Siblings moving away for college can be hard on younger siblings. If you’ve ever had an older sibling move away due to college, you know how hard it is as the younger sibling to adapt. You’ve gone your entire life living with them as your role model, and now all of a sudden you’re living like an only child. How do you deal with it?
Personal experience
My older sister is about to move this summer for. She is attending the University of Rhode Island. A one-way trip to the university is about three and a half hours away. This means she will dorm in Rhode Island and will no longer be living in our house. She’s two years older than me, and we’ve never really been apart for as long as we are about to.
I rely on her to do a lot of things. She takes me everywhere, driving me to school, and even sharing some of the same friends. It’s not uncommon for us to just hang out together.
I was never really that close with my sister until quarantine started back in 2020 due to COVID-19. We spent a lot of time together and eventually became more like best friends than sisters.
The decision to dorm at a college relatively far away from home was a tough one to make. My parents, at first, weren’t on board with the idea and are still not 100% certain if living away is the best option for her. Since she also received acceptance from other schools she applied to such as Kean and Seton Hall, which are closer to home and aren’t necessary to dorm in, the disputes over whether to dorm or not were prominent for months. Choosing to dorm at a university can be a big decision for many families, especially with their first child who has to go through it all. Eventually, the decision to dorm was confirmed, though it wasn’t an easy one to make.
How to cope
I know that the second she moves away, my life will become drastically different. I won’t have her there to give me advice or just talk to.
The best thing to do is be happy about her success and wish her the best. I know that she’ll do great things when she’s at college and I’m really happy that she’s able to live her dream. For anyone else who is dealing with the same situation, make sure you vocalize how proud you are of your sibling. At the end of the day, showing support for their actions is all you can really do.
In the world we live in today, communicating with one another has never been easier. Although she’ll be three and a half hours away, I can always call, video chat, or text her. Those are all great ways to stay in touch. I can also count on her coming back home for the holidays, which are usually longer breaks in college.
Siblings moving away for college can be hard on younger siblings, but it’s what you do in the situation to make the most of it that really counts in the end.
