I am the youngest of four - by eight years. My siblings are all in their late twenties or early thirties, whereas I just turned twenty-one. I've learned lots of things from them, all of which are vital life lessons.
1. The shows they watched as kids are inherently better than what I did.
And there will be no questions asked about it.
2. When told to ask Mom for something, do NOT immediately preface it with, "Michelle wants to know if we can..."
Sorry, Sis. I was never a great mole.
3. The reason you were born was for cheap labor.
Because you're clearly not working hard enough.
4. "You're weird" is code for "I love you."
Took me twenty years to figure that one out. Life got a lot easier afterward.
5. You really ARE weird.
At least, if you're like me and are the theater kid in a crowd of athletes.
6. Anyone who hurts you is fair game for a beating.
Because you were smaller than them for a good portion of your life, you have the added benefit of automatic protection.
7. Anyone they PERCEIVE as hurting you is fair game for a beating.
Oftentimes, they don't actually ask questions first.
8. You will forever be "Jeff's sister."
Or Michelle's. Or Keith's. You are not you. You are them. It is an established thing.
9. Siblings make the best karaoke partners.
And Bohemian Rhapsody is the best song ever.
10. If you do not bloom in the exact same pattern they did, there is some kind of aberration in your growth.
If that makes sense. It probably doesn't.
11. Most of what you think is funny...isn't.
It makes more sense in my head, okay?
12. You've got at least one (three, in my case) people who will always have your back, no matter what.
It's pretty chill, this youngest child arrangement.