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6 weeks and I have no idea where to start. 

Okay, so it was the most amazing 6 weeks of my life.  The first question most people have asked me is, "Well, how was it?"  Pretty basic question, so I give a straightforward answer, "I loved it."  After they hear that, they give me a look like I'm crazy and just kind of shake their head. 

But I'm not lying.  Yeah, OCS was a challenge and it was mentally tough at times, but I loved what I was doing and want more.  All in all, I can't wait for next summer.  A lot of candidates think about how much they were losing by going to OCS (everyday luxuries, family, etc.) but I can't help think of all the things OCS gave me.  I am now just a better person: more disciplined, more level-headed, a better decision maker...all the qualities I see in strong leaders have been dug out from my depths and brought to the surface. 

OCS gave me some of the best and coolest friends I could ask for.  The 27 females that stuck it out for the entirety of training are among the best people I've ever met.  We worked together and built a bond that no one can possibly break.  No one will take that away from us.  Whether they go back for SR's or not, we share an accomplishment that will hold us close forever. 

So many people don't understand or don't approve of the military and the Marines in particular, but I have just a few words for those people.  It's understandable that you don't understand why the military is the way it is, but until you've been part of it or dealt closely with it, you have no room to speak ill words of our armed forces.  Things are done the way they are for a reason and it's because of that system that this country remains the strongest force in the world.  I am so grateful for the Marine Corps and what it does for not only our country, but for our allies and for those countries and provinces that struggle for freedom and human rights.  It's truly an amazing organization (if you can call it that) and deserves the utmost respect, even if you aren't a member or don't particularly care for the military. 

I am absolutely honored to be on the path to becoming a Marine Corps officer.  The enlisted Marines deserve even more respect because they're the ones who truly run the Corps.  "Semper Fi" means so much more to me than ever because I will always be faithful to the Corps and to my country.  Faith in yourself, faith in God, and faith in your fellow Marines can carry you through anything, so Semper Fi, y'all.  Have faith in all that you do and know that somewhere, somehow, there's a Marines who's got your back.

I'll share OCS stories with y'all as they come to me but for now, we'll just leave it at that.