What's Expected

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 teens? Visit our contribution page to find out how you can submit to Bloom!

We’ve all seen trees, and I’m sure we know they have many uses - making houses, toys, chairs, beds, paper, and so much more. Similarly, we have so many options. Yet, some of us may feel we are expected to do one thing, either through proximity or reputation. That thing could be following in their parent's footsteps when they know that’s not what they really want. For others, it could be the exact opposite.

I’ve been a military brat my whole life, and my dad feels like he’s been preparing me for the military the whole time. However, my mom is always telling me that I should never join the military because it’s too dangerous. Personally, I’ve always wanted to be in the Army, just like my dad, but I’m nervous about asking questions about how to enlist because I’m not sure how my parents will react. I want to make a difference and serve my country, but I stop dead in my tracks when I want to ask something about the process of enlisting.

I’ve thought about other jobs before, but everything seems to lead back to the military. When I was younger I wanted to be a veterinarian, after a while I wanted to be a babysitter, then a WNBA player, but after a while I realized that my true calling was to serve in the Army. To me, everything I thought about seemed so silly once I found out what I was meant for.

Slowly, I’m getting more comfortable talking about the military with my dad. Even if he doesn’t understand my passion quite yet, I’m sure he will in a few years.

No one else's opinion should matter when it comes to my future, and the same goes for you. If someone doesn’t think I should be in the military, that’s fine because it’s my future! Don’t let other people choose for you - you have to carve your own path.

At summer camps and in school, I've had the reputation of being the kid nobody wants to pick a fight with, but I've never understood why. Likely, it's just because I'm a military kid - people assume I'm tough because of my lifestyle. This reputation has led people to assume I'll continue with the military lifestyle. While it is correct, they've made the choice for me and restricted my ability to express myself.

Additionally, I have the same reputation in sports. I have played soccer, softball, and a little bit of flag football, and I’ve been playing high school basketball since the seventh grade and played high school volleyball this year, so people didn’t give me much of a choice to do or be anything else.

But I got tired of people only seeing me as one thing, so I decided to change that. I started revealing more personal things about my life to my friends so they could see the truth about me instead of being a stereotypical “military kid” or “sports player.”

When it comes to my life, I get to choose who I am - no one else. The same thing goes for you.