Adjusting to Life as a Student

Transitioning from the military to civilian life can be stressful and confusing. It can also be a very emotional time. Adjusting to life as a student takes time, just like how it takes time to get used to the military. This article is going to talk about some issues people face adjusting to civilian life and also just talk about some of the differences you will experience going from the military to school. The biggest one in my opinion is your schedule or time. When I was in the military my time was not my time. As per usual for most units, there was a strict schedule with hit times and deadlines everyday. Most days I knew exactly when I was starting work, but did not know when I was going to get off work because there were new taskings that varied from day to day. In addition, at any time I could be called back or asked to do something so yes it was free time but somehow it could be taken at any point. This is not how it goes in civilian life as a student. When you sign up for classes you are committing yourself to be in class during those time slots and that is it. There are no major repercussions for showing up late or missing class (your grade may be affected but it is not like you are going to get UCMJ). The next issue most veterans face is finding friends. In the military it is so easy to make friends because you see the same people everyday. And more than that you go through a lot of challenging experiences that bring you close and give you a bond that no one else will get. I went overseas and those guys I went with as well as those who have been overseas will forever be the only ones that could ever possibly understand what I went through. That is what makes such unbreakable friendships. On this topic all I can say is college provides an opportunity for you to make different friends. There are so many clubs and social opportunities to meet people. For me I found that the people I moved in with became my best friends. So the adjustment is hard because you leave really good friends but there are so many more friends you can make at college. Change is inevitable and the military is good about teaching us to adapt. Another key difference is your responsibilities. In the military there is a rank structure and unless you got out of the military as a private I think it is a safe bet to assume you were responsible for lower ranking soldiers as well as expensive equipment. At school you are just responsible for yourself. With that being said you are also responsible for some things the military used to handle for you. The base I was at had E1-E5 singles living in the barracks. So getting out I had to find a place to live and with that came a lot of research. I knew the flat rate I was going to be receiving from the Montgomery GI Bill so I took that into account and found a place with affordable rent. It is also so important to consider your other expenses (utilities, parking, phone bill, car payment, ect.). Like I said when I was in the Army the only thing I had to worry about was my wifi and phone bill so it was very different when I got out and had all these expenses to account for. I also want to add this is not necessarily a bad thing, yes I pay for rent but I live in an amazing apartment that is so much better than the barracks. I also really like cooking my own meals so I do not miss the DFAC (dining facilities) one bit. Also while we are still on the topic of things that were covered by the military but will not be when you get out is health insurance. Have a plan for what you are going to do when you get out. If you are entering a guard contract you can opt for guard select through Tricare. Another option is most universities have student healthcare that is very affordable and from what I have heard is usually pretty good. Last option I explored was the VA, but the only downside is you are stuck only going to a single location for care. One last issue some people face when they transition is that change is physical activity. In the military you PT every morning and then depending on your job are physically active throughout the day. I also found that probably 75% of the soldiers in my unit would also go to the gym after work. When I was in I used to do cardio in the morning for PT, then hit my lifts after work. When you transition to civilian life it is all on you. There is no one telling you to get to the gym, or pushing you to stay in shape. It is also much harder to get that kind of time to be as physically active as you were in the military. You went from an environment where everyone was working out and staying in shape to one that is not like that. I find time everyday to work out, but by no means would I say I am even remotely close to how fit I was when I was in the Army. All of these issues with the transition from military to civilian or student life are manageable with adaptability and the right mindset. I would recommend if you are feeling the pressures of one of these issues, brainstorming solutions or ways to overcome them. I hope this was able to help anyone going through this process or bring awareness to someone who is about to. As always if you have any questions or have any insight you would like to share with me, please reach out through my contact page or the comments in my blog posts.