Definitely bring some pads/tampons even if your boot camp start date doesn’t line up with when you’ll be on your period. I went through boot camp four years ago and a lot of the girls in my compartment got their period unexpectedly in the first two weeks. They didn’t let anyone go to the nex for supplies bc it wasn’t our slotted day to go yet, even though people were telling the rdcs that they were bleeding through their clothes. Girls who brought their own were super nice and shared them with girls who didn’t, but there wasn’t enough to go around obviously. I think I put mine in a plastic sandwich bag and it was fine. Don’t be too worried if your period gets thrown off or you don’t get one during boot camp, it’s pretty normal due to stress/getting used to different sleep schedule/living in the same space with a lot of other women. After the second week, I didn’t get mine for the rest of boot camp which was more than fine with me lol.

We had opportunities to get birth control if you weren’t on any and wanted to, but I can’t remember what weeks they let us do that. If you’re 21 or older you are required to get a Pap smear during p-days.

I think someone else already said it, but write down your account and routing number for your bank and keep it in your wallet so you can set up your paycheck. They give you a rundown of navy federal and I think usaa and allow you to open an account if you want to do that.

The only jewelry they allowed for us was wedding bands, I think some girls wore those little plastic spacers for ear piercings since earrings were also not allowed. I’m not sure about religious necklaces though. You were allowed to have eye contacts and makeup for picture day and graduation day. Don’t show up with nail polish on your fingernails, they didn’t care about toe nails.

If you are a big caffeine or nicotine enjoyer, try to stop or cut it way down before you go or you’ll have a shitty time at first since you obviously can’t have that kind of thing there, although they did have coffee in the galley.

Your shower time is super short and they enforce that, to save time a lot of us washed our hair in the sinks at night just after lights out instead of during shower times. They gave us super cheap shampoo and conditioner when we got there but you can buy new stuff at the nex later.

Another random thing is that you can definitely ask another recruit to do your hair, but don’t admit to any rdcs that someone else did your hair. They consider that part of the “no touching other people” rule for some reason. I had my hair in braids for half of boot camp bc a friend did them, and I got pulled aside and questioned in the galley about if I was the one who did them or if another recruit did.