I like to think I didn’t really grow up an only child because of my pet golden retriever, Tansey. But, in the human sense, I did. I don’t have any siblings. So, my life looked a little different than most of my friends’ lives growing up. Here’s how:

What I Did For Fun

Growing up, I enjoyed twirling batons. I was on a competitive team, but the best part about twirling for me was I could do it alone— and I did, for hours on end in my driveway. I used to love going to the beach because I would practice there!

Another hobby I picked up was reading and writing. My mom used to read to me all the time, and I still love reading to this day because of her. I also discovered my love for writing at a pretty young age. I submitted hundreds of entries to online magazines, and I was published a couple of times! Even still, I love to write. When I got to Auburn, I joined the Plainsman Newspaper to continue exercising my passions every day.

Who I Met

Since I didn’t have any siblings growing up, I forced myself to meet a lot of different people. I am quite the extrovert. I love going out and meeting new people, and I think that definitely comes from me being an only child growing up. I always gravitated towards having older friends because they were like my big brothers and sisters. When I was younger, I ended up finding a non-biological sister, my best friend, Rachel. Rachel is nine years older than I am and I am going to be in her wedding this summer!

What Activities I Picked Up

As an only child, I had to constantly keep myself occupied and busy to avoid extreme boredom. So, in high school, I taught myself how to play the guitar and got involved in the youth group band at my church. I loved playing in front of people and continue to enjoy playing for my friends today. Another activity I tried (and failed) to pick up was painting. I love painting because it is very therapeutic, but I am really terrible at it. I like to stick to abstract. I also loved making jewelry. When I was little, I made bracelets and necklaces out of paper clips. I have now moved up to beads and string, but I still love making friendship bracelets.

What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like

I had my own space being an only child, and I’ve gotten used to that being normal. Now, at Auburn, I share a bathroom with my suitemate, and I realize I took my space for granted. What I didn’t like about being an only child, though, was that I was alone a lot. I am a huge extrovert and I like being around people all of the time. However, this did lead to a ton of fun sleepovers when I was little.

To me, growing up without siblings was always normal. In fact, my mom is an only child too. I think that everything happens for a reason and if I did have siblings growing up, I would be a different person today. I don’t think I would have branched out as much when I was little, and I wouldn’t have the amazing honorary family members I picked up along the way. I have added hundreds of people to my little world over the years and I’m very glad I was forced to branch out and do so. Happy National Only Child Day!

Be Well, Auburn.