So much for that pledge, huh? I'd make it a New Year's resolution, but I'm sure we all know how well those tend to play out.
I guess the big news is that, after a little over ten years of active duty with the Navy, I'm headed back to civilian life. It's a bit earlier than originally planned (in a nutshell, medical issues), but I'm taking it in stride. I've achieved just about everything I set out to do with the Navy, and I'm looking forward to taking on the next challenge: I'm heading back to school.
Going to college full-time is always something I looked forward to doing at some point, even way back when I was just graduating from high school. A bachelor's degree was my ultimate goal - the only question was, how in the world was I going to pay for it? With my grades, scholarships of any kind were basically out of the question. Taking out loans and building up a mountain of debt wasn't the most attractive option, either. So, I decided to take option #3, and head off to the service. The rest, as they say, is history.
Now, while I'm waiting for admissions decisions to come through in the spring, I'm looking at majors and electives and everything else that comes with heading off to school. Truth be told, I wasn't always this excited about the prospect of attending college; my 18-year-old self would tell you that yes, it was something to look forward to, if sometime well into the future (like, say, at least half a decade or so). Paying attention while sitting in a classroom for hours at a time wasn't one of my stronger points, though easier access to caffeine and snacks did help to alleviate that issue over time (while causing more than their share of trouble over the years themselves).
Thankfully, my older and arguably wiser current self knows better, and is relishing the opportunity for a fresh start (and on the government's dime, no less!). So, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what the next few years will bring.
