A Joyful Journey......

 Hello everyone.  My name is Annette Perry, and I am a 57-year-old disabled Navy veteran.  I made the challenging decision to go back to college to complete my bachelor’s degree.  Due to some of my disabilities, I am not able to attend a traditional classroom setting.  I also have a learning disability which sometimes can make learning more difficult for me.  I haven’t attended college for quite a few years which made the decision to return to school a little scary at times for me.  But I want to help other veterans along with their educational journey and let them know they are not alone.  There are other veterans out there experiencing similar or maybe even the same daily challenging tasks every single day.  But remember, “If I can do this, so can you!”  

Yes, I constantly ask myself, “Can I really do this?”  And the answer is yes!  One of my disability accommodations is for my learning disability.  The college made available to me a program called Glean.  I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder.  And with Bipolar my mind races without having a certain organizational direction to head to.  Glean helps me type up my notes and put my racing thoughts and chaos into a well-organized plan for me. I truly hope to be a Glean Ambassador and share my story and life experiences with everyone, especially veterans.  In the long run, I believe we can truly help each other be successful in reaching our educational journeys.  

Please remember you are not alone.  And we all deserve the same opportunities for success.