September 2013 - Preparation

[thirdeyeblind]

Hello! Cracking site, love reading through previous posts and stuff, a great help in applying and preparing.
Thought I'd ask, I'm due to start deck training with Carnival in Warsash come September, and I was wondering if any of the old hands had some hard earned advice to pass on, whether that be pre-course preparation, what meal plan to go for, uniform tips, or something completely random that took them by surprise in the first few weeks? I just ask because I did army officer training at Sandhurst a couple of years ago, and no-one mentioned bringing a hoover, thermal underwear, or a mobile handsfree set, all of which are indispensable but not on the joining instructions list :-)
Thanks

[CharlieDelta]

Hello and welcome!!

First of all, if you haven't already, join the Facebook group. Search "Warsash Maritime Academy - September 2013".

Carnival should pay your first four weeks' accommodation fees. (This varies by company, and may have changed since I started.) You'll be allocated a shared room, and you're automatically put on the five day plan which gives you ?45 per week to spend. There's rumblings about changes in the meal plans though, so watch this space. I don't think there's an option to go on the seven day plan. When I started, the only people on a seven day plan were people who had their accommodation paid for directly by their companies.

For the preparation, which route are you on (FD/HND)?

Uniform: Carnival will sort you out with absolutely everything. All you need is underwear! (Again, varies by company, some provide uniform, some give an allowance, some don't)

Again, welcome, hope to see you around often and might see you around campus in September.

[thirdeyeblind]

Thanks, thats great advice. I have joined the FB group, but thought this forum might provide some advice from the more experienced cadets and officers.
I'll be doing the Foundation Degree, so guessing more GCSE maths revision is required?
Also, any tips on what to bring for the room? I'm thinking kettle, ironing board and iron, ipod dock and laptop, plus maybe some earplugs for the noisy room mate!
Thanks again

[CharlieDelta]

There's ironing boards and irons in the laundry rooms, but some people being their own. I'd suggest waiting to see if you're happy using the laundry room ones before buying something that'll take space.

I have a kettle and 50l fridge, but I'm in a single room. Bring a cheap kettle if you want but I'd suggest talking over a fridge with your roommate since a) they can be noisy and b) you'll want to decide who pays for what and who keeps what etc etc. You could buy a fridge together and then try to sell it together at the end of the phase.

Preparation wise, GCSE maths is a definite priority. That's all I'd really worry about, don't really need to do much more.

Of course, it's never too early to start on the Colregs, signal flags or morse!

[Hatchorder]

As you have been to Sandhurst then your knowledge of pressing uniform will far outweigh anybody else, and will not be necessary as most Musters just make sure you are dressed and have your shoes on the right feet. (You would be surprised at the number of engineers with them on the wrong feet!). An Ironing board and iron are a must though. Take along a small tin with washing powder tablets in and a small bottle of fabric conditioner if you need it as well as a vanish stick for the collars of your shirts. Soap pressed seams on trousers will be fine for wash and wear uniform trousers that don't need pressing!

Space in rooms is limited so your laptop, external monitor and keyboard should have the ability to play films from a hard drive and plug the xbox in if you have one. TV will need to have a licence and takes up more room than you have. External speakers plugged into ipod or laptop give you the music. Parallel Rules, dividers, chart roll and calculator (non programmable) are nice to have before you go, but can all be purchased locally if you do not have them.

Meal plan 5 from 7 is the one most have. It is only companies that pay full cost of accommodation that get the 7 day meal plan to my knowledge. Don't forget the meal plan is only for 2 meals a day. Go out and buy lunch, it is cheaper. I have heard rumours that things may be changing with the food. If they stay with the mealplan then any cash left on your card at the end of each phase is swallowed up by the catering company so use it all up!

No hoover needed, cleaners come in. Bedding is provided and you can change weekly. My son took a memory foam mattress topper for comfort and his own pillows.

Alarm clock as there is no hairy arsed corporal coming into your room and shouting at you at 6 in the morning! Kettle and mini fridge allowed, toaster and sandwich maker not!

Fast Network, Facebook and Skype do away with need for big mobile phone plans plus they are not much use in your sea phases without costing an arm and a leg.

Others will no doubt add to the list but that should be a start!

Ian

[CharlieDelta]

Kettle and mini fridge allowed, toaster and sandwich maker not!

To add on to this, both halls have kitchens with microwaves and toasters. Blyth has also recently had a proper oven fitted and I believe there's plans to do the same in Shackleton.

[Hatchorder]

To add on to this, both halls have kitchens with microwaves and toasters. Blyth has also recently had a proper oven fitted and I believe there's plans to do the same in Shackleton.

We walked into the Kitchen in Blyth last September on the first day and there was mould in the fridge, rotting food in the fridge and on the side and a disgusting microwave.... walked straight out - totally unimpressed. Good impression for first day starters!

Had an interesting conversation today. For all of you that are thinking Warsash needs an update and more accommodation and will follow Fleetwood into the 21st century think again! It seems that Blyth is a listed building and the local council will allow no further expansion on site - ever! So what you have is what you will get!

CD, you mentioned something about the possibility that meals might change - care to share?

Ian

[CharlieDelta]

We walked into the Kitchen in Blyth last September on the first day and there was mould in the fridge, rotting food in the fridge and on the side and a disgusting microwave.... walked straight out - totally unimpressed. Good impression for first day starters!

There's a new kitchen on the first floor (not part of the common room) that wasn't there when I was here in phase one. Looks decent enough but I haven't used it.

Had an interesting conversation today. For all of you that are thinking Warsash needs an update and more accommodation and will follow Fleetwood into the 21st century think again! It seems that Blyth is a listed building and the local council will allow no further expansion on site - ever! So what you have is what you will get!

Same with Shackleton. It even won some sort of architecture medal. Moyana building is, I believe, home to one of the largest parquet floors in the country. And if you look up at the campus from the beach it's meant to look like a ship.

CD, you mentioned something about the possibility that meals might change - care to share?

Sodexo has considered going back to the system we had when I was in phase one, and many others before, of having a meal card which bought complete meals and has no money value attached to it.

[geordie dancer]

Sodexo has considered going back to the system we had when I was in phase one, and many others before, of having a meal card which bought complete meals and has no money value attached to it.

You can (read: when I was there, you could) change to the Option Two card, if you want. IIRC it tops up ?70pw, Which is enough for three meals a day and the occasional tea, especially when you start replacing meals with panninis. Frankly, the old seven day card was a much better system. But since Sodexho took over the refectory...

[Hatchorder]

There's a new kitchen on the first floor (not part of the common room) that wasn't there when I was here in phase one. Looks decent enough but I haven't used it.

That was the one! Top of the stairs, on the left, thin room?

Sodexo has considered going back to the system we had when I was in phase one, and many others before, of having a meal card which bought complete meals and has no money value attached to it.

Hmmmmm, must be something to do with surveys, complaints and companies getting copies of the survey....... or is it just a co-incidence?

Ian

[thirdeyeblind]

Cheers for the advice everyone, muchos appreciando! On a slightly unrelated thread, does learning another language benefit a cruise deck cadet? Might actually try to learn Spanish or French this summer.
Think I will take my iron, could come in handy as a panini toaster if nothing else.

[thirdeyeblind]

Ps - I'm a complete gannet when it comes to food, so think a small fridge in the room, or a stash of food that doesn't need fridging will be required. Hello beef jerky!

[JoelR]

Preparation wise, GCSE maths is a definite priority.!

I've been trying to find out what kind of level of Maths is used in the training to become a deck officer, FD route. Maths has always been my weakest subject, I got a C in GCSE maths and never took it further but completed other A levels last year. I use day to day maths in my current job but haven't touched algebra or anything other than multiplication/division since. I've been trying to do a little pre September revision but working 7 days a week is making it pretty difficult. I'm starting to worry now and considering the possibility of needing a tutor if the maths is a problem for me. What level maths would it equate to?

[CharlieDelta]

It's not much more difficult than GCSE higher level maths.

The pre-course maths preparation material can be downloaded from the WMA website:
http://bit.ly/WMAmaths

[JoelR]

Thanks that helps a lot, looks like I'll definitely be needing to graft at it.