Military Brat Days (2004 - 2008)
I haven't always lived in Maryland. I was a military brat living in Colorado before my dad got orders to move to MD. I'll just say that it was actually rough yet at the same time some my most nostalgic moments came from this era. It was rough because I'd cry often at school and have meltdowns over stuff (it got better after fourth grade), though I don't think I'll ever forget the smells of fall on Fort Meade, especially since my brother and I tended to walk to school from our house (we were the unlucky kids in our neighborhood that lived close enough that the bus wouldn't pick us up). Most of my nostalgia from the early days centers around what was hot on pop radio at the time. Fifth grade was where I found solid footing despite being at a school where many children tended to move in and out every few weeks or months. Cub Scouts also helped as I had something familiar from my last days in Colorado. This era was when I started to become a band geek, as my dad encouraged me to play an instrument. Clarinet it was and it was not smooth sailing at first but I aimed high and managed to qualify for the feeder system concert that year. Later I graduated from elementary and entered middle school. Middle school was a weird time as I went from being a child to becoming a young man in the span of three years. In that time I solidified my liking of math, made All County Band twice, and took up French. I also started to see my physical fitness improve with mile times tumbling down from 12 to 15 minutes in elementary school. I wasn't the fastest in my middle school gym classes, but I was far from the slowest also. I also made some good friends during this period of time, though they moved out of the area while I managed to stay.
Teenage Years (2009 - 2012)
The end of my military brat days came near the end of the 2008 as my dad retired from the Air Force after 20 years of exemplary service. The teenage years era was defined by moving to a new house, but for the long haul, going through high school, and learning more about the wider world around me.
Even before high school started, my parents decided to expand my world view from home, NC and SC, the West, and Japan to include the true northeast (I only say true northeast as I've found a literal zillion arguments over where MD is located, some people should get a real hobby or debate more important issues), including Maine, Connecticut, and PA Dutch Country. Fourteen year old me munched down on shoo fly pie in Bird in Hand, Lancaster County, PA not realizing that he would be back in the county some day. After summer vacation, I had to hit the ground running as I joined marching band at Meade High and had band camp to attend. It was fun and I met some great people, I apologize to them that I don't have much space to recognize them here. High school classes started and for the first time I had classes with people older than me and it was okay. I can't say that everything was smooth sailing though, particularly in 2012 when I managed to ruin a lot of friendships online and offline and was at a low point in my life. Thankfully that managed to change in the next era.
Realization (2013 - 2018)
After high school, I was off to college and for the first time would not be spending the majority of time in Maryland. It was exciting to be away from my parents for months on end and to have some autonomy such as when to eat and where to eat. Freshman year was freshman year except the upperclassmen of MU-AMS stressed the fact that being active is a great idea (it is). I made many new friends in 2013 and 2014 because of meteorology. Being away from home made me realize for the first time that I did not hate living in Maryland like I did when I first moved there way back in 2004. The realization only became stronger when the class of 2018 showed up to Millersville and a whole group of students were also from Maryland and I could relate to them by asking about Maryland and where they were from and getting excited when they replied with so and so county and I could do the same. Other realizations included that I wasn't going to be the best student all the time but doing my best still got me places. I managed to graduate from college, albeit a year late and with one more major than freshman me anticipated. It was worth it though.
Present and Future (2019 - 20??)
Currently I'm living in Maryland still, working at a job at a nearby cafeteria, figuring out my next move is. Who knows maybe I'll stay in Maryland and plant even more roots here, or I'll be sent elsewhere. All I know is, Maryland is currently where hOme is.
I apologize for the lack of details, it's hard to juggle fifteen years worth of memories. Also I'm trying to not be more boring than a drill with these posts.
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