At the beginning of the school year, while everyone else was either happy or upset that their sibling was leaving for college, I didn’t have to worry about that because my older brother Colton had decided to stay home and go to college at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. Colton also takes nursing classes at Bellin College.

When Colton graduated in 2015, my whole family already knew that Colton would be home for the next few years. We didn’t have to worry about moving him and all of his stuff to a new city or even a new state.

Many of my friends have been so excited to see their siblings off to college. I can’t say I’d feel the same if Colton had gone away for college.

Colton and I have been close my whole life. I’ve always talked to him when I needed help, and I could always trust him if I needed it. Even now, I always ask him for help on homework because he’s already taken most of the classes that I’m in and had the same teacher as I do. Texting or calling him every time I needed help would not have been easy for either of us if he went out of town for college.

Sometimes you can find both Colton and me sitting in the basement and working on homework or studying. We’ll listen to music or talk while we work. I can ask Colton questions, and he’ll willingly help me out.

Even when we’re not working on homework, whenever my mom asks Colton to run to the store and pick something up, I always tag along with him. Sometimes our little sister Anna will come, too. It’s things like this that I’d miss if Colton would’ve decided to go somewhere else for college.

Colton has helped me out with so much my whole life, and I couldn’t imagine him being away from home for college. I’m so lucky to have an older brother like him, and I am so glad he decided to stay home for college.

I don’t know what I would do without Colton.