Academy/Life Balance

[Winter94]

Hello,
So my question is how is the balance between the academy and personal life while you are there? For example one of the academies I would like to attend is M-F 0700 -1700 while Saturday and Sunday are days off. On weekends will I have time to be with family or would I be studying/doing extra actives?

[not.in.MY.town]

Hello,
So my question is how is the balance between the academy and personal life while you are there? For example one of the academies I would like to attend is M-F 0700 -1700 while Saturday and Sunday are days off. On weekends will I have time to be with family or would I be studying/doing extra actives?

If you're already in excellent physical shape and are a quick learner then you'll be able to enjoy some family time on the weekends. If not, you might need to train and/or study.

That being said, if a M-F daytime schedule has you concerned about your work/life balance then LE may not be for you.

[Winter94]

If you're already in excellent physical shape and are a quick learner then you'll be able to enjoy some family time on the weekends. If not, you might need to train and/or study.

That being said, if a M-F daytime schedule has you concerned about your work/life balance then LE may not be for you.

Schedule isnt what concerns me I was just wondering if I would be able to to go out with my family once in awhile during these 6 months, i'm also trying to mentally prepare myself because for me I believe that will be the hardest for me in the academy.

[not.in.MY.town]

Schedule isnt what concerns me I was just wondering if I would be able to to go out with my family once in awhile during these 6 months, i'm also trying to mentally prepare myself because for me I believe that will be the hardest for me in the academy.

Of course you'll be able to spend time with your family once in a while. Going on a three day camping trip is probably out...attending cousin Fred's wedding in Italy might not happen...but taking your family out to dinner, watching your kid's soccer game or enjoying date night with your spouse should all be doable on weekends at least. Granted, during the week you'll likely be too exhausted to do much of anything, but it's a matter of prioritizing and making the most of the little time you do have. You'll be fine. Good luck.

[bfrob22]

Like not in my town said if you are already in good shape then you should be fine! That being said I still would train and hour after the academy and put in 30 minutes a night of studying to reduce my study time on the weekends. At the end of the day the academy is only 6 months for a lifetime career so you’re spouse/significant other and family will have to understand that!

[NW121]

I had that schedule when I went to the academy. It was difficult; I had to be there by 0600 in the morning and usually would not get home until 1900-2000. My wife was a real trooper during it and held down the fort with the kids. I studied on the weekends but on Saturday's we'd designate family time. If I had to do it again, I'd do the M-F version and get to see my family despite the exhaustion level.

[SuperDude913]

You're going to be missing out on alot of things. Once you finish the academy and get on the streets, it's only going to get worse.

[Iowa #1603]

Hello,
On weekends will I have time to be with family or would I be studying/doing extra actives?

depends on how you do academically in the class room

You MIGHT have to study all weekend

[Aidokea]

You're going to be missing out on alot of things. Once you finish the academy and get on the streets, it's only going to get worse.

This...

[ateamer]

If you want to do well, you’ll spend a fair amount of your weekends studying. Screw up the academy and your career choice is over. Plus, the academy is the easiest few months of your career. If you aren’t ready and willing to accept 25+ years of missed birthdays and Christmases, Thanksgiving on Saturday morning, court when you want to be sleeping and missed dinners because of late calls, then this isn’t the job for you.

If you do make the extra effort, and make it part of your being - not just a habit to study a bit extra, but make it your nature to go above and beyond - you will do well. The overachievers are the guys who get the assignments with the good schedules.

[Aidokea]

Yup. Your academy will be a performance-oriented environment- your focus should not be on how much time off you get. Your focus should be on doing whatever you need to do, to perform.

I was in my mid-40s when I graduated from our academy. The PT portion of our academy was run by our SWAT commander, who had a reputation for running PT as if he thought he was training Navy SEALS. We heard that as part of our PT, we were going to be running in hilly terrain up to 10 miles a day, five days a week, in the summer heat, until our toenails turned black and fell out.

I was not a runner- I have no background in running.

But I did everything I could, to perform. I began serious running training (on my own time) as soon as I was hired, before my academy even started. I learned running hydration, nutrition, joint supplements, anti-inflammatories, and what worked for me. I went to a running shop to have my stride analyzed, and purchased several pairs of expensive running shoes.

Our PT turned out to be every bit as brutal as we were told. I wrapped my toes in duct tape when my toenails fell out, I went to class with cold packs ace-bandaged to my knees under my uniform trousers, but because I did what I had to do in order to perform, I made it.

If your focus is on your time off, then your focus is not in the right place.

[angeredmgmt]

The academy may be overwhelming at first, but after a while, you will get more comfortable with the routine. Family life is important, but the LE career path, like many other career paths, need a lot of focus at first. Again, that focus will be sharper after you get a little experience in the academy.

[Ratatatat]

I wrapped my toes in duct tape when my toenails fell out

Good Heavens...

[Ratatatat]

To answer the OP:

I've been through more academies than I wish to admit and say this with conviction: Train hard and study hard but also have chill time. You'll burn out quick if you don't maintain the friends and family network and have leisure pursuits. Same principle applies to after the academy... I've been around people who are 100% cop 100% of the time and not only are they a bore, they have no life other than arresting dopers pedophiles and shoplifters. You'll find the right balance.

[Winter94]

Thanks everyone for all the replies! Going to the Academy late this year or early next year so i'm just getting all the information I can to mentally and physically prepare myself. I realize the academy will be the easy portion of a LEO's career but it doesn't hurt to mentally prepare for it.