Admissions Contemplations ROTC & USAFA

[Panama Bob]

Hello! I'm a prospective USAFA cadet. In the end, I want to be commissioned as an officer in the Air Force. Ideally, I'd love to be admitted to USAFA. I love the camaraderie and tradition that USAFA brings, but honestly, I haven't been where I need to mentally lately. Last year I moved to a new state and am at a new school, one that I genuinely hate. I'm in the NJROTC program and I'm the prospective Commanding Officer for the unit, but the unit causes me more stress mentally than I need due to rumors, drama, unmotivated cadets, the lack of power I have to change anything, and in general the people.
This school in general, for a myriad of reasons, has caused my mental health to deteriorate. I haven't been officially diagnosed with any mental disorder and haven't taken treatment so I'm not worried about a DQ, I'm just worried about wether going from this to USAFA immediately will be an awful transition, and if it would be better for me to try out the ROTC lifestyle for at least a year, then possibly retrying USAFA, if I go with this option. I feel the ROTC lifestyle for the year might be less stress and help me get into a better mental state, but I'm not sure if I am being too worried or this is logical. Any advice or recommendations?

P.S. I know I should worry about if I even get into USAFA first, but I like to plan ahead and I'd like to hear what others think.

 

[kinnem]

I don't mean to be discouraging, but if the things you mention are really stressing you, then perhaps the military life isn't for you. Look, every work place, including the military, is full of rumors, drama, unmotivated personnel, and we all feel the lack of power to change at least some things. You need to learn to deal with it, usually by worrying about the things you have control over, and not worrying about the things you don't have control over. Burn off some stress by getting some exercise. Look into meditation or something. Regardless of whether you go to an academy or ROTC you need to learn to deal with this stuff.

 

[Panama Bob]

I don't mean to be discouraging, but if the things you mention are really stressing you, then perhaps the military life isn't for you. Look, every work place, including the military, is full of rumors, drama, unmotivated personnel, and we all feel the lack of power to change at least some things. You need to learn to deal with it, usually by worrying about the things you have control over, and not worrying about the things you don't have control over. Burn off some stress by getting some exercise. Look into meditation or something. Regardless of whether you go to an academy or ROTC you need to learn to deal with this stuff.

Honestly, I have no idea why I included the things about my unit. I'm rereading this in the morning and me being tired of my unit has little to no connection with this. I deal with these same problems in a different group I'm in that I love and find no stress from. I'm sorry for that, I should not be writing things at 12:00am