Siblings; you love them and hate them. While they tease you constantly, it’s hard to imagine your life without them living in the room right next you you. There’s some things about growing up with a sibling that are impossible to experience any other way.

1. Comparisons

If I had a dollar for overtime I got compared to my older brother, my college tuition would be paid for, no problem. Being that my brother was going into business, and I’m a journalism major, you can guess that it’s pretty unfair to do that. Everyone expects you to be like that older sibling, even though you may be completely different. Especially if you look alike. The comparisons never end! So pease stop comparing me to my older brother. Yes, we all know he’s smarter than me. Let’s move on, shall we?

2. Protectiveness

My brother has never been crazy over protecting me, but he knows when he needs to be. Whether it was with a boy who hurt me or friends hurting me, he was always there to offer to beat someone up. No matter how much you may fight, brothers will always be your go to person in the end to help you. I don’t know what I would’ve done without his judgment on whether a guy was being honest, or playing me, since he was usually right.

3. Embarrassing you

Your older sibling has been with you since the moment you were born. They know everything, it’s impossible to hide it since you live together. Therefore, they have more stories than any human should, and will be ready to embarrass you at any given moment. Shawn has embarrassed me on numerous occasions, and will always seek out the chance. It’s like a natural instinct.

4. Learning from them

To be honest, the most valuable lessons I’ve learned have come from my brother. He taught me so much without even realizing it. Watching him grow up I learned everything from how to get away with not listening to my parents to how to deal with the hardest moments in life. Whether you like it or not, they know better than you because they’ve lived through more.

5. Getting advice (Without asking for it)

Somehow, Shawn has always been ready to give me advice, without me even asking for it. While it’s frustrating in the moment while they’re telling you that your test is more important than going over your friends house, they’re right and keep you from making too many bad choices. They let you make just enough to learn from them and make fun of you later.

6. Stealing their stuff

While this wasn’t always my case, considering my brother is much bigger than me, and a male, there were still moments that I got his hand-me-downs, or that I just took a t-shirt without asking. I basically have an entire drawer dedicated to his shirts, books and other random things. I can only imagine how it is with a sibling of the same gender. But eventually everything is just stolen from each other, from clothes to food.

7. Getting rides

My brother is 3 years older than me. Therefore, he got his license before I did, causing many fights about him giving me rides to dance, school, friends houses and wherever I wanted to go when my parents didn’t feel like it. While it was often the reason behind our fights, he usually ended up driving me. However, driving with Shawn was always a blast, with him trying to rap at 8 am while we were going to work or getting coffee. Also…he ended up helping with teaching me how to drive, something I never wish to relive.

8. Saving You At Awkward Functions

Who else is supposed to save you from boredom at functions where you don’t know anyone and just feel awkward? Your sibling will because they were forced to go too.

Growing with with siblings is definitely an adventure, but in the end, I wouldn’t want it any other way.