In recognition of Month of the Military Kid, we’d like to introduce some of our exceptional military kids. Meet Sakura and Inori Emmer!
Sakura is a third-year student graduating this semester, majoring in both political science and nutritional science and dietetics at UW-Madison. Starting in the fall, she will begin her master’s program in Health Policy Analysis and Evaluation at the University of Maryland. She loves to read and spend time outdoors, make coffee, and try new recipes.
Inori is a third-year student at UW-Madison studying psychology and graduating this summer. Inori plans on taking a gap year after graduating and then going on to graduate school. Her interests outside of classes include spending time with her dog Harley, trying new ice cream shops, reading, and watching movies.
Q: What drew you both to UW-Madison?
A: We have some family ties to Wisconsin, and both of our parents went to college at UW-Milwaukee. Growing up, we would hear stories about how much our cousins enjoyed going to UW-Madison and how great this city is, so this was always an enticing option for school. When we were both in high school, we took a trip to visit the campus and were really drawn to it and the overall vibes!
Q: What is one memorable moment that you shared during your time on campus?
A: A memorable time we spent on campus was when we were both taking Chem 103 together, the same sections and all. We had a tradition where, before every exam, we would go and get a slice of Ian’s pizza for good luck. This was a fun experience, taking a class together, because there are very few areas in which both of our majors overlap.
Q: To be a military kid means to have a direct family connection to someone who has served or is currently serving, often a parent or guardian. Can you share more about your military-connected family?
A: Our dad served in the army for 28 years, from 1988-2016. He served both as an enlisted and as an officer, in countries across three different continents, in places like Japan, Germany, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Some of the things that we remember about growing up with our dad being in the military were sending him care packages while he was deployed overseas and being excited to welcome him home when he came back from deployment. Throughout our lives, we looked up to him a lot, and we wouldn’t trade our lives as military kids for anything else.
Q: Individuals who grow up as military kids have a variety of experiences. What’s one key memory or takeaway you have from your experiences as a military kid?
Sakura Answer: One of the things that I think will stick with me the most is being able to appreciate different viewpoints and opinions. This is something that I learned while living in different countries and experiencing different cultures. I think that this is so important, no matter what field you are working in. Being able to see and appreciate the value in other people’s perspectives can only allow us to grow as people and work towards goals that otherwise would be really difficult to achieve.
Inori Answer: A key memory I have is attending an international school in Sendai, Japan from 5th grade to the beginning of 7th grade. At this school, I was able to learn about many different cultures and appreciate how, despite having different backgrounds, people can always find a way to relate to each other and connect.
Q: Whether it’s from your time growing up together or your time on campus, what is one time you relied on your sibling?
Sakura Answer: Growing up, we always felt more like best friends than sisters, but especially more so when we started at UW-Madison together. This time had seemed a little different because it was just us two moving to a new place without the rest of our family. It was nice to have someone by my side who I could talk to about anything and share my new experiences with, whether they were happy or sad. In general, it would be hard to pick one moment because we came to really rely on each other every day.
Inori Answer: I relied a lot on Sakura whenever we would move to a new place. Since we would move every 2-3 years, it was sometimes difficult to make friends quickly and adjust to new environments. Being so close in age, Sakura and I would usually end up in the same schools when we moved, so it was nice to have at least one person I could count on to be there for me no matter what. I think having someone to share these unique experiences with made growing up as a military kid a lot easier, so I’m grateful for my sister.
Q: What do you wish more people knew about being a military kid?
Sakura Answer: One thing that I feel is important to me is that being from somewhere doesn’t necessarily equate with having a hometown. I think home means different things to different people. Especially being someone who is half Japanese and has grown up in many different countries and places, it’s sometimes difficult to come to an answer when people ask me where I am from. For me, it’s not really about where I grew up; my home is where my family is, and having somewhere to go back to.
Inori Answer: Whenever I tell people that I went to school on a military base, they always seem shocked and have this idea of a “military school” where we wear uniforms and have really strict rules. I wish more people knew that attending school on a military base isn’t much different than attending a public school. Going to school on a military base is pretty similar to attending a public school, the main difference being that everyone there is a military kid.
Q: Do you have any advice to share with incoming military-connected Badgers?
Sakura Answer: One thing that I took away from my time at UW-Madison is that there is something for everyone here, whether it’s clubs, student orgs, sports, etc. Especially for people who had the same experience moving around a lot and having to meet new people and make new friends frequently, it was nice to make friends here that I know will last a lifetime, even if they come from totally different backgrounds.
Inori Answer: A piece of advice that I would give incoming military-connected Badgers is to branch out and try new things, even if it seems daunting. While it may seem like people who grow up in military families are used to new experiences, it can still be scary doing this. However, this is the perfect place to make new friends and find where you belong!