How did you guys deal with those who pulled your section/platoon down?
Think so much for what. All just there temporarily for a few weeks. No matter how well you do, you're just a piece of meat to them. Just make sure everyone stay safe and look out for one another. Main point is to help one another. If someone isn't good at something, help them get up to scratch. Talk to one another also. Can air any misunderstanding. Don't let bad feelings fester. It will help no one.
How did you guys season your boots/beret/uniforms?
Through repeated use? The more you use your boots, the "softer" it gets. Make sure to kiwi regularly to nourish the leather so it won't dry out and crack. You can get beret into shape by folding it a certain way and crushing it under your mattress. You'll get better tips when you actually get a beret. I don't know how to describe the process. And there's no way or point in seasoning the uniform. You don't even need to iron it.
Any tips for field camp?
Make sure to drink a lot of water, add Pocari Sweat into your water too. Will help when you sweat a lot while digging the hellhole. Keep up on body maintenance when you can. Get your buddy to scrub your back real good, and return the favour to him. Powder your feet, armpits and crotch, but try not to powder your back, or your back scrub would be in vain since you'd clog up the pores anyway. (You can bet most cmdrs won't check what kind of powder you have in the bottle, so you can fill with Snake brand for that cooling effect) Most importantly, don't eat the fruit bar unless you really want to poop.
Stand by area/bed/universe?
Just clean la, to whatever standard set out by your cmdrs. My tip is to use newspaper (or something like Magiclean) to dust dry instead of going wet, as that'd leave stains.
SbUniv is usually reserved for MP raids, or when someone got caught hiding contraband (ciggs? etc). Nothing you can do except everything out while someone looks through them.
How did you guys know when to stop so that you wouldn't drop?
Do you have trouble breathing? If so, that's the cue to stop. If you're well, do look out for those around you if they're unwell. Raise an issue with cmdrs early if you think they need help.
Thank you for your help!
Hope that helped. I spent 19 weeks on that island (obese). Likewise, for PTP while slightly shorter, your first 4-5(?) weeks is almost primarily PT and drills. Thereafter, will start SOC and getting acquainted with the weapons, lastly with field craft and field camp.
If you have trouble with blisters or abrasions during route march, can try applying Leukoplast on the regularly affected areas, so your boots will not rub directly on your sweaty skin and make it tear. Another potential spot would be the part where both thighs will rub against. (You may also wear the white PT socks instead of green socks as it is thicker and more comfortable. But that is at your own discretion, since it might be against regulation, if something happens to you.)
Another tip for you is to keep one set of boots specifically for parade and booking out/in, and this is the set which you can feel good to make it shine if you want to. It's going to sit in your cardboard when not in use. The other set is for roughing it out, technically speaking the sacrificial pair, which you can do the bare minimum just to make sure it stays in mostly one piece for field work. Wear this one as much as you can, and don't mix up the pairs, or you'll hit yourself for roughing up your "fancy" pair.
Lastly, never use Febreeze on any of your sweaty clothing. It'd make it worse.
Up to you if you want to wash any clothing, but if you're lazy, just make sure to reserve a set of admin kit just to be sleeping in and for nothing else (barring any impromptu tekan). Do the same for a set of Smart 4 for booking out/in. But do wash your undies every day if you can. It's just a 1 or 2-min job while you're showering. That'd make your undie supply stretch longer.
