Introduction

NRuff

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Jun 21, 2020
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Hello everyone, I'm mostly here to read and learn and likely won't be posting too much. I just thought it'd be polite to introduce myself to the community I'll be benefiting from--and have benefited from already through a few years of lurking. This post is just me verbally committing to the below path more than anything else. Thanks for stopping by.

A Brief About Me:
I'm a 20 year old college student who's finishing up his Computer Science bachelors in the next 6 months. It's a non-traditional, state school program and it's served my situation pretty well and is an all-around solid, non-profit, and regionally accredited university. College straight from high-school was not the path I saw myself taking, ha, but it's where we're at right now.

I originally planned to enlist directly after graduation. I made it as far as MEPs, got cleared first-go, and with no hiccups. Scored a 93 on my ASVAB and was in great shape having been a boxer from 8th grade onward. I loved my nursing classes in high-school, so I signed up as a 68 Whiskey. Healthcare just felt right; I loved learning about that kind of stuff with a passion.

Then my mother got hit by a truck about a month before high-school graduation. I stayed home to help take care of her--since she pretty much raised me and two other children all by herself. Needless to say, I was unhappy about not being able to go to Bootcamp, but was way more concerned with my mother's needs at the time--personally, it was a setback to overcome mentally being a good bit more immature than I am now, but it was ultimately my choice, not something I was forced to do. She needed me and that was all there was to it. I repositioned, reassessed, set new goals for myself amid the bout of family chaos and rolled with it.

After about three intensive surgeries where she almost didn't make it twice, and a nine-month recovery she was back on her feet. It was hard seeing someone like her like that, but I know for a fact it was even harder for her to be seen like that by all of us. I fell out of fighting shape during this time, got a job doing construction work, talked myself into learning from some on-site electricians, and signed up for college. I had to do something, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stumbling in the dark back then.

What I'm Doing Now:
Thing is, I never took my eyes off the military, though. I like my field of study--I really do--but I just don't see myself being happy with it long-term. I'm not in debt, or anything; a combination of federal aid and hard work has me not really owing anything to anyone. It's a good feeling; I'll be graduating soon and I'm really excited for my loved ones to see me walk. I'm the first one in the family to go to college--though I suspect my little brothers will be nipping at my heels; our mom always held us up to that standard and made us feel like we could get there and they're sure sharp for their age.

My uncle was a member of the Special Forces, down at Brag I believe, and his stories always made me want to try for it one day. Pretty much the dream I had since I could remember dreaming. It's also the one thing that really makes me feel a bit uneasy; from everything I've heard, it's not a thing to joke about or go into lightly. No idea if I'll be able to make the cut, but I'm sure that's the same with everyone. After I graduate, I'm pretty firmly set on contacting the same recruiter who helped me go through the process the first go-around; he's a great guy and still checks in on me from time-time. I'm honestly pretty humbled that he even cares after I chose to pull out on him last second, regardless of my reasoning I did bail on him and a commitment I'd made and I acknowledge that.

Short Term Goals:
-
Graduate. I've come this far, I've gotta do it. Be letting a lot of people down if I idle now.
- Use these last few months to get back in shape. It's not terrible with the manual labor and all, but I'm nowhere near what I used to be. I could do one-hundred push-ups in a row back in high-school, great form. Now I could probably barely do forty properly and without cheating. My cardio is all blow away into smoke, as well; no way I'd even be able to handle hardcore training right now, but my coaches taught me how to train and I know I can get myself back to where I was. It'll just take time.
- Gotta diet down too. Not fat or chubby, but we're currently tee-toeing on the furthest edge of athletic right now--not a good place to be for me.
- Contact my recruiter and see if he has any 18x contracts coming soon; if not, get a job in my industry and wait it out until he does.

Long Term Goals:
- Put my head down and try my best. Not sure if I can do it because I've never lived it. I am sure I have to try, though; I have reasons and motivations and have looked into the work as far as I can via the internet and my currently serving friends and family. Still, it's more of a weird drive I can't put a finger on than anything else. I just want to do something that matters; and if I don't make it, I'd be very proud to be a member of another MOS regardless. I want to serve and no amount of thought put into really seems to be able to dissuade the idea so I think it's the right thing to do for me.
 
Can you clarify, you are 20 graduating with a bachelor’s in computer science? I know you said it was a unique program, but damn that is fast.

You have had some rough times, but then I scrolled back up and saw that you are still only 20. You will get back to fighting shape so fast at that age, that won’t be an issue with muscle memory. Get your ducks lined up and try again. Don’t keep pushing it off. *like me cough cough*

Older bodies don’t care for SOF selection so much.
 
Can you clarify, you are 20 graduating with a bachelor’s in computer science? I know you said it was a unique program, but damn that is fast.

You have had some rough times, but then I scrolled back up and saw that you are still only 20. You will get back to fighting shape so fast at that age, that won’t be an issue with muscle memory. Get your ducks lined up and try again. Don’t keep pushing it off. *like me cough cough*

Older bodies don’t care for SOF selection so much.

It's an online, competency-based program that allows self-pacing; I'm fairly certain it's the only reputable way to do the whole self-paced thing, at least from a non-for-profit institution with full accreditation. Not the best school in the world at all, but it sits pretty okay among schools most no one's ever heard about and is a leader in the online learning space for what that's worth--and I'm grateful I managed to find a way to further my education in a more convenient way, though I was initially a bit trepidatious with all the diploma mills floating around out there.

I'm almost 21 and will be a bit past that by the time I do graduate--especially considering I'm expecting I'll have to wait a little bit for the actual diploma and transcripts to finalize--assuming I keep up my current pace of study.

I appreciate the advice and words of encouragement. I'm definitely not going to push it off anymore. No excuses at the moment at all. Hitting roadwork and long-runs always sucks until your body hits the groove, but I'm also excited to do it again. I used to love jogging backroads and just taking off against the pavement/dirt.
 
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