It's a relationship that's supposed to last a lifetime. Starting as a mentorship of sorts and growing into a lasting friendship, some of us can lose what it's supposed to be at it's core.

Prior to what I personally called the Hunger Games, more commonly known as Bid Day, myself and my fellow Juniors and soon to be Bigs were scrambling. Rushing ourselves in trying to find the "perfect" little, and trying to foresee a lifetime's worth of memories and trying to establish a relationship with some poor unsuspecting girl. Bid Day came and went, with not much pomp, and we all walked out with some new kind of connection. In all of the craziness, did we get a little bit selfish? I mean we want to have a good little, someone that we can show off to our friends and family, but that's not really what it's supposed to be about right?

The day before our Reveal Day, the Big/Little Chairs sent us an email that went something like this:

Being a big sister is a privilege, not a right.

Thoughtfulness isn’t about money.

Remember you are a role model.

Be supportive.

Be a rock.

A rock, a role model, a privilege, support, and just being there. All of the other things are just fluff, extra bonding that we get to do after establishing the big stuff. Freshman year is beyond difficult, I can say this from personal experience. Have you ever seen how excited a puppy gets after being let off a leash? Odd analogy, but that unbridled happiness and excitement from the sudden plethora of open options is the same in a first-year college student. They're also just as precious, if not more.

We are mentors. Our job is to make sure that their experience is the best possible, and that they know that someone on this campus (wherever it may be) is there for them in any way needed. Encourage good behavior, help them with their homework and check their papers. We are the ones with more experience in this situation, it's our job to make sure that we are giving them the best of our advice, and letting them learn from our mistakes. Nobody will be as honest with them about the ins and outs of college as we will. I mean, we have all somehow made it this far. If you are unsure of your abilities in something, tell them. Direct them to someone or a group that can do what you can't. It's not admitting defeat or saying that you're underqualified, it's finding any way possible to help.

College is a balance between trying to find and establish both a social life and an academic life. It can be hard, and those two years that you have on this girl in no way automatically make you an expert. But it's something, and the hope is that it will be a mutually beneficial relationship that you can both learn from.

This being said, it's also your responsibility to make sure she has a good ass time. Take her out, show her the secret noms that you found, and everything that your big showed you. Show her all the fun things you did, but make sure it doesn't become something that derails her academia. Go out and set that college town on fire. They won't know what hit them. Yes, the photos are damn cute and I, personally, will like every single one that I see posted. Your family is adorable, be proud of that! Show the world that you two are bonded together, a connection for life thanks to the sisterhood that brought you together.

Be the constant encouragement, work out (or napping) buddy, shoulder to cry on, 3 am Netflix binge companion, nonjudgmental Cook Out run partner, confidant, home away from home and everything else in between. Trust me on this, it'll be amazing. For both of you.