Matriculation Reflections: 1st Class Remembers Their Rat Year

The road twisted through the fog as Noah McHugh ’24 and one of his best friends made their way to the start of their lives for the next four years. The international studies major remembers waking up before the sun and making the drive from Lynchburg to Lexington.  

It was Matriculation Day at Virginia Military Institute in 2020. Things were a little different then, thanks to COVID-19, and the normally one-day event held on a Saturday in August was split into two. McHugh was with the second wave on Sunday. 

“Driving on a windy road your stomach sank and your heart dropped and you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is real. I’m really going to VMI,’” he said. 

His experience is much like that of many cadets — trepidatious. But the day for him was a blur and he can only recall certain aspects of it. He remembers signing the Matriculation Book and thinking, this is it, there’s no turning back now. 

“It’s pretty impactful,” he said.  

Throughout Matriculation Day, the tension grew. Families took their incoming rats through move-in, the matriculation fair, uniform fittings, and their final meal together. Seated in Cameron Hall, a quiet, collective understanding can be felt. Rats sit with their families, legs bouncing up and down, hands twining together — all the while trying to keep their emotions in check. It’s the fear of the unknown, except these incoming students know what waits for them. It’s akin to the gauntlet, waiting to be called down to their companies and ushered up to barracks.  

McHugh sat there quietly with his family waiting for his company letter to be called. When he heard his company’s letter, he got up, hugged his mom, shook a family friend’s hand, and started down to the floor of Cameron Hall.  

“I just ran down there and formed up with the rest of my brother rats,” he said.  

Hannah White ’24 said she was a nervous wreck. She also matriculated in 2020. She arrived at VMI a couple of weeks before Matriculation Day because she’s on the women’s soccer team. She said it allowed her to get more comfortable with barracks and how VMI operated.  

She remembers going through the matriculation fair, getting her last meal with her family, and arriving at Cameron Hall waiting for her company to be called. 

“There’s really no feeling like it when you’re sitting in Cameron Hall and they call out your company. And you have that same letter on your tag and you say goodbye to your mom and dad, and mom’s crying because their little girl’s about to go do the military thing,” she said. “It’s a feeling of excitement because it’s a whole new thing that you’ve never experienced before. A feeling of fear because there’s really nothing you can do to prepare for it and you don’t really know how you’re gonna react to all this stress and pressure that’s about to happen.” 

White said looking back on it, her VMI journey allowed her to learn how to handle her emotions. 

“This place really drives how to deal with stress and pressure, and it begins literally on day zero when you get there,” she said. 

White appreciates being on the other side now. Each year, it’s exciting to her. Looking back on how she felt leaving her family behind, marching up from Cameron Hall, and reaching barracks — she’s been in the new matriculants’ shoes.  

“It’s the start of the VMI journey. It’s something that everybody goes through, and it’s the same way every single year and everyone has that shared experience, no matter what class you’re in,” she said. “Just seeing where they start on Matriculation Day to Breakout and seeing that transformation is always a really cool thing to see.” 

There are times during Matriculation Week when it can be overwhelming. White advises rats to stick it out.  

“Don’t give up too soon. Because now being a 1st Class [cadet] and looking back at where I was three years ago, as a little rat coming in, I’ve developed so much, not even only during the Rat Line, but 3rd Class year and 2nd Class year. You learn so many valuable life lessons that I don’t think I would have learned at a regular college. Seeing it through to the end is an accomplishment in itself. You learn such valuable lessons that it’s going to help you with anything life may give you.” 

Because once you do stick it out, you can be like the 1st Class cadets looking back on it.  

“It’s funny looking at the picture now, reflecting on the last three years and seeing what the people who matriculated that day have accomplished,” McHugh said.  

Miles Johnson ’24 also matriculated in 2020. He said during the first day , he wanted to leave.  

“I felt the psychological pressure of not being good enough and letting that affect my attitude toward VMI,” he said. “I stayed at VMI because I asked for this challenging experience, and I wanted it to prepare me for the United States Marine Corps lifestyle. I also stayed because my dyke had a huge influence on me during the Rat Line and I did not want to let him down.” 

Arriving for Matriculation Day was the second time on post for him. He said he remembers being very nervous about what was to come and about being away from his family. But his excitement over meeting his brother rats overrode that. 

“I knew this was where the lifelong bond started,” he said. 

He said he was ready to experience the world for himself, using the wisdom his family instilled in him. He said what followed, though, was tough.  

“I remember the rest of the day being very challenging … during the first workout and once we met our cadre ,” he said. “The noise levels were through the roof and I remember my best not being good enough for my cadre. The demand for excellence at VMI was prevalent the very first day and has continued on through my cadetship.” 

Johnson said looking back, he’s realized how much he’s matured, and matriculation’s purpose is the start of transforming high school graduates into the Rat Mass, then into cadets.  

“This is done so by learning customs and courtesies, basic military skills such as physical fitness, drill and ceremony, and how to wear a uniform properly,” he said. “In the midst of all that, VMI adds external pressure using professionally trained cadre. This is another foundational block to making a VMI graduate stand out amongst their peers.” 

His advice for rats?  

“Do what you’re supposed to do, when you’re supposed to do it, the way you’re supposed to do it all at 100 miles per hour,” he said. “I would also recommend that they focus on academics as they learn to balance the three-legged stool [academics, athletics, and military].”