Boarding schools are unique—in what other place can one expect to find the peaceful co-existence of over three hundred teens and noticeably fewer adults, other than Neverland? It’s a completely unfamiliar situation and one that has an aura of mystique surrounding it, thanks, in part to Harry Potter. The community of a boarding school is an entirely separate one from the families at home, but there are a lucky few who have merged the two together, having their cake and eating it too.
Siblings that school together bring more of their homes to Brentwood, increasing the vibrancy of the community and adding another hue to the rainbow that makes up its student body. With a sibling comes inside jokes about long-ago family reunions, holiday mishaps, and crazy aunts. They’re a source of jests and taunting and embarrassing stories of childhood. Siblings here at school can be a playful nuisance when doing a “background check” on their younger sister’s new boyfriend or reminding their older brother of his five year old self’s birthday dance routine at a socially inopportune time.
An endless fountain of familiarity, they can also be a much welcomed support during times of trouble at school or home, a steadfast friend who will always make time for a sibling in dire straits. An ever watchful eye, it is the brother or sister who is most interested in their sibling’s new crush or rival because of that instinctual effort to protect them—a well meant though potentially annoying trait.
Having an older sibling who made house captain or rugby captain can leave some giant cleats to fill, though only to the eyes of an outsider— a childhood of shared experiences wins out every time as true sibling love proves we all deserve to forge our own paths through Brentwood and our lives.
Whether one’s sibling experience was one of great affection and little annoyance, or the laughably more popular vice versa, being able to share both Brentwood and home communities with an understanding sibling is an invaluable gift and truly the best of both worlds.