Chips in training: Triplets visit campus for Siblings Weekend
Laughter and fun memories sums up Siblings Weekend for Hailey, Abigail, Madison and Caitlin O’Brien.
St. Joseph junior Hailey invited her 12-year-old triplet nieces to spend the weekend at her apartment with her during the 53rd annual Siblings Weekend that took place Jan. 29-31. The weekend was full of 49 events like laser tag, swimming and rock climbing that students could participate in with their siblings.
“I babysat them all summer so we spend a lot of time together," Hailey said. "They’ve never came and stayed with me at school for the past three years, so I thought that was really cool that they came up here. We’re pretty close; we literally tell each other everything.”
The first Siblings Weekend event on their agenda was glow-in-the-dark bowling at the Student Activity Center.
“None of us are bowlers,” Madison said with a smile. “I did get three strikes though!”
After some late night TV, the girls rested up for an eventful Saturday together.
The first stop on Saturday was the pancake breakfast in Finch Fieldhouse.
“There was a huge grill and they flipped pancakes in the air and we had to catch them on our plates,” Hailey said.
“I missed a few,” Caitlin said. “Someone got hit in the shirt and it bounced on their plate.”
After pancakes, the triplets climbed on the rock wall at Finch Fieldhouse and went zip-lining.
“I learned that Abby can climb the hardest rock wall that Central has to offer in under two minutes!" Hailey said.
Hailey said she was glad she got to spend the weekend with her neices.
“This is such a fun age to have them up here,” she said. “They’re not like five or six, and I don’t have to constantly watch them and make sure they’re not messing around or fighting. Yet they’re still young enough that they found it fun.”
After going ice skating, the girls shopped for ingredients to make homemade candy bars.
“Usually I look over and just see my boyfriend and this weekend I would look over and see all three of them,” Hailey said.
The Sibling carnival at the Student Activity Center was Madison and Caitlin’s favorite event.
“I got my face painted to try and embarrass them but it didn’t work,” Hailey said.
They went through obstacle courses, played games and enjoyed carnival food.
“We ate cookies and cotton candy, and we played wrecking ball,” Caitlin said.
The last event of the night was an a cappella show in the Bovee University Center. The triplets were excited to see Fish and Chips perform. This was Hailey’s favorite event.
For the rest of the night, the girls planned to get dinner at Dog Central and watch the movie "Goosebumps" together.
“It was cool to spend the whole weekend together; we usually don’t get to do that,” Abigail said.
“I always remember having them up here for the first time,” Hailey said. “One thing I will take away is these memories. It’s going to be so cool to look back on and remember such fun times.”
After all the fun this weekend, all three triplets said they want to go to college at CMU.
