7 Cousins We Grew Up With

We grew up with a myriad of people and the people we often associate with influence us the most. In our culture of community and family, it is impossible not to make memories with our cousins. These are the people who made you cry, pull out your hair, watch 9 hours of anime with, played into the night and fell asleep with after the ever-busy days of childhood.

1. The Kuya/Ate

Everyone looks up to them. They are the ringleader, the guy with the ball, the judge on what’s cool or not. They decide the agenda of the day and the mode of operation. We all listen to them not because they are older but because, in our childish minds, they are the coolest.

2. The Almost-Never-There

Ever had those mini-fantasy-themed adventures? Played Bulan-Bulan underneath the warm glow of the moon? Traced water or wrote chalk on the ground for the infamous game called Patintero? Or had a moment with your cousins that you threw balls or mud at each other? Yes, there were moments (not a lot though) that they would disappear. Even when they can be hard to spot or find, they’ll always be there during the important things like the 9-hour marathon of Digimon/Pokemon.

3. The Favorite

Yes. Yes. Yes. Everyone has them. They can be as quirky as you, as loud or as lovable. No one knows why you guys are close. You just are. No reasons needed. No apologies are needed even after they spat phlegm in your hand (true story) because you’d soon forget about it after you wiped it on their faces (not true though I wish I did it).

4. The Disgusting

These are the cousins that’ll make you take a breather while gently massaging your temples in mild frustration. Oh the lists of all the things they’ve done that you have not gotten over even when you’ve grown up. Like who on earth mixes ketchup and rice and possibly saliva in a dish? Or licked mud off the floor? Or wore their mother’s gowns and underwear atop their head just because they were bored?

5. The Talented

They can be either extremely shy but when asked to perform, they would blow your mind or confident to the point of breaking out in a song and dance routine in the middle of nowhere. They are the ones present in every family gathering just so people can know that – though your family may be weird and mismatched- they can be very talented.

6. The Possibly-Gay

You love them to bits and pieces. Like seriously. They are the rainbows and sunshine, the absolute joy in the family. Though all the grown-ups may think they may possibly be gay, you don’t mind because they bring sass wherever they go.

7. The Tag-Along

These are the younger ones who are too young or too innocent to make a decision on their own and thus, follow the older ones even if they can’t do it yet. When all the older ones are swimming out into the far seas, these ones would try to catch up even if they have to cry out for their moms just so that they can be with their older cousins.