We all say we’re going to do things differently when we have our own kids. We’re not going to ground them, invade their privacy or compare them to others. I feel strongly about the latter. Having a sister who is only a year younger than me has been a blessing and a curse. As a kid, I always had someone to play dress-up with, and today there isn’t anyone who I trust more with my secrets than Shannon. However, as much as I hate to admit it, there has always been an underlying competition between us. My mom loves to tease about the time when an old woman marveled at my sister’s “big, beautiful blue eyes,” and 5-year-old me exclaimed, “Look, I have beautiful brown eyes!”

I have worked hard in school, but Shannon is naturally gifted when it comes to the books. While she flies through 10 pages of reading, I’m re-reading the first page for the third time. We all have our strengths, though. While my sister may be especially good in the classroom, I know I’ve got it right outside. I’m not afraid to speak to strangers, whether they are the homeless people in The Loop or supermodels like Karlie Kloss at my sophomore Friendship Dance. One of my proudest moments was figuring out the London underground with a friend. Another was asking to pay for my horchata at a cafe in Mexico City. I have an itch to go places, to meet new people with a fresh perspective and to learn their stories. My dad says you could drop me anywhere on the planet, and I’d be fine.

One thing I know for sure is to not expect anything from anyone. Everyone is different, and that is what makes this world so special. We have to be careful when it comes to comparing two people, two places or two anything because nothing is the same. My sister has helped me keep an open mind, and for that, I have the world.