As most of us know, leaving home for the first time ever is hard. It becomes even more tough when you are really close with your siblings. Personally, leaving my little sister behind has been so weird for me not only because I no longer have her to share a closet with, but because we used to do everything together.

Last year, my sister and I became especially close because we were finally going to the same school for the first time since elementary school, I was a senior while she was a freshman. The cool thing about us is that we share a lot of the same interests: in music, fashion, sports, TV shows, and we even look super similar! Yet, we didn’t realize all of this until last year. Before that, we honestly never really spoke much because we were always involved in different things.

Now that I’m college, we haven’t lost our bond at all. We FaceTime at least once a week and I always find myself texting her about the crazy things that seem to happen to me too often here in college. I think she has been my best friend on snap chat for about a year now and our snap chats literally consist of ugly selfies, her updating me on the latest info about our silly family members, and pictures of our cats.

Although, there is a downside to being best friends with your left-behind sibling. We can never have those car rides home from school, bathroom meetings before lacrosse practice, ditch school like we would after fourth period, and I can never be there for her like I used to be. I am very protective of my little sister and not physically being with her when she needs me can be difficult.

Also, every time I go home to visit my family or she comes to Gainesville to see me, it’s like an unspoken thing that she always takes something of mine- I will be missing sweaters and socks and then go home and find them in her drawer. Sneaky little brat. So, if you’re ever missing an article of clothing- your sister probably took it. Don’t ever ask her though, you know she would never admit to it.

Leaving your best friend can also be a good thing too. My sister saw how hard I worked to get into the University of Florida and was inspired to do a lot better in school (now getting better grades than I did in high school) and it feels really amazing to know that I am a good influence. My sister has also really branched out since I left and made some new, awesome friends and I couldn’t be any happier for her.

The best part is when we are finally reunited after a while of being away from each other, and it’s like nothing has changed between us- still as goofy and still awesome singers in the car. I love knowing that no matter how far apart me and my sister are, we will never lose the bond we have created because a sister is not only another family member but a life-long best friend.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” - A.A. Milne