The move for a military child, or military brat as some people refer to us, is nothing new or strange. The constant moving has been programmed into our brain at a young age. We do it constantly– another place, another face, another personality. The friends are an extensive plus, they help you settle in and show you the brighter side of life in a whole new state, or country.

Yet, this is me. Olivia Paige Knerr, and no, It’s not said “Kah-nerr”, the k is silent, I’m just like any of you, except I move every three or four years (Shoutout to those Army brats reading this!). For some people, they move sooner than three years, sometimes it is four weeks. I knew someone who moved two days after getting arriving in a new place.

I was born in Illinois and have lived in Iowa, Colorado, Hawaii, Kentucky, and now Kansas. I know the moment some of you read the word Hawaii, you immediately got excited at the mention of an exotic place. Hawaii is nice to vacation at but living is not so great. There is constant traffic, 75% of the time it’s raining, and food/restaurants are way more expensive than the mainland. Kentucky, on the other hand, is where I made some of the greatest friends I’ve ever had.

My friends can’t move with me, which has made my move to Kansas extremely rough. I don’t have my brother or sister to start school with me, to talk to me when I don’t have anyone. I have maybe three friends here, thanks to Skylar Powell. I’ve known her since 7th grade in Kentucky where we attended the same school. We didn’t really ever talk before but she’s been very open to helping and supporting me. She welcomed me with open arms and introduced me to three of her friends who I took well too.

My school before JCHS was the size of the FSA and had about 200 or 300 people in the whole school. The graduating class for Fort Knox High School this year is around 78. The first day in my new house I had an anxiety attack because I was absolutely petrified to start school. Thankfully, I had a week and a half to get emotionally ready for school. It still wasn’t enough because I was still a nervous wreck when I began school. My very first day, I was alone and spent 5 minutes looking for the bathroom, and when I finally found it, I cried.

I’ve never been the one to care what others think of me,  I’m proud of who I am. Writing this is opening me up to a lot of first impressions for people who’ve never seen me but they’ll have this when they do. Everything is so foreign to me, I’ve never been the new kid during school, I usually moved during summer but my dad was needed here so we moved immediately.

This meant I was leaving behind all my friends and my favorite teacher, Mr. Scott Jackson. It hurts to move constantly. The moment my best friend Viviana hugged me, I was bawling. Then, all my other friends hugged me and I was a wreck. We all had a group hug and when I went to walk out of the building I heard Viviana telling me not to leave from behind me.

Yet, I’m optimistic and pessimistic on my outlook of Junction City High School. I hope this school and community will bring me happiness and support me. But I’m also scared. I’m stuck in the thought that this is going to be terrible for me. That is how I thought about Kentucky and it was one of the greatest places I’ve ever been. So, wish me all the luck you can.

This is a new adventure and I’m ready to experience it. Remember, love, support and cherish everyone you have in your life, you never know when they’re going to be moving and gone.