Hey folks,

This is Tian Tian Xin from the United States Military Academy at West Point. I'm here to give ya'll the inside scoop on Army/Navy week from the cadet perspective. So for the next week or so, I'll be blogging a little bit about cadet life as well as the various spirited/crazy things we do to get pumped up for the most important game of the year-- the Army v. Navy football game Dec. 12th in Philly.

So a little bit about myself...

I hail from the great state of Texas and specifically from a little town in the outskirts of Dallas called Plano. In high school, I was the consummate geek--  president of math club (we called our selves "the mathletes" haha), member of the debate team, and violinist in the orchestra. I also ran track/cross country and dabbled in some other community service and leadership clubs.

Here's a picture of me with some friends at a high school NHS meeting. 

About mid-way through junior year, I was wooed by West Point's glossy posters and shiny pamphlets urging me to join the "Long Grey Line." The summer before senior year, I met a really impressive West Point grad who inspired me to apply. By senior year, I was hooked. 

At West Point, I continued with some of my high school activities-- I debated my first two years, played violin with the West Point Strings, and also got involved in an undergraduate social sciences journal. I'm majoring in International Relations and International Comparative Legal Studies. Typically, if I don't have my nose buried in a book, I'm out running or goofing off with friends. 

Here's a picture of me in front of Washington Hall with my parents. It was taken on A-day (AKA "acceptance day") when the class of 2011 was "accepted" into the Corps of Cadets. 

This is a picture of me in the overhead cabinet one very, very unexciting night at school. My roommates and I decided to entertain ourselves by fitting ourselves into every compartment in the room that could possibly hold a human body. We also discovered a discrete place to hide during room inspection when we're not allowed to sleep. Haha. Sometimes I think that West Point has it's own "flavor" of fun, if you will. We get pretty creative around here.

I've also had some amazing opportunities with West Point to travel and get involved with other government agencies over the summers.

For example, last summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer with a few other cadets in Ghana...  

... and intern at the State Department with the Office of War Crimes issues. To my left is the Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues.

So needless to say, West Point's been a pretty amazing journey so far. But nothing gets crazier than Army/Navy week. Cadets and faculty alike get preeeetty spirited in the few days leading up to the big game. So look forward to some videos and pictures of the various shenanigans we get ourselves into in a bit. =) For now however, the sweet siren of homework beckons me. 

GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!

~ Tian Tian