Five tips for Student Veterans

As a combat veteran who served two decades in the armed forces, going to college was a new world, being a little older and more mature than other students and sometimes the professors. My thought process was, that I am a grown man, I am not going to jump in a pile of leaves, I already went through my wonder years. I was prepared for an uptempo environment and workload, but was surprised how biased the faculty can be, they have their belief system, which I call "The World According to them". They may have strong political and social beliefs that seem to pour into the classrooms. All in all, college was a good experience, I applied my military training and directed it towards completing my mission, which was a master's degree. Here are some tips to help you out on your scholastic journey, if your civilian, I hope this brings awareness and you look at veterans through a different lens. Veterans are not monsters, they are heroes who served our country and fought for our freedoms.

Bring your A game, be ready to commit, be uncomfortable, and prepare to challenge yourself, the same way you did during your time in service. Also, the sense of pride of serving our country is very reminiscent, of the school spirit that you may feel. While serving, we may have felt discomfort, and growth, and will feel similar emotions on your intellectual path.
Create a Detailed Daily and Weekly Schedule With Classes, Fun & Assignments- In the military, we operated from daily and weekly training and operations schedules to ensure that all critical assignments, training, and classes were scheduled and completed. Veterans need to adopt this same framework in their daily lives in college. Schedule time for classes, homework, completing assignments, exercise time, time for sleep, and Netflix and chill time. Keeping a detailed schedule is one of the best ways to carry over military discipline and succeed at college.
Go to all classes, sit in front, talk to your professor- The best way to set yourself up for success in college, is to attend every class, sit in the front row, and prepare for battle, I always lined up my pencils on my desk and raised my hand high, answered all questions loud and proud. I always came to class 15 minutes early, to get a front-row seat and prestage my gear. I always remember the military slogan, "If your on time, your late".
Have a support system- A support system of pals that are here on this scholastic journey with you, united behind graduating, learning, and supporting each other is the best group of pals to assist and support you to ensure the successful completion of classes, coursework, and graduation.
Visualize Graduation- Students who visualize their success can create an optimal level of mental readiness that will help you achieve academic goals. Think about your graduation and commencement and be prepared to describe it either verbally or in writing.

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