I was born in Seattle, Washington and lived there for 10 years. Then, my family moved to Sacramento, California, where we stayed for five years. After that, we made our final move to Dallas, Texas, and I've lived in this state ever since.
Sometimes, even I get that timeline mixed up. It seemed like every time we got settled my family of seven would pick up and move away again. Many assume I was an army-brat, but our adventures were actually the product of the economic recession of the early 2000s and my parents migrated to find jobs.
Although every new location—or house, even—brought new stories and lessons, only people who've been through it know exactly how much influence moving around too much can have on a person. So, here are the funniest and some not-so-funny things that all kids-who-moved-too-much can relate to.
1. Packing
After packing and re-packing your stuff as many times as I did, things start to have their designated spots next to each other in a cardboard box. I guess it gets easier, but sometimes you just want to dive into those peanuts and disappear forever rather than load up even one more box.
2. "Where are you from?"
The short answer to this question is: "I have no idea. Do you want to know where my family lives, where I was before I was here, or where I was born?"
3. Being the new kid.
Either on the block or in school, being "The New Kid" isn't nearly as smooth or fabulous as New York's entrance in this gif.
4. Making new friends.
While some people flourish and use their newness to create huge social circles, my shyness kind of made me take the opposite approach. Now alas, I am awkward. Making new friends is hard.
5. What are best friends?
Friends from childhood? Must be nice.
6. Introducing yourself and fun facts.
If you are a teacher, please don't make the new kid stand in front of the class and introduce themselves. We don't want that kind of attention on the first day. Or ever, really.
7. Family is everything.
One of the better parts of moving so much is that your immediate family starts to become your clique, moving from place-to-place as an inseparable unit. What more can you need, right?
8. Family is everything, until you live thousands of miles away.
Although it's true that you and your immediate family get closer in an all new environment together, nothing hurts worse than seeing your extended family around the table at Grandma's house every holiday.
9. Mixing up people, places and events.
How old was I when that happened? Do I know you from California or my first middle school? Is that restaurant here or back in Seattle? The world may never know!
10. Getting used to different cultures.
Let me tell you, when I moved to Texas from the very-liberal Washington and California, and people were wearing cowboy boots, drinking sweet tea and being openly racist, I was shook.
11. Stereotypes
Although I've heard some crazy stereotypes in my day about Washingtonians and Californians, I'll be the first to admit that I thought everyone rode horses to school in Texas before I moved here.
