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Soldier to Student: The Transition from the
Military to the Classroom

By Jillianne Hamilton, myUsearch.com student blogger

For lovers of action and hands-on activity, there is no better place than the military. But
when a solider decides to switch to a classroom environment, there can be
an awkward adjustment period.

1. Life as a civilian is quite different from the one you've been leading. If possible, take a couple weeks to decompress and adjust to civilian life. Spend time with family and friends before heading to school.
2. Make sure to take advantage of your GI Bill benefits to get a partially- or fully free education and don't forget to check whether you've earned college credit for military service. If you don't understand  your veteran benefits, you might really miss out on some of the military education benefits you've worked so hard for.
3. If you're used to waking up at 4 a.m. for military service, try adjusting your internal clock by getting up around 7 a.m. and staying up a little later than you might normally.
4. Invest in a basic cook book. You might need it if you're living in an apartment or a residence. Unfortunately it won't come with the full cafeteria you had on the military base. 
5. You may also want to freshen up on your studying skills. Check out this article or this article  for some helpful tips. 
6. Time management is key in college and unfortunately (or fortunately) you won't have a drill sergeant keeping military time for you. Keep a day planner- you won't regret it.
7. If you're ever feeling stressed by deadlines or workload, consider the stress you had in the military to put things in perspective. 
8. You might have to relax and learn to be more patient with those around you. Not everyone was trained to be self-disciplined and may be distracted more easily.
9. Many of the friends you had when you joined the armed forces may have gone off to college or moved to another town. Stay in contact with the friends you made in the military and try to make some new friends at college. Although it may be difficult for some to relate to your experiences, talking to others about those experiences can often help others learn about you. Not talking about your experiences can sometimes make others feel intimidated. However, if you don't feel comfortable talking about your experiences, don't feel pressured to
   do so.
10. Your experiences in the military have no doubt made you more mature than some of your classmates may be. Make sure you choose a military friendly school. If going to class with a bunch of 18 year olds doesn't appeal to you, you may want to
    choose an online degree or career college. Community college classes often have more
    mature students as well.

For more articles, information and tips, visit these websites:

- Five Steps to Get Your College Education After Leaving the Military

- Veterans get help shifting lives from soldier to student 

- From Soldier to Student 

- Military.com