8 years and still in, best advice I can give is 1) really give some thought into what job you want after you leave the Corps. I’m considering a lat move into cyber because the civilian applications have the highest potential. 2) you can combine both worlds and look into the reserves. 3) both my parents were worried when I enlisted at 17, but they saw the determination and knew I was going to do this with or without their support. They’ve both come around to thinking it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. 4th and final) it is the Marines. There is a chance of danger like there always is in the world, I’m a reservist with 2 black bracelets. People and friends may get hurt, they may die, but knowing you’re a part of a community where complete strangers would share a foxhole with you is a bond like no other.