by Katie Williams
Moving isn’t easy. No one said it was. Each move comes with an emotional roller coaster inside you that spills out to every part of your life — especially on your first day at a new school.
When you’re starting a new school, and you know your family will be PCSing again in a few years, it can be easy to feel sorry for yourself or just talk with friends from your old duty station, but don’t waste too much time doing that! Make the most of where you are stationed now and get to know some people — chances are, you’ll end up with even more life-long friends to add to your contacts.
Try and join as many clubs and sports as you want so you can find the people who enjoy the same things. There’s nothing better than finding a best friend who loves all the same things you do — but don’t expect that right away.
And when you move, you can get in touch with old friends through texting, Snapchat, calling, or DM!
When I moved to one duty station in Pennsylvania, I was so scared because I was moving in the middle of middle school. I had just finished 6th grade and knew we would be PCSing again after 8th grade. I was worried about new people, new teachers, even a new curriculum — and I was convinced that everyone already had their cliques.
But I was wrong. No one stays in the same group. Everyone changes throughout the school year in one way or another. So go ahead and join groups, join sports, join everything you think you might like. If you don’t, that’s okay, because now you know you don’t like it and can grow from that.
Everyone doesn’t like everything, and that goes for people too.
You won’t like everyone you meet and that’s okay. But don’t jump into a crowd right away because most of the time, you go with the easiest group, but that doesn’t mean they’re for you. And when you find that one person you really connect with, hang out with them and meet their friends. I’m not saying ignore everyone else though. Be friendly to everyone, because you don’t know what they’re going through. I know that sounds cheesy, but from someone who’s moved schools multiple times, understand everyone’s life isn’t how they put it out there to be.
At the same time, don’t try and have everyone like you. You will just waste your time on people who don’t matter in the big picture, and you will regret not spending as much time with the people who really matter in your life.
