I know you were asking Tony but I thought I'll take a crack at it.

Life isn't as bad as some people make it out to be. Can it be better, of course. Expect to be on reserve for a bit (depending on base, attrition and hiring). While on reserve just remember that unless it's your Guaranteed Days Off (GDO/Golden days), you are at the mercy of scheduling.

Know the contract and especially the scheduling portion so you know what they can and cannot do. Most of the people in scheduling are new and do not know the contract. In all honesty, they do not get paid enough to know anyway. The grievance process to me is a joke but that's another matter altogether.

Every place has its good and bad. You'll be at a regional, so the bad usually outweighs the good. Anyway, get your time and move on as quick as you can. Hopefully the majors will hire here soon enough. Good luck with the class and welcome aboard.