We Can Do Hard Things

From Oviedo-Winter Springs Life2 min read
We Can Do Hard Things

Ryan Hinrichs, Oviedo High School Class of 2022, recently graduated from the United States Naval Academy.

While he was a student at Oviedo, he participated in the marching band, the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC), and the Brain Bowl Team.

“The part I remember most about high school, however, was all the people I got to meet and enjoy my time with there,” says Ryan, who graduated with honors.

At the U.S. Naval Academy, Ryan participated in the marching band, jazz band, and chapel choir.

“I also had the privilege to travel to other countries during my time there,” he says, “going to Ireland for the Navy versus Notre Dame football game and Latvia for a Russian language program.”

Ryan, 22, earned a bachelor of science degree with a specialization in history and a minor in Russian language. He has been commissioned into the Navy as a surface warfare officer (nuclear), and will become a junior officer on the USS Gravely DDG 107 in Norfolk, Virginia, before traveling to Charleston, South Carolina, to study and learn how to operate the nuclear reactor of an aircraft carrier.

We Can Do Hard Things

“I wanted to attend the Naval Academy to give back to my community and country,” says Ryan. “I have always been fascinated by history and wanted to experience the adventure and excitement that I learned about. I also wanted to play in the marching band in college while still commissioning as an officer, which the Naval Academy was able to provide.”

Ryan’s best advice to new military academy students is to work out and stay in shape.

“All service academies have strict physical requirements that you have to maintain throughout your time there,” he says. “Having a high level of fitness coming in is great, especially during the summer training for incoming freshmen.”

Also, Ryan advises, be ready to say: Challenge accepted!

“Do not try to get out of doing hard things,” he says. “The whole point of the academies is to build you up, and you can only do that by challenging yourself. Strive to always be improving.”