“Oh my gosh, are you guys twins?! No way!”
“Are you identical or fraternal?”
These phrases have grown up with me and my twin sister all our lives as countless people stroll up to inquire about our lives. Of course, there are always more questions attached behind this first initial hook, but I always joke in my household that I should write a book on what it’s truly like to be a twin. So today I’ll be giving you an inside look into what being a twin entails, to me at least. Here’s to all my fellow twins out there; hopefully, you can relate.
Being a twin is like having a best friend… and a sibling.
Now I know that this one seems like an easy one to start with, but it’s often thought of incorrectly. Growing up, I knew I could always talk to my sister about my newest interests. And when I needed a shoulder to cry on, she was always there in a heartbeat to listen. Additionally, whenever we had to transition to new schools, I always had someone who understood exactly how I felt, as she was going through the same thing. It’s always reassuring to know I’m never truly alone. Being a twin gives you an automatic best friend to grow up with, but she’s also my sibling. We don’t always get along, and sometimes (okay, a lot of the time) we get into small arguments over nothing. But no matter what, at the end of the day I know I’ll always have my sister there to listen to my daily rambles, help out with homework, or just to hang out with me.
The twin questions are never-ending.
I feel like being a twin can be compared to being a mini-celebrity. Okay, so the paparazzi aren’t following you everywhere, but you have to get used to countless strangers stopping you wherever you go just to inquire whether you’re identical or fraternal. And once the question train leaves the station, it can often be hard to get out of an awkward situation. My favorite questions are typically “Do you have twin telepathy?” or “Have your parents ever mixed you guys up before?” to which we chuckle before answering in unison, “Sort of…?” Either way, no matter how old you are, I think every twin can agree that sometimes being interrogated gets exhausting. So sometimes we split up in stores to avoid questioning.
Parents and teachers always ask for your expert ‘twin opinion’ on debatable topics.
This one has become a trend as of recently. As I’m in college, I find more twin moms ask me a lot about whether they should keep their twins together or separate in the school environment. Personally, I think it’s up to the twins, their relationship to each other, and how close they are (yes, the twin bond is very much real). Additionally, I find expectant twin moms also stop me and my sister out in public to ask us if they should do separate rooms or not. All the while, I find it both amusing and awesome that people stop us to ask for advice on anything twin-related.
At the end of the day, being a twin is one of the best experiences in the world.
While being a twin can sometimes be overwhelming, I’d say that personally I love being a twin. I know not all twin pairs are as close as me and my sister, but it’s definitely nice to have someone who knows me as well as I know myself. Maybe a bit too well… but that’s a problem for another day. Now that I’m in college, I can definitely say I look forward to coming home just to see the happiest look on my sister’s face when I walk through the front door.
All Photos are Courtesy of the Author.