Personal Narrative: How ROTC Has Changed My Life

Colonel White stood in the front of the room and bellowed, “ And your company commander….. Vaden.”

JROTC has changed my life. The moment I started ROTC, I felt as if it would be the worst four years of my life. I couldn’t believe my mom was making me do this, and she wasn’t taking no for an answer. I had always had this idea that ROTC was like a class for children in high school who was just too lazy to run a lap on the track. Maybe their parents forced them, but I just felt like it wasn’t for me. Freshman year, I walked in as nervous as chicken seeing a knife. My legs were shaking, my hands felt like cold winter snow, and me feet tripping as if my shoes were untied. As he called off attendance, I nervously bit my nails until my nail was bare. Just sounding off” Here sir” felt like I was being interviewed by the president. From that moment on, I figured it could only go downhill

It was like someone had reached inside me and gave me a new soul. It felt as though I craved changed like a craved a Big Mac From Mcdonald's. I wanted it so bad , that I would do any and everything to make this happen. I became more stricter, less playful, and more motivated. I lived , breathed, ate JROTC. And ROTC has really changed my views in life. Majority of my life , I spent believing that change was forced, and not wanted. That it was because others thought you needed change, and not that you felt the need to. My instructors saw change in me, but I had to want it to come to the surface. My want for change would make my ROTC career so much better. I’ve really learned that life is only what you make it. If it wasn’t for the frightening conversations, the throbbing headaches, and the gigantic D’s and F’s on my paper , I wouldn’t have wanted a change. My mind was set up to just pass the class, but I was determined to be so much more. I was going to beat the odds, and prove everyone wrong no matter how hard it may have