All right, I know this is going to sound out of character for me (especially for those that know me well).

Recently I was writing a story for one of my journalism classes about getting along with siblings and other family members.

I am not the easiest person to get along with — I admit and know that. I typically get in arguments with my family members over the stupidest things imaginable.

When we argue, I always look back on our arguments and think, “Why did we just do that”?

The one key thing that I took away from writing that story is that families most often suffer from siblings who try to “one-up” each other. My twin brother and I do that entirely too much.

We often get in arguments over our GPAs, who is going to graduate before the other and so on.

I have learned and tried to implement a rule that my brother and I do not one-up each other. I was so bitter towards him when I was a freshman because I had a full-time job and he didn’t work and lived with my parents.

I learned (after many arguments, I might add) that my brother and I are totally different people, even though we are identical twins.

I cannot stand to ask my parents for money, and he can. It doesn’t bother him at all, and I have had to get over the fact that he doesn’t feel bad doing that.

My brother and I have learned to agree to disagree. We have had such a better relationship since we have figured that key thing out. Agree to disagree. I like the sound of that.

Oftentimes, we fight about how bad the other is driving, who is going to take the trash out or who is going to walk the dogs.

Why do we do this? Just agree to disagree and get off the couch and do it. This is something we have had to do in order to keep our parents off our backs and to prevent a WWE knockdown fight in the living room.

I think my brother has figured out his behavior gets on my ever-loving nerves, and he has worked to fix it. This is something that I have had to do as well. We have learned what gets on each other’s nerves and tried to fix that.

For people without siblings, apply these tips to friendships and with your parents. Friends do the same thing.

My one challenge is this: agree to disagree and know that siblings are on the same team. Don’t forget that. Band together and learn to get along. It will be the smartest thing you have done to date.