When was the last time you compared yourself to someone around you? Comparing yourself to other people isn’t always a bad thing. Comparison can be constructive if it motivates you to do better, but more often than not, it can become a dangerous habit that must be broken. Comparing myself to others is something I personally struggle with, so I understand how it feels. I understand the discouragement it can bring. It's easy to fall down a rabbit hole of comparing yourself to ot

Recently, I had a conversation with my friend about our last few months of high school. As we discussed the changes we would soon face and the last few months before graduation, she said something that resonated with me. She explained that she was having a hard time being in the present, knowing that soon her community would completely change. At that moment, I realized that what she said applied to me not only as a senior in high school, but also as a military child -- and t

I learned early that goodbye is a language spoken quietly in parking lots, in driveways full of cardboard boxes, in hallways where lockers close for the last time. Being a military kid means you grow up measuring life in school years and duty stations, friends who stay for two years, sometimes one, sometimes just long enough to learn their favorite song before they disappear on a new map. But this year feels different. Senior year sits heavy in my hands, like a suitcase that

This article was sent to us by Ellanora W., an 11th grader Marine Brat stationed in Utah. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military teens? Visit our guest contribution page to find out how you can submit to Bloom! Say goodbye Once again another goodbye Goodbye friends Goodbye house I used to call home Goodbye school I used to wander Goodbye barn that brought it all back Hello, a phrase I’m sick of hearing Hello to the new room Hello to the new school Hello to th

They line up in caps and gowns, a soft parade down familiar halls, each step returning them to a classroom that never left them. Teachers wait with knowing smiles, walls still painted the same colors, floors remembering exactly where they grew up. I stand at the edge of the line, tassel brushing my cheek, searching for a doorway that could claim me. But my childhood is scattered four playgrounds, two countries, pledge of allegiance in different languages. I learned two alphab

Thanksgiving – a time to look back on our lives and realize just how much we’re grateful for. As I scroll through social media, I see love and appreciation going out to friends, to family members, and to pets. I see my friends stationed around the world celebrating a holiday of thanks with the people around them.  As I reflect on my life, I realize that I’m thankful not just for the people around me, but for my lifestyle. I can’t imagine a version of me without moving and wit

This article was sent to us by Natalie S., an eighth grader stationed in Texas. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military...

The classroom teemed with excitement as everyone took their seats, eager to play a game the teacher had told us about. It was my first...

The Month of the Military Child takes place in April and serves as a time to express awareness and appreciation for the lives of military...

There it is — the big elephant in the room: college. And what about it? Well, everything.  The college application process is hard enough...

This article was sent to us by Natalie S., an eighth grader stationed in Texas. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military...

Every year, a brand new school starts, Holding onto memories, but leaving parts. Faces change, the names unknown, In every place, a new...

This article was sent to us by Natalie S., an eighth grader stationed in Texas. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military...

One of the most common words I’ve heard during my time writing with Bloom is the "Itch.” For the uninitiated, the "Itch” is the feeling...

A new school year begins today, With corridors both old and strange, New faces fill the crowded hall, As schedules shift and friendships...

For high school seniors moving on to higher education, now is the time to apply for scholarships. Thousands of grants and endowments are...

Today, I am thankful for you, sitting behind me in calc class our impromptu rendezvous-- Today, for the first time, you mentioned middle...

This article was sent to us by Katherine T., a 10th grader stationed at the US Embassy in Lithuania. Do you have a story to share with...

Who am I? The question that every person faces throughout their lifetime. For army brats, this question doesn't change, but the answer...

Service is a concept that all military families are intimately familiar with. We're familiar with it cause that’s why mom or dad are...