Three B’s

If this is your first time reading, Hi! I’m Bridget- you can find my first blog post here where I introduce myself and explain where my passion for arts and entertainment (i.e. theater) stems from. 

Well, now that you know how I got to where I am and what I do, I’d like to talk a little more about who I am. 

My name, as stated above, is Bridget. Bridget Leigh Callinan, to be exact. A proud daughter, sister, business owner, friend, dog lover, undiscovered comedian, and a goofy kid at heart who is extremely passionate about life and her career. The list is endless, starting from the day I was born- as the youngest daughter of 3, making me a sister. Growing up as the baby of the family definitely has its perks. Sure, my baby book is still in the works, but I did get my own room, sleepover privileges, later curfews, and a phone, at the youngest age due to this “baby privilege”. Two years older than me is my middle sister Brianna, and two years older than her is my oldest sister, Brooke. Basically, my parents copy and pasted themselves 3 times and created the ultimate, hardest to pronounce, trio- Brooke, Brianna, and Bridget (better referred to as the three B’s or Br3). I would say Brooke looks like my mom, Brianna like my dad, and me a mix of both, but put us all in the same room and boom-triplets. 

Brianna (left), Brooke (center), Me (right)

My sisters and I have always grown up really close- not just in age but also with our interests and hobbies. We were constantly together from the ages of 4-18 because we all twirled Baton on the same team– The South Florida Superstars. From carpooling to school together, to after school practice, to weekend competitions, to family events, we spent every important moment together. We had the best time hanging out with each other and our two other cousins. Yes, that’s right, two more of my older cousins also twirled on the same baton team, but that’s a story for another time.

                       
                        All three of us at a Baton Competition

Anyways, back to the Three B’s (patent pending)…
Fast forward to high school where my oldest sister was attending Florida State University (Go Noles!) leaving her worries behind and making unforgettable memories with her soon-to-become best friends. While Brooke enjoyed fake adulthood life at FSU, Brianna and I attended the same not-so-great high school with her two grades above me. I’ve always heard that tensions draw close when you’re so close in age to your siblings, especially when similar interests are shared. It’s not easy having some of the same friends, both cheering for the Varsity football team, playing the same sports, being together at school and home, and both being hormonal over dramatic teenagers. It is safe to say that above statement is true- tensions do draw close. The water did get rough for a few years regarding the relationships I had with my sisters. I had to learn that just because we may have grown up as the three sweet little 3 blonde-haired babies with matching hairstyles and outfits, does not mean that is how we will be forever. I had to learn to make my own path, navigating in between the two paths laid in front of me by my sisters. Relationships between sisters is like a rollercoaster; full of bumps, twists, and turns but always an enjoyable ride.

                                                                                                                         3 blonde babies matching in our dad’s old college fooball uniforms

I am closer to a certain sister at certain times, as most siblings are. Usually, it depends on who I am around more and what we are doing at said time. For example, with Brooke in college I was able to get close to Brianna, which changed drastically when Brooke moved back into our house after her graduation. Other than that, the level of closeness changes in the moment, with whoever is not stealing clothes from my room and eating my leftovers out of the fridge. Although growing up in a household with three teenagers was very difficult and frustrating at times (most times, to be honest), my sisters are a huge part of what makes me who I am. My maturity, the strength I have gained of not being the favorite (the funny genes), and my entire personality are all things I can thank my sisters for, because the struggle of learning how to take both of their life paths and create my own, has helped me grow tremendously and made me who I am.

Sisters really do share an unbreakable bond, one that I hope to continue to make stronger as we continue to grow up in this crazy, constantly changing world together. As we currently all live a long distance away from one another in South Florida, I am blessed for anytime we get to spend with one another, always jumping at the opportunity to hang out with my sisters and create even more gray hairs on my dad’s head.