There’s no one in the world quite like my older sister. She’s incredibly smart, hilariously funny, endlessly caring, the greatest role model, and my best friend.

Growing up as the little sister isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, don’t get me wrong. My sister is a Stanford Law graduate… needless to say, I’ve never won an argument with her. She also knows the exact way to get on my last nerve and is not afraid to do so. Siblings fight, that's just a part of life. However, I’d take petty arguments and stolen clothes any day if it means getting to have an older sister by my side.

From what I’ve learned, sisterhood is less about who gets to use the shower first and more about endless Gossip Girl marathons. It’s less about who gets to be on their “good side” in the picture and more about Christmas break sleepovers where the best life advice comes in the early hours of the morning. Sisterhood is something special. It's that intangible sense of understanding and loyalty. Sisters function as great friends because they're the life-long, through-it-all kind of friend. They care in a way that no one else can because they know you in such a unique capacity. They know that you're capable of being the world's biggest brat, but they love you anyway. They know that you believed in Santa Claus for a little longer than you probably should have, but they won't judge you for it.

Having a sister has taught me more than I ever imagined. I've learned about empathy and how sometimes you don't know why you're crying about Jeff Francouer being traded from the Braves but your sister is crying and you can't help it. I've learned about vulnerability and how it's okay to ask for help when you need it and to be humble enough to accept the help when it's given to you. I strongly believe that being a sister has helped me to be a better friend.

In all honesty, I don’t know where I’d be without my big sister. I need someone to keep me accountable, to motivate me to work hard, to check in on me because even from 500 miles away she knows something’s up. I need someone who knows me, who gets me, who can tell it to me like it is. No one else can fulfill these needs quite like my sister can… it’s why she makes the best friend.

So here’s to you, my sports-obsessed, crazy smart, relentlessly stubborn but incredibly determined big sister. Thank you for dealing with your pesky little sister. Thank you for staying true to who you are, so that I know that I can do the same. Thank you for caring, despite the irrational fights, the six-year age gap, and my horrible long-distance communication skills. Thanks for being my partner in crime, my confidence booster, my duet counterpart in car ride sing-a-longs, and the standard that I hold myself to. I love you more than you know.