Let’s face it -- your cousins are a piece of you. If you are anything like I am, there is a well-set course of action that your cousins took that you tend to fall into. Personally, I have found myself being a replica of what my cousin Catherine looks like, at the same college my cousin Brigitte attended, studying Hospitality Management just like my cousin Jess, and to top it all off I have literally shown up to a wedding in the same dress as my cousin Lindsay. From each and every one of my older cousins I have learned lessons upon lessons from their experiences and along the way I have learned a lot about myself as well as who I have the potential to be. Through all the tricks and what sometimes seemed like severe hazing (just to result in never leaving the ‘kids table’ anyways) I can’t help but view my position as the youngest as one of my biggest blessings of all time.
What I have been blessed to learn through being the youngest cousin:
1. The art of being competitive
Being the youngest, I was always jumping in on games my cousins had been playing for years. Typically the first one to lose, I had to learn quickly that being a sore loser would not get me very far and that quitting made me seem weak and unable to hang with the older crowd. The constant struggle to keep up taught me to try and reach that higher potential, whether it be an intense game of Indian rubber or even just a game of cards. I always knew I had to be as competitive as possible to keep up with the rest of the family.
2. Never snitch
Nobody likes a snitch, a rat, a nark, or a tattletale -- that is learned quickly and the hard way in a big family. The second you snitch you are left out of all cool future plans that would give you a reason to snitch again. Even when it includes being locked in the attic as a form of entertainment (and if you’re reading this, thanks guys), being the little jerk to tell would make the hazing worse. Being the youngest, I had to learn to keep my lips sealed because it’s never worth the tattling. I learned I always got more satisfaction out of being included with my cousins and all of their adventures than being thanked by the parents for throwing my cousins under the bus.
3. How to flirt/what to look for in a guy
My cousins taught me a lot about dating, even though many times they either 1. Thought I wasn't listening or 2. Didn't think I knew what they were talking about. For a long time I observed and listened to them talk about how to talk to boys and what to look for in a guy. Hey guys, I guess now is a good time to tell you -- I was listening, so thank you. Other times my cousins certainly were directly helpful. I can remember sitting in my cousin’s room going through pictures of her high school boyfriends and then hearing her perspective on relationships. “Just have fun, but don’t be stupid. Don’t date losers, date people that will make you happy and will make you a better you. Even if they’re cute, don’t just settle. Have fun in college, don’t let one person make or break your time there.” That sat with me and to this day her perspective is still with me -- just tucked away for when I need it.
4. The ins and outs of makeup application
Even though as they were going through the experimental stage of makeovers and cheap makeup I was sometimes simply too young and left out, at the end of the day they taught me how to put on makeup, what works and what doesn’t, and essentially how not to look like an absolute hoe.
5. How to have a good time
Majority of the time I spent with my older cousins was away from TV and electronics, in the sun, and on adventures. When the sun went down after a long day on the dock, family dinner was a must. Even though after dinner we sometimes turned into the cast of GLEE singing all the classics, those dinners were when I learned so much more about my cousins and how much I admire them as people. Of course after dinner shenanigans included shooting pool, having fires, or dealing out those cards on the table for another competitive game of Contract Rummy. Oh, and of course I can't forget to mention that after a long night of wine and festivities my family likes to dance...a lot.
6. The importance of family
Even when I was the most annoying cousin of all time, my older cousins had my back. I wouldn’t trade my crazy family for the world and even though sometimes it felt like the birth order wasn’t at all in my favor, I am grateful that I had all their footsteps to follow in.
