially other illnesses that that drug may be working for. So, for instance, you know, patients taking a drug for hypertension. But, you know, we find across the board that their arthritis has improved while taking that drug, you know, somewhat of a side effect, but now it may have a second indication for that drug. So, the uses for big data, because we're just collecting and aggregating all kinds of data, not just the biometric data from the patient, but, you know, how often they are taking the medication, what medication they're taking, what brand of medication they're taking, how often they're taking it, their diet, any issues they're having, how often they're hospitalized. So, all of that data can be mined and find, you know, very valuable information for healthcare companies out there to either develop new treatments or potentially secondary and third indications for existing drugs.
That's great. I think we're running out of time. That was a great overview. I mean, is there anything in like one minute that you want to... The last thing I'd like to just talk about and I'm sure everyone's interested in it is our current status with filing our financials and our C straight order.
Yeah, could you just do that in one minute?
In one minute, it'll just be quick. So, we're still working towards that. We expect to have it resolved, you know, in the relative short term. I can't give any specific timing here, but we will be having some additional press releases coming out to give more clarity on that. Unverified Participant I think that that's the big thing everyone's waiting for.
Unverified Participant Absolutely.
Unverified Participant Yeah, that'll be fantastic. So, okay, well, congratulations on your new role and thank you for filling us in. And we look forward to to tracking your progress.
Unverified Participant Great.
Unverified Participant Thank you.
Unverified Participant Thank you, Allen, and I appreciate you inviting us to present.
Unverified Participant Take care
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https://ceo.ca/rht?84bdb00b6be9