Harlowe Castonguay

My brother and I when we were younger.

Older brothers can go one way or another; they can be funny and nice, then turn around the next moment and hate your guts. They’re supportive when you need them, but at the same time, they mess with you – ever since you were born, basically. Even while sitting at the dinner table, they find a way to push your buttons and get you aggravated. Having an older brother and growing up with one was such a privilege. Although, it was an experience, since we have such a big age gap, you’re basically living two different lives.

I’m pretty close with my brother to this day. While he attends college at the Mount, I see him frequently when he isn’t working or at school. No one is ever ready for their sibling to move out for college or to start the rest of their life, especially after spending so many years with them. Some people have great relationships with their older brothers, while others may not and can’t wait for them to leave the house. So, my relationship with my brother is something I truly cherish. 

He has given me so much advice from his own mistakes when he was my age. I appreciate everything he does for our family; I truly could not ask for a better sibling than my brother.

Growing up with a sibling is truly an experience. Good or bad. Hugging or fighting. It’s like a built-in best friend; they’re always there for you and will support you through everything. Even if there’s ups and downs or you’re mad at each other for stupid things, you’ll always go back to being siblings again. 

I don’t remember much about my brother when I was little, but seeing pictures of us, I know he was a caring brother. Growing up and having an older sibling is difficult because you both have responsibilities and your own things to do, so you don’t see each other often. Eventually, he’ll move out, and I’ll rarely see him unless it’s a holiday or he’s just visiting. It’s hard because you spend every minute with your sibling, and seeing them move off to college creates a hole in your chest. 

No one can really explain that feeling, but it hurts all the same.

I believe that depending on the type of person you are, your personality has been built by a sibling, who teaches you everything they know, whether or not it sticks with you. Older siblings are educational in the sense that they will guide you if they need to, but won’t micromanage you like parents sometimes tend to do. They can also teach you how to drive or what to do in a hard situation. Sometimes, they can even be like a parental figure.

It gets lonely now that my brother has graduated high school and moved on to college – despite him attending a college that is close by – because he’s rarely home. It’s either work or school taking up his time, and if I do see my older brother, it’s between 10pm and 12am. I’m almost always sleeping then, and then the cycle just repeats. 

This is a big difference from seeing him almost every day when I got home from school, because your older sibling always got out before you. I would watch Cartoon Network with my older brother everyday once I got home from elementary school. And when he was in middle school, I remember playing PlayStation with him and fighting over the Wii to see who would get player one.

Looking back on old memories with my brother, I miss every minute and second of it. It was when life was simple and refreshing. When I didn’t have as much stress over schoolwork and social complications. I could just hang out with my brother and have the best time, but now it’s difficult even to hang out for a couple of hours.

Having an older sibling can have downsides; you may not get along with their friends, argue over small things, or have disagreements over family issues. But they are still your sibling, and you’ll always have that bond.

An older brother is caring and protective. They give you advice and help you, no matter the consequences. It may seem like they hate you some of the time, but in reality, they care for you more than you know. It might look easy on the outside, but building a bond with your older sibling can be difficult because of their maturity or that their life doesn’t revolve solely around you. Your older sibling might push you away, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need you.

This column is to show my love and appreciation for my older brother, as he has always been there for me and always cared. No matter the situation, we always stood up for each other. When he graduated high school, we still kept the bond that we had when we were younger. I spend most of my summer with him, one of the only breaks we have together. Older siblings are truly a blessing, and should appreciate them more.