Statistically, I’ve read, the chance of a military veteran actually graduating with a bachelor’s degree is low. Three semesters into my college experience, I can understand why.
I started school with hope, optimism and a desire to get back part of my early adulthood that I felt I had missed out on. I eagerly attended every football game, every organizational meeting, every study abroad information session and any chance for free food. I tried to do what I thought “college kids” did. My grades were almost perfect, but it was a struggle — at times it even felt pointless.
I spent the first year wandering campus alone. I used an app on my iPhone to navigate my way around. I didn’t know a single person. It was lonely, it was frustrating and I wondered what the chances were that I would continue down this path. It took reaching out to fellow student veterans to finally feel at home at Mizzou.
I was hesitant at first. It is not easy to insert yourself into a group that seems so tight-knit. Then, I realized that there was nowhere else on campus that I better fit in. Despite the diversity, there is a silent camaraderie. Now, I wonder how I made it through the first year without them.
Most people cannot understand what it feels like to jump into a traditional university setting after basically growing up in the military. My friends don’t understand, professors don’t understand and my classmates certainly don’t understand. But fellow veterans — they get it.
They understand that on breaks from school, I don’t get to go home to mom and dad and have a month-long vacation. They understand when I go off to my drill weekend, I spend the next two weeks trying to catch up on homework. They understand the frustration I feel when the classmate next to me is watching YouTube videos and I am trying to concentrate.
There is a common misconception that many of the people who join the military do so because they aren’t smart enough for college. That is entirely untrue. Every time I enter the Mizzou Student Veterans Association’s office, I have the honor and privilege of being surrounded by some of the greatest people I’ve ever met. They are intelligent. They are extremely hard-working. But they will never tell you that, because they are humble. They are majoring in statistics, economics, French and health care administration. They are selfless. They help each other with everything. They care about each other. It is by far the best fraternity on campus. On Veteran’s Day, and every day, I consider myself fortunate to be part of this group.
As it turns out, I didn’t really miss out on anything. I left home after high school, lived in the dorms on military bases around the world and made some of the best friends a person could ever have. Despite the struggles, I do not regret my decision to delay college and serve my country. I have had amazing experiences and I am thankful for the education I received that could have never been learned inside the four walls of a classroom. I may have taken the long way around, but in return, I gained life experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.