This summer, for the first time in my life, I returned to Fort Knox, Kentucky. Before this, the last time I stepped onto that base was at just seven years old, but now I was fifteen. Despite living in that small world for only two years of my life, the memories of coming back were almost overwhelming. I believe that when you grow up moving around a lot, it becomes easy to divide your life into chapters rather than just a constant flow of memories. I almost remember my childho

To Utah, The first place I ever lived. A place I should never remember But I’ve visited you since So I know how you look I do tend to dislike you a little, Mostly because my sister gets to say She was born in Germany, While I get to say I was born in Utah. To Oregon, I barely remember the first time we met, But knowing how comforting you are to me I’m sure I felt at home To Georgia, I wonder which house was ours when I lived here. Was it the one next to that playground Whe

One thing that all military kids have noticed is the faded moving stickers tucked under tables, behind dressers, and on the side of nightstands. To most people, they’re just old labels, but to us, they’re memorabilia of all our prior moves. The small blue or green stickers from when I moved to various places may look insignificant, but each marks a chapter of my life. Sometimes they’re barely noticeable, staying on the furniture for years, but other times, when cleaning my r

A blog about how applying to colleges is opening new doors for me and allowing me to choose my next path for myself.

Just a few months ago, I walked across a sunny stage to receive my high school diploma. And, as it will be for many of you as well, those steps marked my switch from focusing on high school to focusing on college. And, well, college is expensive. “Scholarship season” for me was the third quarter of my senior year. Dozens of scholarships went live and terminated each month, and it was exhausting (but so worth it!). I managed to apply to about 25 scholarships, and I was succes

As you’ve probably heard before and might experience yourself, military families generally get an “itch” to move once they hit that second or third summer. And, well, I never truly understood that. Maybe it’s because my family tended to move over the winter or spring, or maybe we just had spent an inconsistent amount of years in places, but I didn’t understand how someone could start feeling uncomfortable in the place they’ve been living-- how they longed for the restart int

Reflection: The act of taking time to think deeply about your experiences, actions, or emotions. With it being almost two months since I graduated high school and about a week until I head back to the U.S. for college, I’ve done a lot of reflecting. Not just over the past 4 years, but over my life in general and how far I’ve come. In 18 years, I've lived in 10 houses in 8 different places. I've moved 9 times. I've attended 7 schools. But most importantly, I can reflect on all

As I pitched this title idea to my mom, she immediately answered with “no,” but still… For the past six years (and my father isn’t even retired yet), I’ve lived at Fort Leavenworth. After only a year and a half, my family moved into a quiet farmhouse just inside the city limits of Leavenworth. Many of my activities still revolved around post, but I spent most of my time in the community. I’ve participated in service events in the community, spent numerous times at the local

For most of my life, home was never a place. It was moving boxes, new schools, and learning how to say goodbye, before I was ever ready. Then, for the first time, I found people who felt like family. A place where I didn't have to keep wondering when I'd have to leave next. It finally felt like home. Now college is here, and once again, I'm packing up my life to start over. It's exciting, but it's hard to leave the first place that ever made me feel like I truly belonged. May

Summers on a military base often turn out to be the polar opposite of the stereotypical “summer break” advertised by Disney Channel, where popsicles, slip ‘n’ slides, and pool days are replaced with difficult goodbyes, moving trucks, and dingy hotel rooms. The typical summer boredom that sets in for most teenagers in early August is amplified on a military base, merging with lots of the unknown to form a super-obstacle before the next school year. If you’ve ever faced the su

Moving is always hard, and not only for military teens. The smell of moving boxes, school paperwork, and saying goodbyes. Every time I look at a blank wall, I see something new—a blank canvas of possibilities. As a fellow military kid, I know how hard it is to fill up those giant voids surrounding you. Here are a couple of my favorite things to do and some meaningful and interesting things to display when moving into a new place, both inside and outside the house. Quirky Ad

My eighth-grade graduation had me furious, although I was really excited for high school. Movies like High School Musical portray high school as a blast as we sing and dance, and I was convinced I was about to have the time of my life. Looking back now, it was nothing like what I had watched on TV, but at the time, I was just happy to leave middle school behind. Many of my friends felt differently. Towards the end of graduation, tears were falling from many people's eyes as

Moving to a new duty station right before or at the beginning of summer break can feel like terrible timing. Others might have friends, favorite places to go to, and plans in place, while you're still figuring out how to even get to your house. As a military teen, I’ve learned that not every summer has a busy social calendar, and one may end up with excess free time. However, even if not always ideal, summer doesn’t have to be wasted just because you haven’t found your people

I recently came across a slam poetry assignment I had done in the 7th grade, and it made me realize just how much my attitude and perspective have changed surrounding being a military kid and everything that comes with that. Here I am standing still Under this summer sun I still feel a chill Here we go again Goodbye goodbye See you soon or never again Friends I have made over and over again One at a time they fade from memory over and over again Whoosh whoosh whoosh Across t

This article was sent to us by Fiona S., an 9th grader Navy Brat stationed in Rhode Island. 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! People like me are everywhere, Not allowed to stay in one place, Some people have a choice But that’s not my case. I’ve seen everything, everywhere Scattered like dandelions in the air. It’s 2 years and then I’m gone, Always watching, waiting for anot

Moving can feel overwhelming, but breaking a PCS down into tangible moments by making sense of all the things you feel and experience along the way can make the journey a lot more manageable. So, what does moving actually feel like? Thinking back on my life, to me, moving feels… Like the sound of packing tape wrapping up boxes Like the smell of cardboard wafting through an empty house as we construct cardboard box forts Like the beautiful sights of passing scenery on a long

I grew up between time zones, measuring years in PCS, learning that “home” could be a mailbox I learned to stop checking. I became fluent in starting over, new hallways, new faces, new versions of me introduced like I had always been there. Now I’m eighteen, standing at the edge of something louder than moving trucks, where goodbyes don’t come with return dates and I can’t follow behind anymore. They call it becoming an adult, but I still carry every place I left like stamps

This article was sent to us by Sabela M., an 8th grader Marine Brat stationed in Virginia. 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! Sabela and her mom when they went to Romania to get away from the sirens for a bit. When my parents told me we were being stationed in Israel, I didn’t really know much about it or what was in store for me. I just knew I felt sad, because it meant sayi

Around two months ago, I found out that I would be leaving my current station of almost three years and moving back to my previous station this summer. This would be my first move after my dad’s retirement, and this news excited me—the thought of returning to a place I was so in love with, leaving my small school, and getting to reunite with my friends again. However, I recently realized that this would be my last move before I go to college. Never before have I had my futur