Whether a built-in best friend or an innocent rival, siblings are an integral part of our lives. They can either propel you to accomplish your goals or push your buttons. Either way, there is a unique relationship between brothers and sisters.
The unofficial holiday known as National Siblings Day is recognized every April 10 and is meant to celebrate the strong, emotional, and sometimes complex bond between siblings.
To celebrate brothers and sisters, half a dozen ’Canes share their favorite memories and daily experiences as siblings on and off the University of Miami campus ahead of the holiday.
Melinda and Ethan Hartz
At only 11 months apart, Melinda Hartz, a senior studying marketing, and Ethan Hartz, a junior studying entrepreneurship, came to the University from Atlanta. After Melinda enrolled in 2019, her little brother decided to follow in her footsteps just one year later.
“We toured the University together, and he knew I was already really excited about coming to the school,” Melinda said. “I was trying not to fully sway his opinion, but I couldn’t help it.”
While trying to live their separate lives on campus, the duo has ended up involved in some similar groups. They are both members of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional co-ed business fraternity. And every week, you can find the Hartz siblings at Trivia Tuesdays at the Rathskeller.
This semester you also can find them in their first class together—ever—because they both are enrolled in a business administration course at the Miami Herbert Business School.
“We’ve never had a class together in our life, not even in middle school or high school,” Ethan joked. “It was fun to be able to do that in [Melinda’s] last semester here.”
Keiry and Kevin Cruz
The sibling rivalry narrative is a relatable one for Keiry Cruz and her younger brother, Kevin. But as the two grew older, their bond became stronger. At just one year apart, the siblings have found the perfect balance between feuding and friendship.
“We’ve been to the same schools since we were little, but we’ve always had our own friend groups,” said Keiry, a sophomore who’s planning to study marketing after enrolling as an undecided major. Kevin said the two do, however, have many of the same interests and find time to spend together even though they commute to campus in separate cars because of their different class schedules.
“We do partake in some of the same organizations and extracurricular activities,” said Kevin, a first-year student majoring in accounting and finance. “We both like listening to Bad Bunny, and we both enjoy watching and playing soccer together.”
Growing up in Miami, it was always part of the plan for the brother and sister to attend the University together, and they can’t imagine being students anywhere else.
“This was our dream school, and we absolutely love it here because there are so many opportunities,” said Keiry.
Hanna and Sara Ebrahimi
Miami natives and fraternal twins Hanna and Sara Ebrahimi are good at all the same things and rarely spend time apart. At one point during high school, the two thought they would be attending different schools, but quickly changed their minds to attend the University together as they couldn’t imagine being away from each other for an extended time.
“We’ve always been together, and we’ve always had the same interests. And we’ve always been good at the same subjects,” said Hanna, who is studying biochemistry and molecular biology. “Our classes have always been together, and we see each other often at school.”
At the University, first-year students Hanna and Sara have created a happy life for themselves and enjoy spending as much time together as they can on-and-off the Coral Gables Campus, even with their class schedules forcing them to spend some time apart lately.
“This semester, we don’t see each other that often on campus and the classes that we do have together, we don’t sit together,” said Sara, who is studying microbiology and immunology and global health studies. “We do have the same group of friends here though, and we also commute to campus together.”
Sara and Hanna both hope to attend the same medical school and become doctors.
