1. You know songs that don’t belong to your generation at all.
When your classmates are busy fan-girling over Justin Bieber’s latest album or arguing who is the hottest Jonas Brother, you are more likely to be listening to some amazing retro love songs, and what most would argue was ‘real’ music—be it Bon Jovi or Guns n Roses. Or perhaps when your friends talk about how amazing Green Day’s new music is, you reminisce about their pre-American Idiot and Dookie days and think how awesome those old rock anthems still are.
2. You have a tutor pretty much all the time.
You were able to cut down on tuition expenses, because your big brother was always there to help you with algebra homework or your science projects. From making presentations to lessons in history, studies were always a tad easier for you, because your elder sibling was always there to correct your mistakes and explain the tough stuff.
3. You can talk to people much older than you smoothly.
I bet you didn’t realize fighting with your elder sister 24×7 would give you a crash course in developing your interpersonal relationship skills. You not only got to know how older people think and act, but also knew the best ways to charm them in case you need something.
4. It was like always having another parent.
It’s literally like having a third parent without the whole ‘generation gap’ issue thrown in. From looking out for you, teaching important life lessons and even scolding you when you were in the wrong, you always have a real flesh-and-blood and sometimes exasperated guardian angel to take care of you and have half-decent conversations with, most of the time.
5. You’re always previewing your far future by referring to him/her.
Because they’re so intrinsic to your life, you can’t ever imagine a future without them. You always think of your life in relation to theirs. No matter what your aspirations or goals are, your life 20 years down the line is bound to include them.
6. You get really useful dating advice for free.
You don’t make those same mistakes in love, because they’ve already done it. You’ve seen them flounder with their first high school romance, helped them dress up for prom night, cheered with them after their first date, comforted them after their first break-up and now you pretty much know enough about dating to become a relationship counselor. Plus, you tend to be a pretty good judge of people just from watching your older sibling’s relationships. And when you make your own mistakes, you have someone who has been there and can give you great comfort. Plus when it was your turn for love, there was no way you could keep it a secret from them.
7. You ALWAYS had a role model to look up to.
Your older sibling was always your greatest inspiration. At times, their reputation would precede you at school and sometimes you’d be sick of being compared to them, but deep in your heart, they were your perfect role models and you aspired to be like them. Having an older sibling may initially come off as a mixed blessing but in the long run, you will wonder how you could have ever managed if they weren’t by your side. Because being the baby always has its fair share of benefits. Featured photo credit: Fede Racchi via imcreator.com
