Reflections on Sisters

Sisters is truly one of a kind. Underneath the Western decor, pine trees, vibrant mountains, and the neighborly environment, lies a home. As a 19-year-old who has lived in Sisters all 19 years of my life, it took me going to college to truly appreciate the town.

I have seen the good and the bad parts of Sisters. My little eyes watched the Dairy Queen, Dollar General, and the housing developments get built. In fourth grade my art teacher laid a giant wooden fish in front of me and told me to paint it however I pleased. I painted it with my best friend Juhree, I watched it go up on the fence and nine years later, every time I drive into town I see my fish hanging with pride.

I remember when the tree fell on the Ski Inn; then it got covered in denim. I remember when there was finally a stop light in Sisters while they built the first roundabout, but of course, it only lasted about two weeks. I remember when the Elementary school C wing flooded, when someone crashed into Bi-Mart, and even when there was a bear in a tree at Village Green.

Each of these memories have shaped me into the person I am today. The little town of Sisters is a type of special that words cannot begin to describe. The only description that fulfills its honor is a feeling within the heart. I feel so indescribably lucky to have grown up in a town so delightful.

Sure, Sisters has its downsides, especially during the early teenage years because you can’t drive yet. Sisters’ size limits the ability to do a lot of activities but every kid makes do with what we have here in town.

My friends and I would hang out at the splash pad, ride bikes until the sun came up, spend all our allowance at Garden of Eden, get a pizza slice from Martolli’s, and get samples from the Sisters Olive and Nut store. Sisters can be boring at times, but that’s OK because its size makes it Sisters: it’s like everyone is your literal sister.

I am very fortunate because I fell into a great friend group from the beginning. But it is not that way for many people, which makes school a lot more challenging - as the students in Sisters can easily become very cliquey. But from the standpoint of someone who had the best possible experience growing up in Sisters, I was looking forward to college and that newfound freedom, but it was hard to leave the only place I have ever called home. I was prepared for college, but I was not quite ready.

I began the application process in September and applied for early admission to every school. I stayed on top of it the best that I could and I felt confident with each essay I wrote. I was proud of my applications and felt content with the results from each school. I committed to a school in late March and was confident in my decision. I was happy and relieved to have the process completed.

When August came along, I was prepared for my upcoming year at Colorado State University. I purchased all the dorm necessities on Prime Day and packed my stuff up days in advance. I was physically prepared.

Mentally, on the other hand, I don’t think my heart ever truly left Sisters, I wasn’t quite ready to move away. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited about college and everything that came with it. I was looking forward to making new friends, focusing on a career, living in a new area, and starting a new life. As the semester carried along I did all the college things. I truly did make the most of it — but there was always a piece of my heart missing, perhaps it is still in my driveway from the night I said goodbye to all my friends.

I was one of the first to go, so I said goodbye to most everyone at once. It was an August evening, four other girls and I ate dinner at Olive Garden in Bend (our favorite dinner spot). We knew this was goodbye but we tried to spend the night surrounded by happiness and cherish the amazing summer we had just shared. We blasted music on the drive home from Bend, and screamed our hearts out. My friend Brooke was the one in charge of the music and as we drove into Sisters she panicked because she knew she needed to play one more perfect song before we arrived at my house. I looked out the window holding back tears as the song “Our Last Summer” from the Mamma Mia soundtrack came on. It was perfectly sad because it really was “our last summer,” and it had just ended. We drove the long way to my house that night.

After that, it never really got easier. Throughout the semester I stayed in touch with my friends but the fear of our friendships falling away always lingered. It is tough to transition from living two minutes away from your best friends to living 17 hours away. Towards the end of the semester, I found myself counting down the days until break because I was so excited to come home and see my friends.

This honestly made college pretty difficult. I tried so hard to soak up every single moment and find love in all of the great people I met, but I always ended up comparing them to my friends from home and never felt fully satisfied. Which is completely unfair, but I seriously couldn’t help myself. Over the summer I was so excited to move out of state and experience change, which I did enjoy, but looking back at it now, I wish I wasn’t so eager to get out.

My friends from Sisters know every single thing about me because we experienced every single phase of our lives together. They make me laugh until I roll on the floor because my knees feel weak. They have supported me with every decision I have ever made and they are honest with me, even when they shouldn’t be. My friends gave me the strength I hold myself up with, they are my glue. I truly hope that everyone gets the privilege of having friends like mine.

I cherish these friendships more than most things, which is why moving on and leaving them has been so challenging. It is so hard to find other people with whom I feel the same spark around.

I know that these types of friendships will last a lifetime, but it doesn’t make not seeing them every day any easier. But I owe these wonderful bonds to growing up in Sisters because it allowed me to meet these wonderful people.

Sisters truly is one of a kind because along with the opportunity for close-knit friendships, the school system provides in-depth teacher-student relationships. I owe a major chunk of my success to my teachers because they allowed me to develop confidence in myself alongside my growth. My teachers took time to acknowledge and support me through every high and low. I still think about them daily, and constantly apply what they have taught me to my life.

I miss more than just the people of Sisters. I miss looking out my window, where a flock of turkeys is stationed on the left and snowy mountains glisten on the right. I miss dancing at Folk Fest, Angeline’s bagels, the clear night sky, and always leaving my car unlocked.

Of course, there are things that I don’t miss like always running into someone you don’t exactly want to see at Bi-Mart, or nothing staying open past 5 p.m. I don’t miss the $20 burgers or the limited diversity, and I definitely don’t miss the summertime traffic down Cascade Avenue. But when I lived in Sisters I never knew how each of these things made Sisters my home. I am endlessly grateful that I grew up in such a magnificent little town, but my time living full-time in Sisters has ended, as I am beginning a new chapter in my life. This does not mean it is easy — it certainly is not — but it is exciting.

If I have learned anything, it is to cherish every moment, especially with those you love. So, if you are a soon-to-be graduate, please cherish your time in Sisters. Whether you love the town or hate it, I am sure there is a little tiny piece of it that you will miss.