Tips to Help Military Students Feel Connected Pursuing A Degree and Full-Time Service

Being away from family and friends, having the comforts of home can be daunting. As a full-time military member and an alumnus of the Carson College of Business at Washington State University, I had to find ways to keep myself connected to my classmates and wife. The military can be difficult on its own, then you add in the stressors of course work to your plate which can make you feel overwhelmed or alone.

I had to make time for me to get away from work and school. Time management and realistic goals helped with my connection to family and friends. I live in an active state, Hawaii, that gives me the opportunity to make any excuse to step away from the work loads of school and work. Every Friday night would be a date night with my wife, to connect with her and learn about her accomplishments and work stresses. On the weekends we (my wife and I) would enjoy hiking the islands, I would surf as she would enjoy the golden sands, we would spend time visiting with friends during fitness events or home gatherings, or enjoy a short flight to another island for hikes and local foods. Being in the military it is a requirement to ensure you stay healthy and physically active for situations that may happen in the future, ready to lead from the front, so I would ensure to exercise daily in the morning prior to work and again in the afternoon with my wife or friends. This gave me other opportunities to connect with others away from work and school. When I went to the field with limited access to technology, I would take a book and write notes to my spouse for her to read when I returned home. If technology was afforded to me, I would face time for a short time to say hi, putting family and friends at ease that I was doing well. At times I would post on Instagram or Facebook with the activities I would participate in. This gives them a sense of what you’re doing.

During my studies I would connect with fellow classmates to go over assignments, but sometimes would send emails or use WhatsApp messages to see how their day or week was going. It takes time to remember that your classmates have lives just as busy as yours. Everyone is business professionals working to better themselves, but also must balance work, school, life, and family. Reaching out to your classmates who you work with on class projects to talk about life shows and understanding and care we all need at times. Classmates can become lifelong friends. I would also conduct class projects while in the field using zoom to connect with team members. They would ask to see some training that would lead to questions I was happy to answer. Showing your work environments to each other gives another layer of appreciation what each of you are going through.

Remember to support each other. Everyone is a professional leading from the front and setting the standard for others to follow. When you work together supporting each other’s goals, you don’t feel as disconnected, but feel supported that you can accomplish anything. No matter the distance you can make a positive impact on someone in small ways.

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@CarsonCollegeofBusiness @WashingtonStateUniversity @UnitedStatesArmyReserve