I grew up in a family with an older sister and a younger brother. While it wasn’t always the easiest, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. That being said, there were times when following in the steps of a sister who is only two years older than me was difficult. We’d always gone to the same schools, had the same teachers, and been involved in the same activities. I lived, and still live, in constant comparison to my sister. When the time came for me to choose the college that I wanted to attend, I was determined to pick anywhere other than the school where my sister was (which happens to be SMU).

Throughout many college visits and lengthy discussions with my parents, my dad loved to antagonize me by saying that he was so sure that I was going to end up at SMU with my sister. Of course, that just made me want to choose anywhere but Southern Methodist University. I so badly wanted to prove myself as an independent person, not just as a clone of my big sister. I looked at schools all across the United States, determined to go somewhere unique and exciting and, most importantly, different from SMU. However, as time passed and I had to make my final decision, I chose SMU anyway. It wasn't because of my sister or parental persuasion, but because, when it comes down to it, I am like my sister. We were close when she left for college and we’re even closer now that we go to the same school. We’re sisters, so of course we’re going to be similar in a lot of aspects. Despite my momentary defiance, it makes sense that we ended up at the same school.

Sadly, though, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Although SMU is a decently sized campus, it’s small enough for people to recognize each other. I’ve had some of the same professors as my sister and I've run into many students who know her. There’s only so many time you can hear “You’re so-and-so’s sister aren’t you?” before you get annoyed. I didn’t think that I would have to worry about following in the shadow of my sister in college, but I was so wrong. As much as I love how close our relationship has grown in the past two years, there are definitely some difficult times. Teachers and fellow students expect you to be just like your sibling, when we younger siblings know that's not the case. We won’t always make the same grades or share the same interests and that’s OK.

Fortunately, SMU has given me many opportunities to be involved and to become independent. From getting an on-campus job to becoming involved in organizations, I’ve been able to establish myself apart from the outline of my sister. As a person who goes to the same college as their sibling, I think that’s all that we can hope for. Picking a college is an important decision and it's ultimately about choosing a place where you can develop into the best version of yourself. Whether or not that place is where your sibling goes is a personal decision.

I chose to follow in my sister’s footsteps and I’m better for it. Our relationship has grown and so have I. Due to that, I’ve learned to deal with the comparisons that we get sometimes. The minor discomfort that they cause me does not compare to the benefits that I’ve had from going to college with my sister.