<p>hello!</p>
<p>I will be entering The Ohio State University in the fall as a freshman, and I will be studying ChemE and hopefully minoring in Russian, or at least taking a few semesters of the language purely because I love the language and culture. At the same time, I want to join the Ohio National Guard after my freshman year and finish bootcamp and my training during the summer before my sophomore year. After bootcamp and training is over I will serve one entire weekend a month. I would still keep a part time (8-12hrs/week?) job during the weekdays to go towards my student loans and keep me from being bored. </p>
<p>I am curious to know if anyone on this site has done the National Guard and studied Engineering + a language at the same time. I would just like some input on how difficult it might be. If anyone has advice on studying a language and Engineering at the same time, it is welcome too.</p>
<p>Thanks! :)</p>
<p>Idk, I guess if you’re mentally tough which seem like your are for being able to join the service it should be ok. 2 years ago I was 23, I juggled with FT student my 1st year , 35 hours job, and 6, 3, & 2 years old kids. Can’t say much about language, but Calculus series seems like a language itself, spending about 9 hrs and counting right now on homework. Maybe because I slack off a little bit the last 2 weekend.</p>
<p>It’s doable as long as you’re mentally prepared. If you have motivation and goals set for yourself it’ll be a plus and should help with your work/study. (i.e. I’m doing all this for my family, so it keep me focus all the time, kind of no choice really.) Difference between just doing it to get by, and doing with an A in mind.</p>
<p>The thing that will make it easier is that you will be with a cadre of like minded individuals, and you will have the ROTC commanders to keep you in check if you are slipping. If you slip, the whole team slips…and they will not like that…and this will give you any motivation you were missing :)</p>
<p>I dont think he said anything about rotc</p>
<p>I didn’t do it, but I had a fraternity brother who did back in the Dark Ages. He handled it fine, was just gone sometimes.</p>
<p>His issues came later, when he had to give up his high-paid ChemE job to go be a private in the US Army.</p>
<p>Is there any reason you’re doing the national guard instead of ROTC? Then you won’t lose weekends and won’t have to work a part time job since you’ll be getting a stipend.</p>
<p>I’m not doing ROTC because the active duty commitment after I complete my degree turns me off. I am a woman and although I am tough and can handle anything, I would not want to join ROTC and later change my mind about active duty, although it is unlikely it would happen. If I want to join active duty I can do so after I complete my service with the Guard. </p>
<p>Thanks for the advice so far!</p>
<p>You can still do ROTC and stay guard non active btw. There is a specific program for that called the SMP, might be worth your while.</p>
<p>My son will be going to UCONN in the fall for Mech Eng. Hew is thinking about doing ROTC. Whenever we have spoken with the ROTC reps at a college fair, etc. the SMP program comes up. One question I have is if a student does the SMP program are they definiitely considered non active while students? I would not want him to get called up to help out with a natural disaster, etc while he is supposed to be at school.</p>
<p>I am still looking into SMP. A recruiter recommended it to me actually. I will already get great benefits with the Ohio NG: free tuition, decent pay each month - more than enough to live on as a college kid, and a few others like insurance. Just trying to understand the specifics a little more clearly. Thank you for the suggestion Chucktown, it does sound like a decent program.</p>
<p>I’m in the second semester in my freshman year of college and I’m pursuing a Electrical engineering degree. I’m also considering joining the air national guard and just like you id be going to basic training in the summer before my sophomore year. I was wondering (notaprincess) if you chose to join the national guard, how it’s going for you? Or what you chose to do?</p>