Hi, no worries at all!

So one way to think about it is the Academy is a time for the characters to get to know each other better, and to start showing their character traits.

Even if it's not spending time in a school together, if they're playing sports against each other, it can also be a way to get to know each other. In sports anime, even rivals who don't go to the same school get to know each other by playing against each other, or scouting out another team together, or even just running into each other when they're buying equipment or meeting up with friends.

I'll use the JET FANG RUMBLE World Tendency and the normal Academy Situations as an example:

• A Test of Wits could be during a practice game, or when pilots from different teams are put on a TV game show as promotion
• A Team Competition obviously can be a league match, but could also be something like a soccer match (like in Eureka Seven lol) or even a cooking competition during a retreat
• A Formal Event or Dance can be an awards show (one of our playtests had this! Everyone dressed up and brought their cool mechs too) or a sponsor dinner
• Sneaking About could be going to scout another team or find out their new mech specs, or even just going on a secret date without being seen by reporters
• A Private Duel can be on the field during a match, or meeting up randomly at the arcade and playing a videogame (like Milia and Max in Macross)
• A Lively Meal could be a dinner with an ex-teammate that used to play for another team, or going to a street food festival

Hopefully this helps you with some ideas for Academy scenes, and please feel free to keep asking questions if anything is still unclear!