Every morning, Ethan Ben-Yehuda (‘28) had a front-row seat to his sister Tali Ben-Yehuda’s (‘25) evolving Spotify playlist. It started with Taylor Swift, shifted to Sabrina Carpenter and Phoebe Bridgers, and ended (somewhat confusingly, according to Ethan) on Kanye West. The soundtrack to their siblinghood? A chaotic car ride with sibling silence, grumpy wake-up calls, and the occasional urgent shout of “hurry up!” — especially once Tali got a coveted garage parking spot in the second semester. 

At Bishop’s, that’s how siblinghood often looks — shared rides, classroom overlaps, and the occasional “Wait, are you their sibling?” from teachers and classmates. Twins Logan Yockey (‘27) and Hudson Yockey (‘27) cross paths all day long; sisters like Serena Abraham (‘27) and Safina Abraham (‘25) meet on the sports field. 

All of them experience Bishop’s with built-in mirrors: someone who you see yourself in, knows your embarrassing childhood nicknames, your telltale eye-rolls, and sometimes wears your clothes without asking. 

According to a study by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, younger siblings have a one-in-five chance of enrolling in the same college as their older brother or sister. A similar trend to stick together can start earlier, and at Bishop’s, it’s everywhere. One will find siblings just one grade apart or years away, close in every class, or living totally separate lives on the same campus. 

Growing up — and growing into yourself — with your sibling watching from across lunch tables at Bishop’s brings its own unique challenges and moments: are they built-in best friends? Or permanent rivals? 

For many, one feeling frequently rises to the surface: comparison.

“I definitely feel compared to him all the time — whether it’s sports, extracurriculars, grades, or college recruiting,”  said Cooper Armstrong (‘27), brother of Henry Armstrong (‘25). “A lot of that comes from Bishop’s, yet it stems from our relationship too, because we’re both very competitive.” Henry, on the other hand, the eldest of three siblings, had a different perspective and never dealt with comparison in quite the same way — “I’m not compared to them,” he said, “But I still feel pressured to set a good example… It’s a competition with myself.” 

That pressure was echoed by Ethan. “It was very stressful for my parents when my sister was applying to college. Now they’re like, ‘You need to do everything to get into a good school.’” And when your sibling has already “succeeded,” it can feel like you are playing catch-up. 

Even twins like Sophie Brunner (‘26) and Maia Brunner (‘26) aren’t immune. “I think since we are the same exact age, there’s a layer of comparison that’s hard to avoid,” Sophie said.

But comparison isn’t the entire picture. Being at the same school doesn’t mean being the same person. At Bishop’s, siblings usually naturally drift into their own lanes, differentiating themselves from the other kid (or kids) with their last name.

The Yockey twins developed their own interests and social circles before gradually overlapping again. Like many siblings, they had vastly different personalities that determined their unique growth at school. “He’s in different classes, I used to do theater, and we grew in different ways,” Logan said. But now, with their friend groups overlapping, you can find them chatting at milk break or hanging out together.

Cooper and Henry, on the other hand, found that sports helped shape their identities. “We both play football,” Cooper said, “but I play lacrosse, and he plays baseball. So it’s similar, but still our own thing.” Maia described a similar turning point: “For a long time, we took the same classes. But now we don’t, and that helped us stop comparing ourselves.” 

Even with separate identities, siblings find a way back to each other during those moments that matter the most. 

“When my brother walked across the stage at graduation and got the Headmaster’s Award,” Cooper said, “I was so proud.” He also recalled one final moment on the football field during the playoffs — injured, but able to line up beside his brother for the last play of the last game of Henry’s high school career. Cooper called it one of his “most memorable” moments with his older brother at Bishop’s. 

For the Yockeys, sibling pride came in more day-to-day encouragement: “We are not the kind of brothers who beat each other up,” Logan said. Hudson agreed, “We just always try to be nice — to each other, and to other people too.” 

For some siblings, Bishop’s tightened the bond. For others, it simply provided space for the one they already had.

Logan and Hudson, for example, both members of the Bishop’s Boys Varsity Volleyball team, proudly wore jerseys #7 and #2 in the spring season this year. Together, they contributed to the Knights’ Coastal League Championship title. Whether it was training in their backyard or cheering each other on during games, Logan explained, “Hudson has been my best friend my entire life, Bishop’s just maintained that relationship… If I lost my brothership with Hudson, I don’t know what my life would be like.” 

Sophie and Maia saw their relationship shift through tackling the Social Innovation competition together in their sophomore year — a year-long project that required late nights of brainstorming, extensive hours of research, and a final presentation to judges in a high-stakes pitch contest. “We weren’t that close when we were younger,” Sophie said, “but I think Bishop’s has brought us together.” Maia agreed: “We’ve definitely gotten closer.” 

Some siblings, like Cooper and Henry, the answer was a solid “definitely” when asked if Bishop’s had brought them closer — especially through their common sport, football. But for others, like Ethan and Tali, the logistics of school — different grades, schedules, and social circles — kept them apart. “We don’t have any classes together and barely have the same lunch.”

Regardless of how little they saw each other on campus, Ethan knows he will still miss Tali. “It’s going to suck,” he said. “I won’t have anyone to vent to when my parents are on me… and now they will be on me a lot more.”

Even if their time together at Bishop’s doesn’t involve constant interaction, the shared experiences: the inside jokes, the mutual pressure, the hallway run-ins, and the way a teacher looks at you, hears your last name, and immediately gets that flicker of deja vu — the “family name” as Henry put it — still leaves a mark. 

A piece of advice for those sharing hallways and last names at Bishop’s?

“Stay close,” Logan said. “Even if you don’t share classes, check in. Talk. Don’t let school get in the way.” Maia put it another way: “Most of the time you’ll spend with your siblings or family? It’s now.” 

And Cooper, now about to face his first Bishop’s year without his older brother by his side, came perhaps the most heartfelt reminder of all: “Enjoy it while it lasts. It’s crazy to think I won’t see him walking around campus and going to school with him.”