The date was June 13, 2002 and the time was 6:30 a.m. It was an extremely significant moment for me. For a brief three minutes, I was an only child and I got to enjoy the spotlight all to myself in front of sixteen pediatricians and pediatric nurses. Before I knew it, my three womb mates joined me in the center stage.

Being a quadruplet has its advantages. It gave me an instant identity as one of the “Quads.” It provided me with built-in best friends. It also made me a sharing expert. From sharing birthdays, to rooms, to a 2006 Toyota Corolla. However, there is one distinct disadvantage—I am constantly being compared to my siblings, by others and by myself. As the oldest of the Quads, I put a lot of pressure on myself to get better grades, or at least the same grades, as my siblings. This was tough for me because academic ability is one thing my siblings and I do not share.  I came to this realization in fifth grade when I watched my siblings get called up one by one to get their award for Honor Roll while I never heard my name called.  I was devastated. This experience made me realize that I needed to approach school differently. I began to study twice as hard as I did before, going to my teachers after school for extra help, and I participated in study groups.  When needed, my parents hired a private tutor to help me overcome my Dysgraphia. At my teacher’s suggestion, I also adjusted how I took notes in class.  Instead of taking handwritten notes, I started typing notes on my phone and taking photos of lecture notes on the board.   Because I genuinely believe if you work hard you can overcome anything

I have come to accept that my siblings and I are identical in many ways, but that we are also unique in our own ways.  Thus, while we will always share the stage with each other, we will each enjoy our own success and be in our own limelight..  After all, I am the big brother.