Fort Belvoir, Va. (Sept. 18, 2014) - As my Facebook page is flooded with pictures of my friends' goofy-looking kids, it occurs to me that the whole back-to-school thing is pretty much for the little ones.

In August, retail stores started rolling out the signage for discount binders and notebooks or whatever whippersnappers are carrying now. The frenzy begins and moms descend upon the mall like Special Forces, reconning the shops and moving stealthily down the store aisles to snatch up that last pair of size 7 sneakers. The kids start counting down the days 'til school starts and wondering who will be in their homeroom class.

I still remember the outfit I wore on my first day of junior high school - pink t-shirt, a black pleated skirt and matching socks. This was the '80s so these were not just any socks mind you, these were slouch socks and it was important to do it right - a pink sock and black sock on one foot and a black sock and a pink sock on the other.

Last week, on my first day back to school I took a little less care. I smelled my t-shirt to see if it was clean, I put on the first pair of jeans that fit and out the door I went. I'm not even sure if I had on socks. I've been taking classes toward a master's degree at the Barden Education Center on post and I must say the adult version of back-to-school frenzy is a little different. You're already in a panic because the textbooks you ordered have yet to arrive and they're being shipped from Timbuktu. You're wondering just how much caffeine is needed to stay alert throughout a four-hour class. And, if you have kids, you wonder what the house will look like when you get home from school.

The one common denominator in back-to-school madness is that everyone, especially the adults, is one step closer to completing a major milestone. As a young person, going to school is more a requirement than an option, but returning to school as an adult takes on a different meaning as it is a conscious choice to up your game, if you will, and dig deeper into your field of study.

I'll admit my decision to go back to school had less to do with a thirst for knowledge than a means to make myself stand out among my peers. I've wanted to go for some time but just never got around to narrowing down a school and getting the paperwork in order. Last September I called one school I'd previously shown interest in and the same admissions counselor answered. When she looked at my file she said, "Have we spoken before? Back in 2010? You could have graduated by now!"

As adults we often let life dictate to us what we do and don't have time for. We make excuses, we get lazy and pretty soon, depending on the field you're in, you find yourself becoming less marketable and getting fewer call backs for job interviews. That was me. I looked at my resume and for college education I had one bullet point. Just one lonely little dot that speaks louder about my character than any reference could.

As a military veteran, most of my schooling is paid for, so there is no reason not to take advantage of the opportunity to put myself in a better position to be hired. So I'm all set. I've got a fresh notebook, my No. 2 pencils are sharpened and my pink eraser is ready. Are you?