For many, high school is a daunting and rather overwhelming place. However, having an older sibling to help you navigate through the intricacies of high school life greatly eases the transition.

I remember my first day of high school, mobs of senior girls crowded the Staples hallways obnoxiously blowing whistles in the face of underclassmen and aggressively stomping on the cafeteria tables while chanting “SENIOR GIRLS.”

I walked through the hallways nervously twiddling my thumbs and aimlessly searching for my biology class. The sight of my 6’5” junior brother alleviated my fears and after some pleading, he reluctantly guided me to my class.

For the last two years, I have attended Staples alongside my older brother, Keiran. It has definitely been an interesting experience, to say the least.

Having an older sibling in high school is beneficial in more ways than one. For example, I get rides to school on a daily basis and Amber, the sandwich lady, loves me because I am “Keiran’s little sister.”

On a more serious note, having Keiran has helped me to navigate my way through Staples both literally and figuratively. He has been there for me when I experienced difficulty in “finding myself” amongst the madness.

When speaking of this, a particular experience comes to mind, freshman year club rush.

During club rush week, many clubs use the lunch periods to encourage students to join their respective groups.

As a freshman, I was extremely intimidated and confused by the whole ordeal. I remember walking through the hallway signing up for any and every club that offered any form of food. That was until I saw the 6’5” giant approaching.

After stealing the hershey kisses that were melting in the palm of my hand, my brother took me aside and asked, “What are you doing Anay? Sign up for things that you are actually interested in and passionate about.”

I know it’s cliche, but those few words of advice have stuck with me every day since and have definitely kept me from signing up for some pretty pointless activities that merely served as resume builders.

Although there are many positives to having an older sibling in high school, there are also some negatives.

For one, there is the general belief that all siblings are alike. This is true to a certain extent; however, I would consider myself very different from Keiran, especially in a learning environment.

With that being said, many younger siblings, myself included, find difficulty in differentiating themselves from an older sibling. They find difficulty in being more than just, “_____’s little sister/brother.”

I am one of six kids. My brother always says that he has paved the formation of a legacy for us all. What if I don’t want to be a part of his legacy? What if I want to create a legacy for myself?

I will truly miss my brother when he leaves to embark on this next chapter of his life. I will miss all of the drives to school and offensive remarks in the hallway. But most of all, I will miss the sense of security that having an older sibling at Staples gave me.

Good luck, Keir.