To my best friend, partner in crime and sister. Growing up surrounded by you was a blessing.

As young kids, you were nothing different from a best friend—aside from a few arguments that ended in tears. You were someone to play with on the playground, dance to Christmas music, play "house" with and have "tea parties" where we ate hot dogs and chocolate milk. We spent summer outside together each day with the neighbors, swimming, drawing chalk houses and playing Nintendo D.S.

Eventually came the day I aspired to be like you. I joined gymnastics, swimming, ice skating and dance because I saw how amazing you were at it. I wanted to be on your sports teams because seeing you at home every day clearly wasn't enough. From joining all your same extracurriculars to worming my way into your "band" with our cousin, you welcomed me into your world with a helping hand.

Then you moved on to middle school. For the first time, I would have to bear attending school without you. We managed to stay close, which is a feat for most sisters that age. Luckily we wore the same size, no longer had matching outfits and found a bond through shopping at the mall and sharing clothes. We made videos, took horribly edited Facebook pictures and didn't clean our rooms in a ban together (sorry mom).

Soon enough, you moved on to high school and once again things changed. We would never be in the same school again. You were just slightly too cool for me, but secretly I know you loved me on the inside. My only regret is not spending more time with you while we lived together. I never thought the day would come, but, sure enough, it was hard for me to say goodbye as you left for college.

Stuck in high school, I was an only child for the first time since birth, but you came home and made time for me. I appreciated our time together the less I saw you. We even got to take a weekend trip to NYC together—a weekend I will cherish for the rest of my life. You encouraged me to be a better person as you were extremely successful in your first two years of college. You taught me that I could do anything I put my mind to, as you always have. It is because of you I had the strength to move across the country and attend USF.

As we both now have reached our college days. we may not talk every day anymore due to our busy schedules. Never doubt, however, that when I am going through something difficult, you will always be the first person I call. You will always have my back and I could not thank you more. You have become my biggest role model and a great one at that.

Now that I am an adult, I can be thankful for having you to grow up around. Not only were you my sister, but my best friend. I guess I owe mom for that one. Although we may have differed interests nowadays, there is one thing we will always have together. We will always be sisters.