Two staffers’ takes on siblings’ return from college due to the coronavirus

Kate Heitmann’s take on sister’s return

One week into quarantine, my sister suggested we dig out our old GameCube and see how good we are at Sonic more than a decade later since we’d last played. Though Sonic didn’t work, Luigi’s Mansion did — and that’s what we’ve been playing since.

But none of the GameCube madness would’ve happened if Duke University, Caroline’s school, hadn’t canceled the rest of the semester because of the coronavirus. Caroline immediately texted us as soon as she found out classes were canceled. 

“Duke canceled classes omg.”

Surprised, I told my mom, who replied with, “Are you serious?” We weren’t prepared for this kind of situation – we weren’t expecting her to come back until May. 

The coronavirus has affected everyone in different ways – and for my family, Caroline coming home early had the greatest impact. She’s only here in early May and late August, usually, which makes things a little strange. But having her back has made the quarantines as fun as they can be and made me remember why I value our relationship so much.

Caroline, who was on spring break in France when she received word her classes would be online for the rest of the semester, was at a crossroads. She could room with our sister in New York for a bit, go back to Duke and live in the dorms, or of course, come back to Kansas City. But after Duke closed campuses, Caroline booked a plane ticket to KC, leaving behind her clothes, notebooks — and her cactus — in her dorm room.

Five days after Duke canceled classes, I started to see Caroline’s presence in our house again.  The lights were on in her room. The table was set for four, instead of three. It wasn’t just me giving my cat affection. And I didn’t have to load the dishes anymore — now, it’s Caroline’s chore. 

After being home for a few days, Caroline received a package from her roommate, and she quickly got the scissors to tear though the packaging. Her roommate had mailed her textbook for her concrete class, notebooks, contacts and most importantly, her skin care set. Caroline wasn’t taking a quick break from school – she was going to be home for a while. 

Despite classes being canceled, Caroline still has to continue her engineering degree. But instead of the big lectures and dining halls, her days are occupied Zoom calls in her leggings with our cat, Sylvia, headbutting her. Now, I have to be careful that I don’t accidentally make an appearance in her calls, a mistake I’ve already made.

As the youngest of four, with Caroline being closest in age to me, sister time has always been my favorite time. Just the mundane tasks, like making dinner together or going on a Hen House run with my sisters, are the times I look forward to the most. Though we are constantly texting each other about funny tweets and Bachelor in Paradise, I only get to see them in person every few months. So when Caroline decided to come back to KC, the puzzles and board games were already laid out. 

It’s easier to be stuck at home for 30 days when you have someone who keeps you company. Now I have someone to watch America’s Next Top Model with, and go on runs – O.K., fine, walks – with. As soon as Caroline moved back in, I knew I could expect two things: She’d be making her signature roasted cauliflower with a tahini sauce, and I wouldn’t be home alone. 

The whole shelter-in-place experience has been interesting, to say the least, but the small moments we share make it enjoyable. Caroline planted some arugula, I planted some peas. I work on a thousand piece puzzle of Allen Fieldhouse while she does fluids homework across from me. Our nights end by playing Luigi’s Mansion, something I would never had started if she were still at Duke. 

Now that the rest of my sisters are working from their apartments, there is a chance we could all be together soon. My sister, Mae, has even booked her flight home already. Next Sunday, I’ll be at the emptier-than-usual KCI airport, picking her up. 

I’m not sure what the future will look like. After all, these are unprecedented times. But at least I get to go through it with my sisters.

Emma Brown’s take on brother’s return

Months after my brother left for his freshman year at Texas Christian University, I was finally getting used to life as an only child. I got the car to myself and no longer had my brother knock on my door to annoy me — life was peaceful. But when coronavirus caused my brother to leave his university and take his classes online from home, that was soon changed. 

My whole family was stoked — my dog on the other hand was not — she thought she had gotten rid of her least favorite human for good. I as well had to prepare myself for what was coming.

When he left for school in September, I teared up and hugged him extra tight, but at the same time I felt almost relieved. Of course I’ll miss my big brother — we are the kind of siblings that get along 90% of the time, but there are things he does, like take my speaker, that drive me up a wall. This time though, I would have to be trapped in quarantine, unable to get away from his silly personality.

The coronavirus pushed him out of his dorm and back into his childhood bedroom, decorated with hockey posters and old art projects — and I can’t say I was mad, just not excited about the blasting music through the hallways, sharing my car with him and hearing complaints that college was over. 

Every time he comes back home, including now, I expect his normal conversations. His life at school is something I have little connection with (I haven’t even visited yet). I love you big bro, but the constant stories about Jack, Conner, Christian and Oliver get old — it’s not like I’m on a first name basis with them. They can be hilarious, but tiresome at times. I can hardly put a name with a face, let alone follow all the all of them in his stories.

Quarantine looks much different now as he fills the house with complaining about how he’s going to miss “his boys.”

And then we are back to the dinner table…so, “How’s your pledge class? Are your grades  alright? Are you still working out while you are down there?” This may sound selfish, in fact it is selfish, but I would like a little attention too. Couldn’t hurt to ask me about how I’m feeling about my sophomore year suddenly being cut short.

I’m not a sour sister, I actually couldn’t be happier he’s back. It has taken some time to get used to though. His old annoying habits are back — old movie quotes drive me bananas and his dirty jokes are constant — but I have now solved a way to get him to stop: don’t feed him attention.

Being stuck with him is irritating, but there are many upsides to having him back. My dad doesn’t get as mad at my mom and I for watching reality TV shows, because there is more testosterone in the house — they’re too busy with their push-up competition to mess with our “Southern Charm”. In addition, my mom gets to stay up at night hearing college drama, which she loves.

For me, I have someone who I can pick on and he won’t care. Someone who will listen to my boy drama and always takes my side. Someone who I can blast music in the car with on our way from Home Depot to fix a toilet. Someone who makes me laugh so hard I start to cry. 

Having to be quarantined with him frustrates me, but now that he has returned our family feels more complete. All four seats in the car are taken on the rare occasion that we get to go on drives anymore. There are no more awkward three seated dinner meals. The dog has someone to hate/love now. It feels back to the good, old days. The pre-college days.