top of page

Don’t Neglect Your Bucket List!

Isaac B.

Updated: Oct 10, 2020

We all have things on our minds at the moment, whether it’s quarantine or online school. But have you thought lately about your bucket list? Bucket lists don’t necessarily have to be things you want to do before you turn 80, they can be things you want to do before you graduate high school or before you finish college. Take some time to explore your bucket list today, and you might find it’s good for a much-needed mental break.


If you don’t know where to start or don’t have a bucket list, you could always google how to make a one. One article I found gave tips such as “think of things you wanted to do when you were a kid, add some predictable stuff and then add some weird stuff!”


I was curious if there was a difference of bucket list items between my military friends and my civilian friends. To answer this question, I went to Instagram and sent out a poll for my followers to complete. I received plenty of fantastic responses from both military and civilian teens alike. I discovered a commonality of travel and language learning among my military friends. My civilian friends were aiming for a stationary life of settling down and having a successful career. Across the board I noticed that travel will often take one of the top spots in a bucket list whether you grew up in a military family or not. This may be because of previous travel experience, or the complete lack of it!


As a military teen, how does our life affect what makes it onto the bucket list?


For me, moving away from a place where I had lived for six years was the catalyst for me to start mine. For example, on my list, I’d love to live in Japan for a few years. The reason this made it to my bucket list is the fact that I’ve been there myself when I was much younger.


Since I was a kid, I have always loved space. Seeing a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center is also at the top of my bucket list.


My practical item on my bucket list is to become fluent in French. After visiting France with my dad and my brother, I realized that I would love to study abroad for maybe a year or two in Marseille. Our trip to Marseille only happened because my dad worked with a guy whose family lived in Marseille. This unique opportunity definitely shaped my bucket list. Like my other military friends, my bucket list is filled with travel and language learning.


Why does this matter? For me, thinking about Marseille and the possibility of studying abroad there makes me happy, and it is a mental escape. Bucket lists are a great way to organize thoughts and a useful way to set your goals. A bucket list isn’t just about winning a race or mastering a piece of music, it’s about your dreams and the experiences that will shape you into the person you will become.

Thank you to everyone who participated In my Instagram survey! I hope you get to cross off everything on your bucket list!

Comments


STAY INFORMED

Get blog posts, updates, and newsletters straight to your inbox!

Thanks for subscribing!

Bloom takes pride in being a safe, nonpartisan platform for military teens to share their stories and be empowered. All of the opinions expressed in articles belong solely to the author and are not a reflection of the views of Bloom or the National Military Family Association. This website does not intend to, and should never be used as a replacement for professional medical advice.

  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • real
02_NMFA_bloom_2022_full_color_logo_lockup.png
Nmfa_Logo_Full_Color_Rgb_900px_w_72ppi.png

Bloom powered by the National Military Family Association

@ 2022 Bloom. All rights reserved.

bottom of page