Seriously Sergeant, I Have No Idea What You Mean!

Though I got a bit of a boost and felt more energized to carry-on, a few things were looming over my head; being Platoon Sergeant the 5 mile run, our field exercise and passing Map Reading.

A majority of the students that fluked out of PLDC did so by not being able to pass Map Reading. First we'd get classroom instruction then hands on instruction and then you're sent out to the woods with a map and a compass and you have to find certain points. Oh please, don't sit there thinking that sounds easy --it is not. The map I refer to doesn't have roads or signs --it is a terrain map that shows bodies of water, elevation, etc. Trust me when I say, its tough. All you are given is that map, a compass and coordinates. You have three chances to go out and get all of the coordinates and then --FAIL.  The map looks something like the one below (something I just snagged off the internet) but the one I had was in color (Nick try to imagine a world pre-iphone and Sheryl, try to  imagine a world pre GPS, you with me now?).

My grades had been slipping probably due to the fact I had no motivation to keep going and I was spending more time singing the Star Spangled Banner than I was studying.  I had previously been acing our written tests but slowly my grades were slipping and I going from 90's to 80's to 70's.  In fact, so much that my Instructor (the "nice one") pulled me aside and asked if anything was going on . .

IS ANYTHING GOING ON??

Hm well, what do you mean?  The fact that I hate it here?  My roommates hate me?  I'm thrown in with all these male soldiers and had to fight for privacy in the bathroom?  I live in fear of having to be Platoon Sergeant?  I think I'm going to fail map reading?  I can't focus because Newsome stood me up when I had a weekend pass and I can't call him or contact him so I have no idea what's going on?  How about how inadequate I feel being a soldier? Did I mention how boring the content is?  Do I care about weapons and soldiering stuff?  Could it be that we're running PT TWICE a day and I HATE RUNNING IN FORMATION????  Speaking of running --how 'bout that 5 mile run coming up?  Could that be troubling me?  Huh?  Or is it getting up at 5am every day?

Seriously Sergeant, I have no idea what you mean.  Anything going on with ME?  No, not really.