At home, my younger brother was there to watch early morning cartoons and eat breakfast with me before we left for school. We would talk nonsensically until one of us fell asleep. He tattled on me whenever he got a chance and embarrassed me in front of my friends. Many years later, nothing has changed, except now we do the same thing in college. Those who grew up with siblings know that college can bring you closer together or make you grow further apart. Considering my little brother attends the same college as me, we fall in the first category.
Even though I do not always openly admit it, there are benefits to going to the same school as your brother.
- Realizing that not everyone is close to their siblings, and how grateful I am for mine
Coming to college and realizing that not everyone was close to their siblings was a concept that I could not initially wrap my head around, especially because of how close I was to mine. Honestly, going to the same school as Alvin has made us more inseparable than ever imaginable. Being on the same campus as my brother allows us to always be a constant in each other’s lives, and I honestly could not imagine it any other way.
- Being friends with the same people
Even though he does not admit it, Alvin knows I have seniority out of the two of us, and how this works to his advantage. I will introduce him to my friends, and soon enough, they will become friends too. A plus is that since we have basically 50% of the same friends, there is a surplus of embarrassing pictures of him floating around. And it helps that I am his willing encyclopedia for Saint Louis University (SLU) lore. Being able to gossip and debrief with your little brother is such a fun experience that we had not experienced until college.
- Relearning that I’m his sister, not his mom
Because the college experience was a new concept to Alvin, I wanted to make sure he adjusted without any issues. However, at times I did baby him around. I eventually had to learn to let him figure things out for himself because the only way he would learn was through trial and error, not by me holding his hand through everything.
While I do not want to see my little brother make mistakes, I had to allow him to do so because it would be better for him in the long run. It is beautiful seeing him experience college, and he is doing so much better as a freshman than I ever did. Hopefully, I had something to do with that.
- His sweet little texts
Alvin has no shame texting me any time of the day, no matter how obvious or easily accessible the answer to his question is. But that just adds to the fun of it, because I remember being a freshman having some of the same questions, so it is nice being able to provide him answers, as well as mess with him at times too. He will text to study together or just grab food (or beg me to make him food). Here are some of my favorite texts I have found that he has sent thus far:
”What is the ice cream place called? Ted Cruz?”
“I keep hearing his name. What’s his significance?”
“Is there any chance you know the bouncer at Humphrey’s tonight?”
“Can you pick me up after class at the Great Grand Circle?”
“Can you send me a picture of your balance on your bank app? I have to prove I have some financial stability and my balance does not prove that.”
“Hypothetically, if my car keys fell out of my pocket and I don’t know where they are anymore, what do I do?”
- Being the most iconic sibling duo on campus
Maybe that is an exaggeration, but that is how I feel having him by my side. My friends always praise Alvin and me for our healthy sibling relationship and how close we are. It is reaffirming to know that our dynamic is appreciated and adored by those around us.
Going to the same university as your little sibling is a beautiful experience that I hope others can experience and appreciate. This year will be the last time Alvin and I are attending the same school as I approach my senior year of college.
All to this say, thank you Alvin for following me to the same school for our entire lives, truly it has never gotten old or tiring. I love having my brother alongside me! The only downside I can think of is how Alvin “borrows” my T-shirts and hoodies, only for me to never see them again (P.S. I want those back).