Why you should be friends with your siblings

Growing up I wouldn't necessarily say I was close to either of my siblings. I have two brothers one younger (four years apart) and one older (two years apart). We grew up playing and going to school together. The older we got the more we grew apart, there was a larger age gap between my brothers, and I was right in the middle. The three of us never really found common ground to do things together because we were all in different phases of our life because of the age gap. When my older brother left for college, it left my younger brother and I together. Even then I should have used that time with my little brother to get closer with him, but I didn’t. I was wrapped up and consumed with my personal life. I was a senior in high school, and he was still in middle school. We didn't have that much in common. We have similar personalities so we would argue and fight a bit. It wasn’t until I moved out when I started to appreciate him. I realized that he was his own persona and was going through personal struggles just like I did when I was his age. When I went away to college, he would call me and tell me his girl problems and ask me what he was supposed to wear to homecoming. I would say we are closer now that I moved away.

When I was getting ready to go to college I was trying to move away as far as I possibly could. I was determined to do it all by myself and prove to myself and my family that I was independent. My older brother was in college in North Dakota with his fiancé, he would talk up his school and tell me how well I would do there. I was very hesitant at first because I was determined to get away from my life and start over. My parents and brother had convinced me to go to the same school as my brother.

I am so grateful that I did. I didn't realize how scary it would be to move somewhere. I did not know a single person besides my brother and his  fiance. My first few weeks of school I spent most of my time with them, they cooked me dinner, went to school events with me and introduced me to their friends. Another thing I am so grateful for is my brother's fiance Anya, she really took me in not as a little sister but as a friend which was what I needed. Recently we had been getting pretty close to one another but she really takes care of me. My relationship with her does not feel obligated to my brother. Our relationship is completely separated from their relationship and I'm so grateful she's in my life. She got me a job, cooks me dinner, and I'm moving in with them this summer. So another thing my brother did for me was get me a built in best friend. I am beyond grateful to my siblings. They have helped me grow as a person and have taken care of me.