My Sister is My Role Model

Like the average teenager, who seeks the perfect person to look up to, I longed to have someone in my life inspire me so that I may do what pleases myself as well as my loved ones. A role model is a person who someone admires and whose behaviour they try to copy. From all the people I could choose to be my role model, I always thought that my sister would fit best. I used to think that my goals should be set to accomplish past her’s. As the youngest in my immediate family, I spent most of my life with my sister, so it was never a doubt that I shouldn’t be like her.

Over three years ago, my family moved to the United States. Not long before we moved did my sister and I have different friend groups; for a while, we didn’t see each other eye-to-eye. When we moved here, I knew that this was the perfect chance for us to reconnect. We both took time to rebuild the relationship we used to have. I was a freshman and she was a sophomore when we started school here. We had similar classes and we did some of our homework together but we never did anything more than that. As my junior year began, my sister started applying to colleges and I saw myself planning to live my best life after she moved to college. One night she asked me to analyze one of her essays for her English class. Little did I know that this was a college essay that she poured her heart out to. In her essay, she had discussed how ‘family’ has shaped and influenced her: “Our relationship signifies a greater meaning of unity, obedience, and respect because we collaborate effectively, and live tranquilly. Sometimes family relationships are hard to maintain. There might be family disputes but in the end, we always love each other.” It took me a while to see that this was about us. It is through her essay that I finally got to connect with her and have the same relationship that we used to have. I held on to this since the moment she left for college.

As a sixteen-year-old who has lived in three countries and has been to sixteen countries, I am truly lucky to say that my actions and decisions have been influenced by many opportunities and challenges. Sometime during my junior year, I realized that I am capable of creating a future that I would like rather than follow my sister’s path, step-by-step. I received the chance to apply to a program for students planning to pursue a career in the medical field. Once I applied and was accepted, I was sure I wanted to proceed along my path and not my sister’s. The Practicum in Health Science program that I am in right now, has made me open up my eyes to all the new possibilities that are waiting for me in this life. Success here requires dedication and open-mindedness, and I feel better prepared for college and for what comes after.

My sister has been and still is the most influential person in my life. Not only is she someone who I go to get advice from, but she is also my best friend. From having our favourite cereal for breakfast with KDD 123 chocolate milk to our late-night calls to help each other with chemistry homework, my sister has been the best friend I never knew I needed in my life. Through all the good and bad, my sister has been with me, to support and guide me. I hope to continue to bring much joy and happiness to my sister and my family as they have taught me to do so in all things I do.