For the longest time, we older siblings have know that our younger siblings are Da Real MVPs. I’ve been blessed with a younger sister, and now that I am headed off to college, I am beginning to realize that yes, I am REALLY going to miss her. Although siblings, can annoy you so much that you just want to sit on them (Yes, I have done this multiple times and it always works), they are also our best friends. Therefore, I’ve come up with 10 reasons why younger siblings are truly the best. Which one best describes your relationship with your sibling?

1. They ALWAYS have your back

Even though you may beat each other up or say mean things to each other, none of it is “for real.” However, if someone else ever picks on your sibling… well they just messed with the wrong family.

In elementary school, I was at a pool party when a mean girl came up and started bullying me. Being the shy, timid child that I was, I just stood there, averting my eyes and refusing to stand up for myself. Luckily for me, my formidable younger sister, only three at the time, stormed up to the scene. Although she was half of our height, she stood firmly between us with both hands on her hips. She looked up at the girl and furiously said, “Don’t be mean to my sister.” We were all so surprised that none of us said a word until my sister took my hand and dragged me away. I will personally never forget this moment because from a young age, my sister has literally always been there for me. Siblings are the best because they ALWAYS stand up for you, even when you are too afraid to stand up for yourself.

2. They understand your bathroom needs

Whether you are squatting over a disgusting toilet on a road trip with your family or comfortably using your own bathroom, you occasionally run out toilet paper. Unfortunately, your pants are already down and you are now in a sticky situation. Luckily, your sibling understands your bathroom needs. They are always there with toilet paper, whether it be an entire role or just passing a wad of toilet paper under the bathroom stall.

3. You take really cute pictures.

Whatever tension there may be between siblings, they always slay pictures. After having to pose for hundreds of pictures for parents, siblings know how to take pictures like pros. You andyour siblings have your go to poses that always get at least 100 likes on Instagram. The best part? You’ve practiced so much that multiple tries are not needed.

4. They get you and understand you like no one else can

There is no one in the world who is more closely related to you than your sibling. Close as in emotionally close and genetically close. You have similar tendencies and habits, whether they are apparent or not. This means that you understand each other’s idiosyncasies and implications. You are basic psychic with each other, which comes in handy as your clandestinely converse at the dinner table without your parents knowing. They also do things that would normally annoy you, except you do them too so can you really hate?

5. They give advice without an agenda

When you ask your sibling for advice, they always come in clutch. How to write a college essay? They talk to you on the phone for an hour and read every sub-par draft. How to talk to that cute boy from class? They practice with you, giving real life advice. How to make the ‘rent s understand that you cannot live without going to the Beyonce concert with your best friends? They convince your parents to let you go, as long as your older sibling can “chaperone”. Siblings are always there for us, giving stellar advice (usually) without expecting anything in return.

6. Your clothes grows exponentially with a sibling

It’s safe to say that 99 percentage of fights between sisters are over clothes. “Dad she stole my only shirt” or “Mom she’s wearing my favorite dress” are hyperboles that parents are sick of hearing. However, when we take a moment and stop fighting, we realize that our closets are double the size that we thought they were. As a sibling, we see it as our unalienable right to wear any item of clothing that resides in not just our own closet, but the closet of our sibling as well. For now, it’s a great way to avoid repeats and you get to give your favorite staples the most love. This works for shoes too! However, you do run into problems that threaten to shake the stability of your household if you absolutely need to wear those black heels but find them on your sibling’s feet.

7. You are known to the world by association with your younger sibling.

This is a typical conversation I engage in with Middle Schoolers:

>>>Are you Astha’s older sister?>Um Yes.

>>>OMG she makes the BEST brownies. They are so good!!

>Um thanks? I helped sample.

So yes, your sibling is cooler and more popular than you. You are known to the world by simply being related to your sibling. But you wouldn’t want it any other way.

8. EVERYTHING is a competition.

Time to shower? You race up the stairs to battle for first dibs on the bathroo. Grades? You draw an extra plus beside your A+, because there is no way your sibling can beat an A++. In a way, this friendly competition actually drives us to be the best version of ourselves.

9. Siblings love your silly side.

There is no pressure to act grown up around your siblings. Since you grew up together, you obviously did silly things back then, so why not continue being silly now? Channeling your inner child has never been more satisfying if you are with a sibling. You can run around the house semi-naked, blare music unfathomably loud in the car, and make funny music videos. Siblings are there to join the fun and they never judge you for not acting your age.

10. They always listen.

There is one person you can always tell your deepest love or seemingly impossible dream to-- that’s your sibling. Siblings always extend a listening ear, no matter the time. They never judge if it’s something important to you, although they may give you crap about it later.