Vosicky: Don't quit until the mission is complete

The end of the holiday season also means the end of winter break for students, teachers, and faculty.

This year, for me it least, it means one more thing -- the beginning of my last semester before graduation.

The holidays always fly by too quickly. I tried to make the most of my time with my son and my family. We watched Star Wars Episode 7 in 3D with my mother, a.k.a. "Nonny". We played putt-putt. We watched football. We even flew Japanese lanterns on New Year's Eve.

All of which provided a welcome hiatus from the grind of school and work.

Now comes a new set of challenges.

In addition to a standard course load -- and both of my jobs, of course -- I will be forced to confront one of my biggest fears: having to figure out what to do next.

I've spent the last decade trying to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. Now, at 32, the pressure to finally pick a career path is building.

My old life in the Marine Corps was much simpler. All I had to do was follow orders, stay in shape, stay out of trouble, and try to be as proficient as possible in conducting military warfare.

Being successful in college required a similar regiment: attend classes, stay out of trouble, and try to be as proficient as possible in whatever course you're studying.

And there was the added benefit of taking tests in a classroom instead of on a battlefield.

Not that school was without its obstacles. After a few years of research papers, group projects, and final exams, it's easy to feel burned out. While being able to finally see the finish line can provide some motivation, it still pays to stay on your guard. Seeing that line can also give you a premature sense of accomplishment. A bad case of senioritis can creep in at any time, an illness that can jeopardize all of your hard work.

Hopefully, I'm immune. I have no interest in gambling with my time, my money, or my future. In the Marines, you don't quit running until you cross the finish line, and you don't quit the mission until it's completed. Same thing in college.

Other than earning my diploma, my New Year's resolutions this year are the same as last's: eat better, exercise more, quit smoking. I'll give it all another shot.

But now that I'm on the verge of graduating, I have a feeling that this year is going to be different.

I am determined to close this chapter of my life with a degree in my hand, a chip on my shoulder, and washboard abs under my shirt.

I'm going to wake up to "Eye of the Tiger" every morning, drink raw eggs, and jog for miles in matching grey sweats.

I'm going to finally quit smoking, complete a marathon, and maybe even try kale.

It's about staying motivated, about keeping at it even if your goals take a few years longer than expected.

After all, it only took me 14 years to get a four-year degree.

Brian Vosicky is a Marine Corps veteran who served in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. He is studying psychology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Vosicky: Don't quit until the mission is complete."