I come from a seemingly long line of Fung children. I, personally, like to think of our group as “The Gang of Four;” unfortunately, a group of four Communist Chinese men previously claimed that name decades before my family’s legend began. As the youngest child, I often times find a struggle in making a name for myself under the shadows of three radiant and talented siblings. Justin, my oldest brother, reigns as the naturally brilliant, retro-hipster, Columbia student unaffected by any problem that crosses his path. Lauren, my only sister, finds her uniqueness in her ambition. The hardest worker, she always pushes her limits in determination to impress anyone that enters her life. Finally comes my second brother, Brendan. Teachers remember Brendan for his charisma- a spirit filled with optimism, wit, and the all-around awesome ability to just live life the right way. All of my superiors hold their own unique voice, separating themselves from the blob that many people often identify us as. Recently, I found myself flipping through the pages of their old binders, curious as to my own teacher’s interpretation of their past students’ differences. And, for the first time in my life, I saw that all three siblings held one common ground: An incredible talent within the realm of Ms. Serensky’s AP English class. Never in my past two years of taking this class have I seen students receive so many eights and nines on in and out of class writings. Initially, I found myself lying in fetal position in the foyer wanting to quit, believing that my own writing would never receive the appreciative “very nice!” or “excellent!” reviews from Ms. Serensky. For a few minutes, I wallowed in despair and jealousy of my siblings’ greatness;*sigh,* living the life of the youngest child never stands as an easy feat. As I walked toward the kitchen to bake away my feelings, I had a sudden epitome-WWBJD: What Would Bobbie Jo Do? Would she run away to bake delicious cupcakes instead of fighting her problems? Absolutely not! She would sit down at the computer, write a blog about her revelation, and take AP English by the horns. I plan to do the same. Picture me clad in seventies workout gear going through a montage as I knock down all of my obstacles to “Eye of the Tiger.” Like a good, old Rocky movie, the notorious lyrics by Survivor will guide me through my ambition to the top. From here on out, I plan to work under the goal of receiving a “very well-written, Shannon,”and a big, fat, awesome sticker at the top of my paper placed specifically next to the words, “Rubric Bonus +2.” Doubt me all you want but just like the heart, the mind wants what the mind wants, and I want it all (just like Ashley Tisdale in “High School Musical 3: Senior Year"). No longer will I live a perpetually sad life in the shadows of my siblings known strictly as “Life of the Party” (already associated by Ms. Serensky under negative connotations) or “She Who Makes Good Cupcakes.” Get ready, Ms. Serensky. You should probably hit up Michael’s because your sticker collection will begin to dwindle along with the red ink in your pens from writing a mountainous amount of awe-inspired comments on my work. Through my new ambition for greatness, I hope to join my siblings in their defeat of AP English and truly become a worthy member in "The Gang of Four." Perhaps English will never hold the key to my strong suit, but I refuse to let myself fall below Ms. Serensky's preconceived expectations of quality Fung work. Putting aside the daily stresses of English, the Data Sheets, the in-class writings, and the dubious mounds of homework, the class has inspired me to push myself beyond what people expect of the girl who turns in her blogs at 11:30 at night. I do not want to leave this school as another blimp on the radar; I do not want to go down without a fight. I hope to end the year on a bed of eights and nines as Ms. Serensky congratulates me at graduation: “Shannon, you are far cooler than all of your siblings. You are without a doubt the best Fung… EVER.”
These fantastic pictures stand as my current inspiration. Each of these come from one of my sibling's papers. Cue jealous rage.
Shannon, unfortunately I could not sympathize with your post, since I stand as the oldest Mackin child. I often complain about my parents' lack of discipline and rules when dealing with my younger brother, but you made me appreciate my status. I, and other eldest children, have no one with whom to compete or compare ourselves to; instead, we set the precedent for younger children. However this may lead to a lack of motivation, as we have no drive to outperform older siblings.
ReplyDeleteI have the same situation as you Shannon; I am also the youngest of four children. However, none of my brothers took AP English. Upon first reading your blog, I thought of this as a positive aspect, for I do not become overshadowed by them. Instead, their abilities in mathematics and computer science inspire me.
ReplyDeleteShannon, as the middle child, I understand both living up to the elder sibling and setting the precedent for the younger sibling. Unfortunately for me, my mother, as the eldest of her siblings, often sympathizes with Brock and my father, as the youngest of his siblings, often sympathizes with Rem. Where does this leave me? Exiled. However, I believe this has made me stronger and more independent, as I have become motivated to make a name for myself and find my own success.
ReplyDeleteAs I read your blog I could not help but laugh in empathy because I know EXACTLY the kind of pressure that comes with having older siblings. With four older, successful, intelligent siblings I often find myself comparing my abilities (or lack thereof) to theirs, even though each one of us have different personalities and strengths. I think having hard working siblings can prove beneficial to younger kids like us because they serve as a constant reminder to do well. However, try not compare your abilities to their abilities too much because in the long run it can lead you to never have true satisfaction in your successes!
ReplyDeleteDuring the research project we did during sophomore English, I often chose to read the sample paper, about sibling differences over actually doing work. As a result, I have much to say on this topic, despite the fact that I presently have no idea what my own project covered. Science says that younger children often feel competitive with their older siblings and work harder to overcome them. As the oldest by about nine years, I often wish that I had an older sibling to compete with since I often find my desire to do things negligible. Hence my knowledge in the topic in the first place. Though I can take solace in the fact that studies often claim the eldest have a much greater intelligence, at the very least.
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ReplyDeleteOh Shannon. Your blog post mirrors my exact dilemma. Years ago, my siblings cruelly dubbed me a "mistake." I, the youngest of four children by seven years, have lead a fervent fight to prove my true identity within the Magnuson family: a miracle. However, unlike you, I find myself doing quite well in the race for recognition. I will never have the looks of my sister, Miss "Most Likely to be Caught in Front of a Mirror." Nor will I posses the social tendencies as my brother, who received our home's nomination as "Best Party House." And with that, I believe that I bring a sense of dignity and respect towards my family dynasty - something my other siblings simply could not do. Some "mistake."
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