What You'll Wish You'd Known

What You'll Wish You'd Known

I often wonder what my life would have been like if I would have known then what I know now, my outlook in life has changed a lot since the summer of 1997. When I was 18 I thought I was destined to be a Marine Corp Officer. To me there was nothing more exciting than leading people into battle. I had my whole life planned out, I was so sure about it that I never had an alternate plan, I was going to enlist first, since I was not a US Citizen, then as soon as I got my citizenship I would go to college to get my lieutenant bars. That was the plan, foolproof, to me college was just another step towards that commission in the Military.

Four years in the Marine Corps made me look at things a different way. I saw why it is called "the service" there is much more work involved. Service men definetly give more to the goverment than what they get back. The Marines didn't really promise me anything other than the GI Bill and the right to be called part of one the best fighting forces on Earth. I worked hard and I had pride in my work, but I realized that the lifestyle of an Active duty serviceman is not for everyone, it was defenetly not for me.

The point I am trying to make is that it is hard to know what one wants to do early in life. Later on I realized that I only went to the Marines because I wanted to prove myself.
I'm glad I did though.


This article I read does a good job of talking about the things I wish I had known when I went to high school. I have no regrets about my life. But I could have used this advice.


J.V.