Module 1: Introduction
ALICIA: Hi, I’m Alicia. I’m a junior in graphic design and a veteran who served in Afghanistan.
NATE: And I’m Nate, a freshman in computer science and a veteran from Iraq and Afghanistan.
When I tell people I was in the military, sometimes they get ideas about who I am. Like, they might think I joined because of my politics or something. Truth is, I was young when I enlisted. I just wanted to see the world and serve my country. And I don’t have any regrets.
ALICIA: I joined because I wanted to go to college. I admit, I was scared to go to war… but once I was there, I had no intention of backing down or not being there for the people who were depending on me. And, yeah, I’ve been in combat… I’ve been shot at. I’ve seen I.E.D.s explode. I’ve seen people die.
NATE: I lost friends, and I saw some things no one should ever have to see. But I grew up, too. I learned a lot; I changed.
Then I got home and realized that nothing here had changed at all. And it seemed like no one really understood what it was like to be over there. That was hard.
ALICIA: In Afghanistan, I was part of a big machine, with a clear chain of command. Every day, I knew what I needed to do.
When I came home and enrolled in school, the freedom felt kind of… overwhelming. I was all on my own, with no one to tell me when to study or how to organize my time. It surprised me how long that took to get used to.
NATE: I’m the oldest person in most of my classes. Most of my classmates are just out of high school. But I haven’t been in school for eight years. I mean, I have all of this life experience; but, at the same time, I’ve forgotten how to… study for exams.
ALICIA: I know what’s important in life, I know what I want, and I’m so determined to do well in school and build a good future. And the person I am today, I’m sure I can do it.
NATE: As student veterans, we don’t want to be treated differently from other students—
ALICIA: No—
NATE: But it means a lot when faculty and staff have a little bit of understanding about who we are, what value we bring, and what challenges we face that may be different from other students.
ALICIA: In this simulation, you’ll meet three student veterans whose military experience is in some way impacting their academic experience. In each student’s story, you’ll hear an ideal example and a weak example of a conversation with a faculty or staff member.