<p>Hi, guys!</p>
<p>So, summer is winding down, and I’m sure a lot of us (read: me!) are scrambling to finish summer assignments for AP classes (read: Grapes of Wrath for AP English!). I’ve never had trouble with self-motivation or time-management until this summer, but I think these struggles are chiefly because my twin sister is taking AP English as well.</p>
<p>To make a long story short, she and I are fiercely competitive, albeit unintentionally. This competition extends to academics, and we often battle for the highest grades and GPAs. My sister hasn’t taken an advanced English class until this year, so she’s really putting her best effort in this summer assignment. Obviously, she’s doing nothing wrong - but I’m starting to suffer from an intense bout of Sister Comparison. I can’t help but compare myself to her. And I can’t help but feel like I’m “losing” the unsaid competition between us when she - no joke - is <em>color-coding</em> her Grapes of Wrath annotations. That’s not even to mention the quality of her annotations, which are like the offspring off a college professor and intellectual genius.</p>
<p>This comparison/competition has affected me to the point where I’m losing my faith in my /own/ writing and critical thinking abilities. I sit down to write my own annotations - and see my sister’s masterpiece glaring back at me! Writing, even reading, has become difficult, knowing that my sister (at least in my mind) is astronomically better. </p>
<p>So: any words of advice? Have any of you dealt with comparison or competition with siblings? How can I just accept that we’re different people and do the best that /I/ can do?</p>
<p>Also, one more question: what is your opinion on Sparknotes? Should it be used as an aid - or avoided completely? Does it ruin the chance of developing critical thinking skills and forming your OWN ideas? </p>
<p>I’d like the point out that my sister - surprise, surprise! - is using SparkNotes to aid her in reading Grapes of Wrath. Should I use them as well? I’ve used SparkNotes in the past to help with other books, but I found that I’m often discouraged rather than enlightened. I look at all the symbols, themes, hidden meanings other people have found, and I put myself down for not finding them as well. </p>
<p>Ultimately: Will I get more out of reading Grapes of Wrath unaided because I’m forming my own ideas rather that regurgitating some pretentious English professor?</p>
I have a little brother who’s 6 years younger than I am so I’m not much help, but we still have some sibling rivalry. I just try to ignore him and not let it get to my head. Color coding annotations seems a little extreme. </p>