Start with what you know

A helicopter preparing for take off. USMC Marine Corps Base Hawaii

After ending my contract with the United States Marine Corps, I, like many others, didn’t know what to do next. I was an 0311 — an infantryman — and most of the skills I had didn’t seem to translate easily into civilian life. So, I took some time to think about what I wanted, and more importantly, what I needed to do.

I realized the best place to begin was simple: start with what you know.

I knew security, and I knew I wanted an education. As much as it pains me to say it, I was a glorified mall cop for a short time after the military. But the pay was enough, and they were hiring. That job got me through a transitional period and allowed me to stay in the home I had. Looking back, it was actually the perfect bridge. I was working in a field that still related to my military experience, which gave me some footing, while I figured out what kind of education I wanted to pursue.

That job taught me a lot. It reminded me that retail can be rough — but it’s also a good place to learn. It helped me become more understanding and gave me a crash course in how to communicate in civilian life. And during that time, I remembered something I had always enjoyed before the Marine Corps: design.

So that’s what I went back to. I enrolled at Hawaii Pacific University and majored in Integrated Multimedia.