I’m a junior in high school and I’ve moved three times. Yes, three. You might be thinking, “Wow, that’s so cool!” Well… It can be, if you make the best out of it. Here’s my story:

I was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and when I was eight I had to move to Las Vegas in the middle of third grade. I had to move because my dad had a new job offer that he couldn’t refuse. I thought my whole world was crashing down on me. I had friends (who at the time I thought were going to be my best friends forever, hey I was young,) I had close family, and a house that was in my family for three or four generations. I didn’t want to move!

When we arrived to Vegas, I was shy, afraid, and confused. I didn’t really know what was going on, but I lived day-to-day. I lived in a huge house and went to a wonderful school, nothing like in Indiana. I saw some of the most amazing things in the world! The lights on the strip eliminating the sky, the “Cha-Ching” noises from the casinos and the little road runners zooming across the streets! Being eight and nine years old, I noticed my dad coming home from work angry or upset; his job wasn’t going as well as he thought. He was one of the managers, but the business wasn’t a success due to problems I’m unaware of. So... six months later, we moved.

We drove to Indiana to spend our first summer there. I remember my parents flying back and forth to Indiana to Philadelphia, looking for houses. Later on that summer we moved to a small community in New Jersey across the Delaware River. I wasn’t too excited. Why did we move so much? I missed my family and was homesick. Being homesick led to other mishaps in my life. I started my fourth grade year just struggling. I had to adjust to their annoying accents, their “rudeness”, and once again away from my other family. My parents were trying to find my dad another job, since we thought the one he currently had was temporary. IT WASN’T! We lived in South Jersey for seven years.

I absolutely hated living in New Jersey the first couple years, I had friends, but I felt like I didn’t fit in. We were such a small town that everyone knew everyone and their business. I’m not that type of girl. It took time to get used to it, but along the way I made marvelous friends that I’m so grateful to have.

At first my dad loved his job, but after a while he got sick of it, his coworkers were ‘stupid’ or weren’t doing their job correctly, so relied on my dad to do all the work. He would come home and be angry and be miserable to be around. He would always say, “We’re not going to live here long.” I would always get upset because I was tired of moving. One day, he sat me down and said, “Britni we’re moving back to Indiana.” I thought it was a joke, so I laughed, and then I noticed he was serious. I cried and cried and cried. I always said I hated that Hell Hole, but it was so real that I didn’t want to leave. I ran to my best friend’s house and told her. We never cried so much in our lives.

School ended in June and a week later we packed up the house and said our goodbye’s to our great friends. I will never forget that day. I had my three best girlfriends sleepover two nights before I moved, and slept over my best friend’s house before I moved. I was trying to keep myself calm and think positively. This was my home. I spent most of my youth growing up there. I couldn’t just leave during my high school career.

We finally made it to Indiana, I was excited and nervous. I was going to a HUGE school starting in August and I didn’t know how I was going to adjust. I moved into a spectacular neighborhood, I had a boyfriend, and made a couple new friends. Life was great! School started and I made more friends, I became involved in Choir and had other school opportunities I wouldn’t have had in New Jersey. Ever since I moved I became a better person. I went out of my comfort zone and grew better as a whole. I’ve only lived in Indiana for six months; it’s not over yet.

It sounds like I enjoy living in Indiana and I was so miserable in New Jersey; WRONG. I love both Indiana and New Jersey. They’re my home. I feel safe, loved, and have great friends and family in both states. Although I don’t get to see my friends all the time, we’re still there for each other as if I hadn’t moved. I can’t wait for the summer so I can visit my friends in Jersey.