All younger siblings know that when their older brother or sister graduates from high school there will be a lot of changes. Some graduates get jobs or rent an apartment while others head off to college.  For some, it is claiming the older sibling’s bigger room or not having to share the TV remote anymore. For others, it’s stepping out from their sibling’s shadow or being the most mature kid in the house. Most of these assumed changes seem positive on the surface. As we get to high school, though, we begin to realize how much of an impact a graduating sibling actually has on each of us. Graduation is not just a drastic change for seniors but also for their siblings who are left behind. I myself have recently experienced this with my older brother Micah graduating from high school with the class of 2023. It is a surreal experience getting to this point after the past two years of him going on college visits and filling out scholarship applications.

     It has been a big adjustment being the only child in my home. For starters, it’s weird not seeing my brother every day. In fact, I sometimes forget that Micah is even away at all, and I just assume he is at work and will be back later. It’s weird going from knowing mostly everything about my brother’s life to only hearing from him once a week for the past two months. I find out random little tidbits about what he is doing, like the cardboard boat race all of the engineering students do at his school, Cedarville University, in the fall. 

     I asked several Dover High School students about their experiences with siblings graduating from high school and moving on to college.

     Taylor Brogan, a junior at Dover High School, has had a similar experience when her sister and former Crimsonian staff member, Erin Brogan, graduated last spring with the class of 2023. Taylor explained that not having Erin around “is SUPER weird. Although Erin is not the most talkative, our house seems significantly quieter and emptier now. I have two older brothers, who recently graduated college, and I definitely was impacted more by Erin leaving than them. I believe that is because I am closer in age to Erin and spent more time with her growing up so I was used to her being home more.” When I asked Taylor if her appreciation for her sister has changed, she responded with “Most definitely yes! I didn’t realize how much I relied on her for guidance until she was gone. Although we didn’t always see eye-to-eye, we both appreciate each other more now that we are farther apart. The separation has brought us closer together.” Taylor also commented that “Since [Erin] has left, I have only seen her once. But, I plan on seeing her more in the next few weekends. I do talk to her more online by texting and Facetiming more now than I ever did while she was home.”

     I also interviewed junior Elizabeth Lane about her opinion of the differences in her life before and after her brother, Lucas Lane, graduated with the class of 2023. Elizabeth expressed that not having her brother home “[is] a very weird feeling. I feel like I miss something that I never thought I would have to. Just not having my brother around makes it feel like a part of my life is no longer there.” She also concluded that “I appreciated having him around the same as I do when I get to call and spend time with him now.” Elizabeth stated that “I don’t physically see my brother very often, but we have our weekly FaceTime calls, and I can visit pretty much any time I want to!”