mfleisher1
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
- Messages
- 30
Like many of you, I was a senior in high school last year who had recently learned that I was awarded the 4 year scholarship to my top (and only) 3 choices. I remember feeling like I had won the world. I had succeeded in life and the rest was just smooth sailing.
But you haven't even started yet. I know that because I haven't even started yet. Showing up on your first day, you realize that even though you were "good"enough to recieve the scholarship, your work has just begun.
Don't get me wrong, winning the scholarship is a great honor and will come in VERY handy (monthly stipend is great, free college is even better). Not to mention the fact that as long as you pass your DoDMERB and your APFT, you'll be contracted... Which is increasingly hard to do- and a very big deal.
But you still have to earn it. Every day.
I made the mistake of taking for granted that I was "all that in a bag of chips" over the summer before entering my freshman year. I worked out occasionally, but not near what I should have. It was the biggest mistake I've ever made.
Please, for your own sake, celebrate that you've set yourself up for success, but realize that you've only ensured that you have the OPPORTUNITY to succeed- you still have to go get it. Luckily, I was able to light a fire under my hind-end and do what needed to be done for last semester to get contracted, but even I'm still barely scratching the surface of what needs to be done to accomplish the ultimate goal: to commission.
So don't take this as me acting all high and mighty and telling you guys what you should do- just the opposite. We're peers, which is why I'm asking you to learn from my mistake PLEASE so that you don't put yourself in the position to "catch up" as I did.
Above all, be proud of what you have accomplished, but don't be satisfied with it. Let it drive you accomplish even more. We have a long way to go.
But you haven't even started yet. I know that because I haven't even started yet. Showing up on your first day, you realize that even though you were "good"enough to recieve the scholarship, your work has just begun.
Don't get me wrong, winning the scholarship is a great honor and will come in VERY handy (monthly stipend is great, free college is even better). Not to mention the fact that as long as you pass your DoDMERB and your APFT, you'll be contracted... Which is increasingly hard to do- and a very big deal.
But you still have to earn it. Every day.
I made the mistake of taking for granted that I was "all that in a bag of chips" over the summer before entering my freshman year. I worked out occasionally, but not near what I should have. It was the biggest mistake I've ever made.
Please, for your own sake, celebrate that you've set yourself up for success, but realize that you've only ensured that you have the OPPORTUNITY to succeed- you still have to go get it. Luckily, I was able to light a fire under my hind-end and do what needed to be done for last semester to get contracted, but even I'm still barely scratching the surface of what needs to be done to accomplish the ultimate goal: to commission.
So don't take this as me acting all high and mighty and telling you guys what you should do- just the opposite. We're peers, which is why I'm asking you to learn from my mistake PLEASE so that you don't put yourself in the position to "catch up" as I did.
Above all, be proud of what you have accomplished, but don't be satisfied with it. Let it drive you accomplish even more. We have a long way to go.