A backstory:

My sister Krystal and I are a year and a half apart. We have grown up doing almost the exact same things as each other. Naturally, we went to the same schools. We played soccer in elementary school, were on the dance and cheer teams in both middle school and high school, and somehow ended up in the same algebra class in high school. We did a lot of the same extracurricular activities because it was easier on my mom that way; she could make sure both of her children were in the same place at the same time.

Though we do enjoy a lot of the same activities we could not be any more opposite in personalities and looks. She’s five foot two, has a nice glowy olive skin tone, ombré hair, and is extremely outspoken. I’m five foot five, have a bronzed skin tone, plain dark brown hair, and am quick to hold my tongue. Being girls and so close in age, we have grown up being compared to one another. Mainly it was me being compared to her since she is the older sibling. By the time I was in the seventh grade being called “Krystal’s little sister” became almost obnoxious. I can recall snapping at people saying, “I have a name you know?” or ignoring them completely if they didn’t call me by my name.

Comparisons didn’t stop as we got older. When she went off to Rocky Mountain College in Montana I was happy. Not because I wanted to be an only child (I did miss her at times) but because I didn’t have people yelling out to me, “Hey Krystal’s sister” as I walked down the halls. When it was time for me to apply to college I was ecstatic. “Here’s my chance,” I thought. It would be a chance to start new, where no one would know me as the younger sibling.

I applied to about seven or eight schools, her’s included (the application was free). I also got accepted into all the schools I applied to. When it came down to it, money was the deciding factor of where I would further my education. Ironically enough, Rocky Mountain College gave me the most financial aid so it was decided. I was a little sad when I started school because one of the reputations I wanted to shake would not be coming off anytime soon. My fear came true when I joined the cheer team with my sister and because we looked “so much alike” the coach didn’t really want to learn my name, so she called me Baby Lira instead. (I know this all seems like a negative story but I promise it will lighten up).

During that whole year I was totally self-conscious about my image. I always thought that people and school and back at home were thinking that I couldn’t be independent so I just followed my sister around. Her changing her minor in communications studies to another major didn’t help my overthinking…communication studies are also my major; we ended up having a class together my freshman year. I tried to transfer but money was an issue yet again.

Present:

Come sophomore year I decided to change my attitude about going to school with my sister. I was so caught up with not wanting to be “Krystal’s little sister” anymore that I missed out on a lot of opportunities my freshman year. I was so worried about something that I cannot change. Now, back to the main point of this article. What is it really like to go to a small college with your older sibling? It is a medley of sorts. It is fun, reassuring, and slightly annoying.

The fun comes from being able to experience some big moments with her and we have those insiders that no one else can understand, it is reassuring in the sense that if I truly need something I can call on her and she’s obligated by the Big Sister Handbook to help, it is slightly annoying because people assume we are together all the time and she likes to try and boss me around because regardless of our age or height difference, she is still the older sibling.

Our school has around 1,000 students so my sister and I know the same people and have similar on campus jobs. We also have another class together this semester. Whenever she doesn’t show up everyone automatically looks at me for an answer to disclose her whereabouts. I have to remind them that we don’t live together and just because we are sisters, I don’t know her every move. The positive to having the same job and same class is that we are able to remind one another about important assignments and hold each other accountable.

One thing I have almost gotten used to are people getting our faces and names mixed up. Until venturing out to Montana, we rarely heard that we look alike. Since the start of my college career it feels as if every other day someone is asking if we are twins or are being called by the wrong name. It can be funny and at times we let it slide, however, most of the time we smile and correct people.

She hasn’t vocalized it but I am 99.9% sure that she enjoys having me around. She is able to walk to my dorm and use my vacuum and can convince me to go to an event with her if she doesn’t want to go alone. More importantly, she can steal my notes if she ever misses a day in class. For the both of us, having each other at school is like having a piece of home with us.

Even though she can bug and bosses me around, she’s not all that bad. I’m sure she would say the same thing about me. Going to a small college with my sister is not bad; it was only bad because I chose to view it that way. I know that I am my own person with a mind of my own. I will always be “Krystal’s little sister”, the comparisons will continue, as will the mix-ups but none of those things define who I am.