Femid: (noun) a combination of the words female and mid (slang for midshipman). Used to describe midshipman of the female sex, can be positive or negative in connotation.
Here at the Naval Academy, we females have grown accustomed to the title "femid". Although it sounds like a disease that one might catch in a high school football locker room, it is the name we were given and the name we have embraced. This word envelops us females into a stereotypical "girl in the military" category, making everyone assume that we are unattractive tomboys who only find pleasure in lifting, consuming insane amounts of protein, and bro-ing out with the dudes. Although everyone has their hobbies, and some listed in the previous sentence may be true, us femids are in fact real females!!!
1. We enjoy dressing up and going out
Just because we go to the United States Naval Academy doesn't mean that we don't know how to have fun. If you were cooped up all week in prison and only had the weekend to leave, wouldn't you go out and get lit? Femids were civilian girls once too, something that the boys often forget, so we know how to look good.
2. We get our nails done
Even though our feet are stuffed in either leathers or running shoes 99% of the time, we still enjoy a nice mani/pedi. Trust me, we build up some pretty gnarly calluses, so nothing feels better than those massage chairs and the feeling of someone rubbing your feet (plus we can get away with multicolored sparkles, and who doesn't love that?). As for our hands, we are limited to "complementary skin tone colors" so french nails are usually the way to go.
3. We're broke college students
Even though our feet are stuffed in either leathers or running shoes 99% of the time, we still enjoy a nice mani/pedi. Trust me, we build up some pretty gnarly calluses, so nothing feels better than those massage chairs and the feeling of someone rubbing your feet (plus we can get away with multicolored sparkles, and who doesn't love that?). As for our hands, we are limited to "complementary skin tone colors" so french nails are usually the way to go.
4. We get our hearts broken
Whether it be from watching endless hours of the Bachelor or from dating an actual person, we get our hearts broken just like everyone else. The whole "warrior" persona can only go so deep. So when you see those Navy and Marine Corps commercials of strong and confident looking women, just remember, we all have a weak spot (which can usually be healed with chocolate and a few hours of Netflix).
5. We are addicted to our social media accounts
It's true what the experts say: Facebook becomes cool again once you start college. Of course we should be using every ounce of time available to us to try and keep up with the seemingly endless piles of homework but Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat all have cute videos of puppies sledding down hills. Physics does not have videos of puppies sledding down hills. Case closed.
6. We have all tried the "new year, new me" diet plan
Since we attend the overly-competitive school that the Naval Academy is, we are constantly being told that we need to be better. So when that New Year rolls around and those diet plans and fitness models start talking about their miraculous transformations from only eating non-fat, low sodium super foods that boost metabolism, etc. etc. etc., you bet we hop on the bandwagon! But once King Hall serves buff-chicks (buffalo chicken sandwiches) the next day, we decide that "it was overrated anyways."
7. We obsess over Netflix shows, youtube vlogs, etc.
I cannot tell you how many Netflix/HBO series I have become obsessed with since beginning college. The worst part is that I have yet to finish a single one...As a whole, us femids spend ample time keeping up the with the crowd favorites: Game of Thrones, the Office, Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, etc. Like any normal college student, we tell ourselves that we will play one of our shows while we "do our homework", and we all know how that one turns out.
8. We have hour-long venting sessions with our roommates
Roommates are the equivalent of emotional punching bags. We all have classes that we hate, professors that we can't stand, and that one person who just annoys us and we don't know why. Our roommates sit there with us for hours shouting words of empowerment and comfort while we talk absolute nonsense until our brains unload. Then the next day comes and we do it all over again.
9. We are addicted to coffee
Femids live and die by the brew. We unfortunately do not have the luxury of a campus Starbucks, but we manage with other forms of the liquid gold. For the brave souls, King Hall serves up a coffee Blend called "Severn Blend" which takes about 5 minutes to drink and another 5 minutes to come right back out. Others just stick to k-cups and keurigs. Either way, coffee is our life line and also the only way that anyone can stand to stay awake during 1st period.
10. We have sporadic dance parties in our rooms with our best friends
Sometimes we just need to let a little loose! Sure, we may have just failed a test, quiz or just failed to do anything productive whatsoever. The one remedy that is sure to make us feel better is cranking up some jams and singing/dancing frantically around the room with our best friends. The atmosphere may be a little different here (my Senior Chief came in the room last time this happened and asked why we were belting out Hannah Montana) but it gets the job done all the same!
"The views expressed, [in this article] reflect personal opinions of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Naval Academy, the United States navy, any federal agency, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.”
