Dear Lala,
It's been a week since you left me in tears, waving out the window as you and the rest of our family dropped me off for my first year at Mount Holyoke College. While it's been quite a transition for me, I know you have endured your share of changes, too.
You have our little bunk bed all to yourself now. You get to steal the remainder of my clothes without my knowing (or approval!). You have to do the dinner dishes all by yourself. You can leave your hairbrush on my dresser, and the bathroom is all yours now. Maybe the biggest of these changes, though, is entering high school.
Once again, we won't be walking the same halls together. We have already found that FaceTiming isn't a great way to get algebra homework help. What scares me is there's only so much that I can warn you about. I hope you won't be inundated with too many friend problems or teacher troubles. The boys really aren't worth that much of your time either. I have tried so hard to carve a great path for you, but I have to remember that you are your own person and will make your own way.
I still remember the day you were born. Your scary, exciting birth made becoming a big sister feel even more special than I had imagined. I've loved you since the second I saw your pink little face all wrapped up in that blanket on that warm June day. You went from being afraid of the sound of the car door closing to the loudest thing in the house.
I so admire you. You have always had your own style and unique way of doing things. Your obsessive love of all things cats and unicorns and your great pride in being a red head. Your immense musical talent and love of "Hamilton." I no longer have you to act as my radio encyclopedia whenever I don't recognize a song on the radio; I have to Shazam it.
I miss staying up late with you, our late night car sing-alongs, and our trips to the dollar store. I have always been able to count on you (no matter how begrudging you are) to be in my music videos and put a smile on my face.
Thank you for sending me sweet texts; links to my favorite songs; funny videos you find on Instagram. I don't miss our fights over who gets to wear what and you needing to cut your impossibly long hair. And I must say it's much easier to communicate with you over texts and calls now than it ever was when you had your headphones on.
Even though we can't keep a Snapchat streak for our lives, I am so grateful to know that you will always be by my side, even if you live six hours away. Being a freshie is hard, but at least we get to do it together.
I love you more,
Anna