Why I Stopped Talking to My Sister at Family Gatherings

So here's the thing. I'm the youngest in my family and it's been a real struggle since I can remember. You know how you have that one sibling who just seems to get all the attention? Yeah, that was me for the longest time, but then something shifted as we grew up. My older sister, Lily, suddenly became this perfect image of what our parents wanted: straight A's, great at sports, popular in school. She seemed like she had it all together while I was just trying to keep up with my own life and interests. The real turning point came when I was 16 and my dad announced that he was sending Lily off to a prestigious summer program for gifted students. He never mentioned me or any of the other kids, even though we were all capable in our own ways. It was like she became this role model who could do no wrong, while I just tried not to screw up too badly. Over time, every family gathering turned into a competition with Lily always winning some prize or being praised for her latest accomplishment. Meanwhile, my efforts and achievements seemed to fade into the background. The worst was when Aunt Jane gave me a 'C' student notebook as a joke at Christmas last year while everyone laughed. I felt like they all saw me through a lens of disappointment. Nowadays, whenever we have family dinners or birthdays, I just sit quietly in the corner hoping to avoid conversation and questions about my grades or career plans. It's not fair that one sibling gets all the credit for being 'good' while others try their hardest but are still overlooked. But what can you do? Sometimes it feels like I'm better off keeping quiet than trying again only to hear how I don't measure up.