Two sisters. The elder a petite theatre kid; the younger a tall, competitive, athletic girl. Add a brother, a plethora of animals (four cats and two dogs) and two well-meaning parents, and you have yourself the plot of a Disney Channel Original Movie. Or, you have my relationship with my 15-year-old sister, Tess.

Tess and I are two very different people. Not only do we have a six-inch height difference (I'm the shorter of the two), but we also possess about every other difference under the sun. While I am happiest in a dress, finding a dress for Tess is as difficult as putting said dress on a chicken. Tess likes Top 40 on the radio, while I prefer NPR. Growing up, our differences resulted in a distant relationship. When I moved to Los Angeles for school, not only did our personalities keep us apart, but the added challenge of 1,000 miles didn't help. When I came home for the holidays, Tess was already three months into her freshman year of high school, with new friends and experiences I knew nothing about. I spent the break complaining about driving her places, and she complained about my moodiness about said driving. I judged her choices and friends, pushing her further and further away as a result. I left home for second semester more distant from my sister than when I'd arrived

Two weeks after returning to school, I went through formal recruitment and joined Delta Zeta. In a matter of days, I gained 193 new sisters. Despite having many differences, we all loved each other unconditionally. Even if we weren't as close with some members as others, we would do anything for one another if needed. A girl needed a dress to wear to a formal? Five sisters would offer up a dress.

At home, the topic of sharing clothes would end in an argument.

A month-and-a-half later, I gained something that I had always been, but never had — a big sister. My relationship with Hope, my Big, shared many similarities with Tess. Just like my own little sister did to me, I asked my Big for rides (often), complained about petty things and made some questionable choices despite her advice.

And you know what she did back?

Hope loved me back. She returned unconditional love to me, despite my own shortcomings. Whenever I started a conversation with "You probably think this is stupid or immature," she assured me that she was, and would always be, here for me. She reminded me that because I am her Little and she my Big, she will always have time (and love) for me. Through my relationship with my Big and sorority sisters, I examined my own relationship with my own little sister, Tess.

I may be different than my little sister, but why did I not show her the same unconditional love and support that my Big and sorority sisters showered me with? It wasn't my job to parent or judge Tess. My responsibility lied in loving her fiercely. By no means would my relationship with my little sister always be perfect, but just like my Big treated me, it was my responsibility to give Tess the same love.

I don't want to mislead you and say that my relationship with Tess is sunshine and rainbows, that I've made up for spending her entire lifetime being distant. It's a process, one made up of lots of shopping trips, driving around and failed attempts at conversation during said rides. It's being there for her, even when maybe she doesn't want me to be. The progress may be slow, but I feel closer to my sister than I have in 15 years.

Joining a sorority helped me discover the truth and importance of sisterhood, whether the sister is biological or not. In the end, they're both for life.

P.S. Tess, it would be really cool if you joined Delta Zeta in college.