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11 Things Every Kid Who Moved Around A Lot Can Relate To

The outcome of moving around a lot as a kid that every child of a nomadic family can relate to.

Ken Lundberg

Nov 13, 2018

University of Houston

155

Photo by Ken Lundberg

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.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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11 Things Every Kid Who Moved Around A Lot Can Relate To

The outcome of moving around a lot as a kid that every child of a nomadic family can relate to.

1. Packing

2. "Where are you from?"

3. Being the new kid.

4. Making new friends.

5. What are best friends?

6. Introducing yourself and fun facts.

7. Family is everything.

8. Family is everything, until you live thousands of miles away.

9. Mixing up people, places and events.

10. Getting used to different cultures.

11. Stereotypes

Subscribe to our Newsletter

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Phase One: The “I got this” phase

Phase Two: The “I have time” phase

Phase Three: The uncontrollable sobbing phase

Phase Four: The “help me, I've fallen and I can't get up” phase

Phase Five: The rejoicing phase

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

Who knows where we would be without them.

1. Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even when they really aren’t funny.

2. Thank you for singing unbearably loud with me all the time.

3. Thank you for letting me vent to you for hours about anything and basically being my personal therapist.

4. Thank you for ordering pizza with me at 2 in the morning.

5. Thank you for all the movie days when we don’t feel like moving.

6. Thank you for being my workout buddy everyday.

7. Thank you for sharing your closets with me.

8. Thank you for taking naps with me at random hours during the day.

9. Thank you for cleaning our home with me when we absolutely need to.

10. Thank you for all the rides when it’s late and you don’t want me to walk home alone in the dark.

11. Thank you for studying with me in our kitchen when we didn't want to go the library.

12. Thank you for making dinner with me.

13. Thank you for helping with my hair, makeup and outfit every time we go out.

14. Thank you for taking countless ugly pictures with me.

15. Thank you for not judging me when I go too long without showering.

16. Thank you for making our apartment feel like a second home.

17. Thank you for being there through all of our boy troubles.

18. Thank you for giving me a hug when I feel homesick.

19. Thank you for getting excited with me when one of us gets a good grade on an exam.

20. Thank you for still being my friend and not judging me when I say or do dumb things.

21. Thank you for telling me what I should do when I am sick.

22. Thank you for dancing horribly with me everywhere we go.

23. Thank you for staying up super late with me when we aren’t tired or can’t sleep.

24. Thank you for being super weird with me.

25. Thank you for all the unforgettable college memories.

26. And most of all, thank you for being the best friends a girl could have.

I may or may not be stressing right now.

1. "What do I have to study for?"

2. "What class do I need to study for the most?"

3. "I’m going to ace this."

4. "Focus!"

5."I have no idea what I'm reading."

6. "I should call my smart friend about this."

7. "I’m going to fail. I’m going to fail."

8. "I’m dropping out of school."

9. "What grade do I have to get on the final to pass the class?"

10. "Oh, no, I have to do good."

11. "I shouldn’t have procrastinated all semester."

12. "I wanna go to bed."

13. "We did not learn this!"

14. "I should go get food."

15. "Why do we even have finals?"

16. "I don’t want to be at the library."

17. "Get off your phone."

18. "I can watch Netflix for like 20 minutes and then go back to studying."

19. "I shouldn’t have watched Netflix."

20. "You have to study now!"

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. — Snow White

The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. — Rafiki

You don't have time to be timid. You must be bold and daring. — Lumière

If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya. — Laverne

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one. — Grandmother Willow

Always let your conscience be your guide. — Jiminy Cricket

To infinity and beyond. — Buzz Lightyear

Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. — Pooh

Let it go. — Elsa

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