I’m just your ordinary sophomore in college. I've always had one dream to become an elementary ESL teacher. Most college students change schools or majors multiple times. Hearts do crazy things and dreams can change. Being a teacher touches individual lives, but it is serving, just like being in the Army. Changing majors to changing dreams and turning those dreams into a reality.

There have been times in my life where I felt like I had no purpose. One day, I woke up with this drive to serve in the Army. Knowing people need me and my position is important, no matter how little impact it is, makes me have a purpose.

I am a very hardworking, and committed person. When I put my mind to something, I do anything I can to finish it. That sounds pretty cliche, but honestly, I lack in that area with homework, but who doesn't?

Why would I choose the military when I'm able to go to school? I have always been decent at school. Why leave my comfort zone and put myself into physical challenges? I feel that that is my calling. I'm a new adult, able to control my own life. I think it is good to control my life in a deeper sense than before. There will be cool adventures and travel, knowing that I'm helping someone and being a part of something bigger than myself.

If that's not what you call commitment and serving by giving up everything you have, then I don't know what to call it. I may not be on the front line but they need people that are willing to serve in any way that they can to make the military run correctly. The military runs smoothly because of every branch, position, and person. I may not be on the front line, but I believe it is just as honorable as being a social worker or recruiter. You never know what kind of situation you will be placed in. You can be shipped off at anytime, anywhere. You don't have a say. You signed a contract.

I have always been the girly type of girl. Why would I switch from dresses and mascara to a uniform and a machine gun? Most college students transition from student to business managers or student to engineer or student to teacher. I'm transitioning from student to soldier.

This will be a big life change. Changing everything you have ever known or been familiar with, I'm switching lifestyles. From constructed criticism to being screamed at. Being free minded to close minded. College parties to basic training camp and military bases. I'm trading apartments for close living quarters with tons of other women. Graduating college, buying a house and starting a job changed to graduating basic training and going off to AIT school. Royal blue and gold face paint to camo-green and brown paint. UNC to ARMY. SKO Bears transitioning into SKO Soldiers. Spending your whole life trying to learn to have confidence in yourself and good self-esteem, to being completely broken down. Absolutely nothing, believing that you are nothing and then being built up to what they want you to be. A soldier.

Being a student has its perks and challenges. So does going into the military!

School supplies and backpacks to weights. Expressing yourself and being your own person to matching everyone around you and not being able to show your true self. Restful days on the couch with the TV turn to daily training and physical tests and no phones. Driving to running and crawling. Smelly Greeley, CO to gas chambers full of pepper spray with no masks. Doctors visits to bruised bodies. Taco Bell, Starbucks, and fancy restaurants to slop kitchen food. Social lives and spontaneous adventures and family dinners to not knowing when you'll get to see or talk to your family and friends next.

Silly things like algebra that I won't be using very often in real life, I want to be learning life skills, survival skills. I think it will be a good experience to go from civilization now to a different life where everyone depends on you.

I know there are people that would rather me go the college route, but I'm doing this for my country. I know that God will be proud and so will I. I may not be the fittest, strongest or smartest, but I believe I can do this and I will put myself to the task to show anyone who doubts me, they were wrong.

It's okay to change your dream.