Since her brother, Jeffrey, left for UC Berkeley this fall, junior Sarah Kuo has found herself with some much-needed peace and quiet.

“Jeff teases me sometimes, but now that he’s not in the house anymore, it’s been quiet,” Sarah said.

Her brother’s absence has also given Sarah more responsibility around the house, especially when her parents have gone out.

On minimum-days, Jeff would offer to take Sarah out to lunch because she couldn’t drive.

“We would go to Chipotle or Q-Cup sometimes, which was fun,” Sarah said.

Jeff feels that because Sarah is less than three years younger than he is, he is “more inclined to treat her as an equal individual, rather than a little child.” At the same time, he knows that she has not yet entered college and they sometimes might not see eye-to-eye.

In terms of parental expectations, Sarah feels some light pressure, but not enough to cause stress.

“Since [Jeff] was so intelligent, I feel like my parents expect good results out of me, academically,” Sarah said.

As a younger sibling, Sarah feels that she had an advantage when entering high school.

“I always had input from my brother about teachers, and I had at least some knowledge of how to act as a freshman,” Sarah said. “Being the first to experience everything would be difficult.”

In addition to driving her around, Jeffrey set a good example for Sarah.

“He was pretty much the guinea pig,” Kuo said. “I’m glad I have an older brother.”

Jeff feels that having a younger sister has shaped and “continually influences” his perspective on life.

“I think more carefully about my actions, knowing that what I do impacts her upbringing, since negative behavior carries just as much weight as positive behavior,” Jeff said. “I can honestly say I’m blessed to have a sibling like Sarah, who I consider a great friend.”