By: Leanna Yu
Imagine growing up your entire lives together, and then entering a new chapter of your lives: high school. Once siblings begin attending high school together, it can change their whole relationship in many different aspects. The reality of going to high school with a sibling can be both exciting and frightening. Through a series of interviews, several pairs of siblings at Mills expressed their opinions on the effect of attending the same high school on their relationships.
Matthew Chan and Samantha Chan
For Samantha Chan (12) and Matthew Chan (10), this year is their second—and last—year attending the same school. Their relationship consists of avoiding any interaction with one another at home, so school is the bridge that brings them closer together. When asked to describe their first day of school together, Samantha stated that she tried “disassociating with [her] brother”. Agreeing with his sister, Matthew added that he “did not see [his] sister, so it was all good”. However, starting high school together has allowed them to grow closer, as there are more things they to talk about and relate to. Matthew also believes that they have become closer through taking the same world language class together. After reflecting on the positives of going to school together, Samantha commented, “If I ever need money, I can go ask my brother to borrow some. If I’m cold or still hungry after finishing all of my food, I sometimes take his jacket or food.” As the older sister, Samantha had a few words of advice to give to her younger brother: “Don’t waste your four years in high school just spending it on academics. Go to dances and games, and please for goodness sake, don’t be like those people who sit down during the rally. Dress up for spirit days and take advantage of opportunities. It’s pretty cliche advice, but time really [passes] by quickly, especially since I’m graduating next year.”
Derrick Lin and Desiree Lin
Derrick Lin (9) and Desiree Lin (12) are both active participants at school. The current freshman vice president and the ASB secretary are three years apart in age, but it does not change anything about their friendship! While expressing their opinions on their first day of high school together this past August, Derrick stated that he “did not feel much” and that the day “felt the same”, but Desiree held differing views, detailing that she “thought that [she] was going to need to coddle him because [their] parents were much more worried about him entering high school than when [she] was. [She] totally expected for them to have [her] walk him to each class”. The pair also reflected on their least favorite parts of going to school together. Derrick said that “[he has] to wait for her to get ready in the morning; she almost always forgets something and has to run back in the house”, but Desiree argued that “it’s more like [she has] to wait for him. [They] usually finish getting ready at the same time, but [she] always gets out first before him”. Derrick’s last wish to tell his sister was, “Stop taking all of my chargers! I know you’re always on your computer for college apps, but it literally only takes ten seconds to ask to use it.” Desiree’s words of wisdom to her brother was, “Do not be afraid to try new things!”
William Handoko and Gabby Handoko
William Handoko (9) and Gabby Handoko (10) agree that they have become closer since entering high school. In the past, elementary and middle school allowed “very limited interaction between different grades”, but now in high school, they are both able to have closer friends in alternate grades. The pair gave insight into how attending high school strengthened their relationship. Now that they attend the same school, “there are more things that [they] both could relate to”, which in turn has led them to have more conversations about their school lives together. While William believes the best part of attending the same school is that he has someone to annoy, Gabby mentions that “[they] have a lot more in common. It’s easier to talk about [their] daily lives because [they] know what’s going on with each other at school. He also helps [her] open [her] lunch box at lunch”. Due to their interactions both at school and home, they get along very well and act like regular friends. William said that “if [they] went to different schools, [they] wouldn’t be able to have a deep understanding of what [they] are both are going through and [they would] have less topics to talk about, because school is such a big part of [their] lives. As the older sibling, Gabby often gives William advice on any aspects of life such as school, extracurriculars, family, and friends. However, as the younger brother, William does not want his old sister to think of him as a “freshman,” but rather, as an equal.
After diving deeper into a few sibling relationships at school, the truth about having a sister or brother at Mills has been uncovered. While it is evident that all pairs of siblings have different types of relationships, high school is a place that can affect their bond in both positive and negative ways. These interviews with three separate siblings at school publicize that high school does bring brothers and sisters closer together in many aspects of their lives.
