Succeeding as a student Veteran

Succeeding as a student Veteran

Jonathan:

Right after I got out of the military I really had nothing to do. I knew that I wanted to go to school. I didn't have a job. I really had no reason to wake up in the morning and with my previous issues, I needed something to go to everyday. I needed some sort of structure like what I had when I was in the Marine Corp. I had to wait 6 months until school started, but once classes began, it really improved my own personal satisfaction.

I haven’t had any problems relating with my family. They have all been very understanding, and they have all kind of taken the approach that, you are always right. Nobody from my family has really tried to correct anything that I have done. I have had a harder time making friends, and this is probably exacerbated by the fact that now I am going to college. I am 24 years old; everybody else is 18 or 19. I remember filling out college applications and I was wondering if my experiences in Afghanistan should fall under varsity sports or extracurricular activities.

So I’m noticing that a lot of people that I should be hanging out with, I’m just not able to. Most of the people I’m able to actually hold a conversation with are grad students or else fellow Veterans themselves.