Leaving behind siblings while going to college can be one of the hardest transitions seniors face.
It’s hard on the younger students, too, who often rely on older siblings for advice.
Senior Brenden Smith gained a lot of knowledge from his older brother Zach when he was a freshman. Zach taught him that high school involves a lot of social change.
“He told me that you might not have the same friends your freshman year as you do your senior year,” Brenden said.
Brenden and Zach were very close when they were in high school together. When Zach left for college during Brenden’s sophomore year, it made everything oddly quiet.
“It was weird at first because he was a senior when I was a freshman, and I would forget that I don’t see my brother at school anymore,” Brenden said.
Surviving high school might be tough, but having a sibling can help or heighten your battles. Not having your sibling to help you with the little things can be hard.
Freshman Olivia Fortman, might run into the same problem with her sister. Olivia’s sister, Senior Claire Fortman are very close. Olivia also gained a lot of advice from her the rest of high school.
“She taught me to space out my homework, so I don’t have to cram and to make good decisions,” Olivia said.
Claire has made Olivia’s high school experience a little easier. Having shared a year with her, Olivia has been able to get things that she may have left at home.
“I once traded my chips and guacamole for a hair tie,” Olivia said.
Although Claire taught her a lot of things, having her in high school held Olivia back a little bit.
“One time I left my lunch in North and my friend gave it to Claire. It was supposed to go to me, but Claire ate it,” Olivia said.
Having your sibling in high school can help immensely, and your family bond may grow a lot, even after high school.
All of the older sibligns are among many graduating and going to college this fall. According to National Center for Education Statistics, about 3.5 million students are expected to graduate from high school in 2016–17.
Claire is traveling 719 miles away to Clemson University this fall, and the bond that they share will keep them to be close from afar.
“We have a lot of inside jokes and weird names for each other,” Claire said.