I’ve grown up in a family of five as the youngest of three sisters. It just so happens that two of the kindest, funniest, best humans I’ve ever encountered are the same girls I am lucky enough to call my sisters. Through my nineteen years full of successes, failures, tears, laughs, angst, and oh so much more, my sisters have always been there for me, guiding me every step of the way. My sisters have been and always will be my best friends. I’ve compiled a list of just some of the reasons why sisters are the best friends ever.
1. They understand everything you’re going through.
When I say everything, I really mean everything. Growing up in the same family means you probably have the same rules, you have probably had some of the same teachers, and you have probably gone through some of the same acne-ridden awkward phases. Sisters just get it. They understand what you’re going through and, if they’re anything like my sisters, they do all they can to make your experiences go a little smoother than theirs. Sisters will take your side when you ask for those coveted fifteen minutes that will push your curfew from 11:30 to 11:45. Sisters won’t laugh at you when you cry because you broke up with the boy you dated for three days in eighth grade.
2. They are automatic friends that are essentially forced to hang out with you.
I returned from school for Winter Break earlier than my sister who is a senior in college and came home to a house without my oldest sister who has, much to my dismay, become a real adult and moved out. I have spent a lot of time with my dog as well as with my parents, but I’ve really come to miss the constant companionship that my sisters once provided me with. As long as you wake up in the same house, it takes very little effort to yell from one bed to another asking what your sister is going to do that day. Even if the task is something as dull as grocery shopping, I can usually convince one of my sisters to come with me and the chore automatically becomes less chore-like. Sisters can make even the most mundane of things seem fun. Whether you are their first option or their only option, time spent with a sister is always time well spent.
3. They provide you with an entire wardrobe outside of your own.
There are few better feelings in life than when you realize that that adorable sweater you just bought your sister for Christmas is a piece that you yourself will be able to steal someday. No matter how different your styles and sizes might be, there is usually something that you can find hidden in your sister’s closet that will make your outfit exponentially better. As your own clothes become less and less exciting and fabulous each time you wear them, your sisters’ clothes provide you with the spice you need to make any outfit that much better. Wearing your sisters’ clothes is just more fun. Simple as that.
4. They make you feel like less of a loser on those nights you just want to stay in and watch movies.
In the midst of the hometown-hoopla that is Winter Break, it’s nice to have people that want to stay in and lay on the couch as much as you do. While it’s fun to go out and see all the people you’ve missed while being away at school, it’s also fun to stay in and enjoy the simple pleasures of home like being able to rent movies On-Demand while laying on a couch that is much more comfortable than the futon that is squeezed into the corner of your dorm room. Doing this alone might seem silly and you might feel some type of weird obligation to change out of your pajamas and venture out into the real world, however, if a sister is there to accompany you on your couch adventures, there is no need to leave the comfort of your home. That text to your friends explaining why you can’t come out tonight becomes one thousand percent more valid when you mention that you’re just “hanging with your sisters tonight” rather than “staying in and watching movies.”
5. They listen and laugh, even when they don't want to.
No matter how many times my sisters tell me that the "artsy" voice I love to imitate while singing along to various songs on the radio is not funny, they always manage a little laugh. Whether it's out of sheer frustration or simply being astonished by my ridiculousness, my sisters laugh at my jokes, even when they don't want to. The same goes for secrets and stories that they've heard upwards of one hundred times. No matter how many times I tell them the ever-fascinating story of how this one boy texted me something so hilarious, they always listen. Whether it's because they're actually forced to or because they're just to nice to remind me that I've told them this story on several other occasions, my sisters listen and comment on whatever story it is that I decide to tell them. Sisters listen to your gossip that only you find captivating and laugh at the things that only you find funny. Sisters listen and laugh, even when they don't want to.
In my humble opinion, life is just better with sisters around. I don’t have anything against brothers—I’ve just never had any. My sisters are the best friends I could ever ask for and I hope they know how much they make my life better. They care more than anyone in this world and are personally invested in my life ands its events.
Remember to thank your sisters for doing their thing—they do it pretty well.
