Tagging Along with a Sibling for the College Ride

Going away to college can be a scary thought sometimes, especially alone. Like high school, you have to start fresh, find your way, and play the cards you are dealt. However, one way to eliminate this fear would be going to the same college or university as your sibling.

Seeing a familiar face in a crowd of strangers can be quite comforting and will help with transitioning into the college environment. Anyone who has gone to a new school knows the feeling of relief after running into an old friend. Imagine attending the same school with a sibling.

According to an article from USA Today, when going to the same university as a sibling, the chances of seeing them are slim. Especially siblings with different interests and majors would be less likely to run into each other by chance. Attending college with a sibling could, in fact, strengthen the relationship. Here at Frostburg State University (FSU) students who attend with their sibling(s) feel the same way.

Seniors Kenny and Kerry Anyikude, 22, are twins who originally did not plan on coming to FSU together, but said it was “financially smart” for them to do so. While FSU was Kerry’s first choice, Marshall University was Kenny’s.They then both ended up going to FSU.

Kerry said, “We understand each other.” The twins talk about anything and everything including academics, clothes, girls, sports, and so on. Kerry said, “At first we did get on each other’s nerves because we were doing everything together and we saw each other a lot, but we are the same people.”

Kenny added, “We are like white on rice.”

When the two were freshman, they played intramurals, shared classes and went to the gym, library, forums, events, and parties together. With Kerry being a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Kenny a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. they both agreed and said, “We do not see each other as much, which makes our bond much stronger.” They both said they were trying to follow in their older sister who graduated in Fall 2011, Jennifer’s footsteps as well.

Another family that came to FSU together are Sophomore Eileen Rivera and Valerie Rivera who graduated last December. For one semester, Eileen said she did not mind going to the same university as her sister. “We have always had a really close relationship and I used to come up and visit her,” she mentioned.

Eileen also said, “It felt a lot easier because she gave me advice so I would not make the same mistakes that most freshman make when they go to college.” Although Eileen and Valerie were four years a part, they still spent time together. She said, “I would go over her house since I lived in the dorms, and she would cook dinner or we would go out to eat.”

She also said, “We would talk about everything.” Like Kenny and Kerry, Eileen and Valerie’s relationship remained the same even while going to the same school.

Junior Nicole and Senior Whitney Carter are a year a part, but have done everything together. Nicole came to FSU a semester after Whitney did. Whitney said, “I started at Frostburg alone and I could not deal. I called my big sister pretty much daily, telling her how much I missed her and wanted her to come. We have always been close being that we are a year a part.”

When Nicole arrived, the sisters were practically inseparable since they did almost everything together. Nicole said, “At first you did not see one without the other.” She continued, “We would go to the café together, lived in the dorms, and went to parties on the regular.”

Nicole said, “I pretty much came out here because of her, but eventually she outgrew partying, and I did not so we did not go out together as much.” Whitney said, “We were more like best friends than roommates.”

Although Whitney stopped going out with Nicole, she said, “We both had to learn to be ourselves and do what we like, even if it wasn’t together. So even though we have managed to stay close we have also learned who we are separate from one another, something that would have been impossible if we were apart.”

Going to the same college as a sibling can ultimately help strength relationships and make the freshmen transition less frightening. With a sibling at their side, many of FSU’s siblings have grown and become stronger individuals.