Introduction to Intentional Decision-Making (Veteran Voices)
Introduction to Intentional Decision-Making (Veteran Voices)
Transcript
I always wanted to get a degree. But before I joined the military, I was unable to afford college. So when my contract was coming to a close, I knew that I wanted to go back and get my degree. So that's what I did.
And I wanted the whole college experience. I wanted to get an education as well as, like I said, get the experience of going to college. And that's what ultimately made me make the decision to leave the military and go back to college.
Well, it was important for me to pursue higher education, and I-- because my former life, I guess, since I'm now living life as a student, I was a remodeling contractor, and I flipped houses. And then the real estate boom happened, or bust happened. And so I had to scramble to find what I was going to do. Because at the height of the real estate burst and for several years after, it didn't look like the real estate industry was going to go anywhere. And as I got older, it became more difficult to do the manual work that's needed as a contractor.
I had worked part time as a paralegal for a couple law firms, so part time at one, part time at another. And one of my bosses encouraged me to get a law degree, which I may or may not get. But you know, it was something that drove me along the path of perhaps I should get my degree, yeah, begin with the undergraduates if nothing else. So now I'm here.
So I felt that the reason why it was best for me to go to school and attend-- and obtain my higher education after the military mainly was because I was concerned that I knew I was going to have to play catch-up with my peers. I knew that in order for me to be at the same level that I was in the military as a civilian, I was a lot-- there was a lot that I was missing. And one of those things was higher education.
On top of that, I really felt that knowing that the transition was going to be a tough one, I felt that perhaps being on a college campus, that could ease my transition and perhaps make me feel a little bit more comfortable about navigating this new world as a civilian without my uniform, without my troops. And so I really felt like that was the best thing for me. And it worked.
And I wanted the whole college experience. I wanted to get an education as well as, like I said, get the experience of going to college. And that's what ultimately made me make the decision to leave the military and go back to college.
Well, it was important for me to pursue higher education, and I-- because my former life, I guess, since I'm now living life as a student, I was a remodeling contractor, and I flipped houses. And then the real estate boom happened, or bust happened. And so I had to scramble to find what I was going to do. Because at the height of the real estate burst and for several years after, it didn't look like the real estate industry was going to go anywhere. And as I got older, it became more difficult to do the manual work that's needed as a contractor.
I had worked part time as a paralegal for a couple law firms, so part time at one, part time at another. And one of my bosses encouraged me to get a law degree, which I may or may not get. But you know, it was something that drove me along the path of perhaps I should get my degree, yeah, begin with the undergraduates if nothing else. So now I'm here.
So I felt that the reason why it was best for me to go to school and attend-- and obtain my higher education after the military mainly was because I was concerned that I knew I was going to have to play catch-up with my peers. I knew that in order for me to be at the same level that I was in the military as a civilian, I was a lot-- there was a lot that I was missing. And one of those things was higher education.
On top of that, I really felt that knowing that the transition was going to be a tough one, I felt that perhaps being on a college campus, that could ease my transition and perhaps make me feel a little bit more comfortable about navigating this new world as a civilian without my uniform, without my troops. And so I really felt like that was the best thing for me. And it worked.