The description of the squad bays as they appear in Full Metal Jacket is accurate…
You do need to add 30 years to the age of everything though and squeeze everything together. The paint on the racks is a junkyard camouflage (half rust, half paint), the mattresses are, well, VERY well used. The foot lockers and wall lockers vary slightly in style and age, but don’t sweat it the first couple of days, you won’t get settled in until after pickup as a few will be NPQ’d or dropped for various reasons. So if the stuff you ‘get’ is broken, deal with it for a few days…The lighting is annoying. If you need to sleep in the dark, pick the end away from the office – there is a hall light that isn’t dimmed. If banging doors aren’t your thing, stay away from the racks closest to the head – some guys don’t get the idea of stealth for a while and allow them to slam at all hours. If wind isn’t you thing, stay away from the fans (or hang your towel on the side of your rack (if your on the bottom) to act as a wind break.
The showers are two sets of wagon wheels. The 5 or 6 nozzles spray out and you face towards the center. The water was not cold or anything… Bring a pair of flip flops if you want to shower the first night or two before you buy your bag issue. There are several sinks for shaving and other hygiene. The heads are closed in minus the doors. There’s even a convenient “rate the color of you pee” chart to determine hydration.
Now that you know, it won’t bother you…
Many guys (gals too(?)) have trouble sleeping the first night, or two, or even three. Some guys fell asleep within the first five minutes of lights out (a$$holes :icon_tong ).
To maximize sleep during the first couple of days, pack smart (to find things quickly) and think about writing a 1 - 2 page autobiography (we were asked for a 1.5 I think). I don’t think it’s graded, but will help if you get in trouble later (?).
I was not there for long before I was NPQ’d, so take it for what it’s worth…