Growing up a twin can make for some interesting experiences. Modern psychology has said that twins are the closest thing we have to clones -- weird, right? Anyway, if you are a twin, I'm sure you can relate to what I'm about to share. If not, read on as well, because speaking on behalf of twins everywhere, there are some things you outsiders need to know.

First off, just because we look alike DOES NOT MEAN we are the same person. This was/is my biggest pet peeve about being a twin, and it's the one that people often fail to realize. Yes, my sister and I look similar. HOWEVER, we could not be more different in terms of style, personality, behavior, and character traits. Outsiders -- please do us a favor and start thinking of us twinsies as individuals and not "the twins."

Secondly, we understand that sometimes we will get called the wrong name. It just comes with the territory; that's OK. Being a twin, in combination with (apparently) having a really difficult name to say and/or spell, means that I got more names growing up than I knew what to do with -- Michael-uh, MarCELLa, Mitch-ayla, (just a few of the ways people have pronounced my name), Miranda (my sister's name) -- the list goes on and on. I get that my sister's name will probably be used interchangeably with mine forever to people who don't know us very well, but could everyone out there who knows a set of twins please learn the differences and right names if possible? (Also, my name is spelled M-I-C-A-E-L-A, and it is pronounced Mi-Kay-Luh, for future reference; just had to throw that in there. Carry on.)

Thirdly, just because we are twins does not mean we do everything together, dress alike, and stay connected at the hip. Yes, most of us probably got put in matching outfits by our parents as youngsters, but believe me, we grow out of it. Don't buy into this stereotype. It's frustrating. Twins are just like any other siblings. Except we were born at the same time. And share some of the same physical traits. And can sometimes tell what the other one is thinking. And trick people if we feel mischievous... you know, just like everyone else...

Fourthly, if you're like me, your twin is possibly one of your closest friends. Sure, there are times when you want to rip each other's hair out, but at the end of the day, you can always depend on one another, and nobody messes with your sibling except you. *Sidenote: if you are girls, maybe you even share each other's clothes; I don't know if boy twins do that -- do they do that?

Finally, learn to see us as our own people. To the world, twins seem like two-of-a-kind, but to us, we are completely unique, just like anyone else. In no way are we 100% absolutely alike, so don't feel compelled to view us this way. It's bad enough being mistaken for one another, lumped together all the time, and having to share a birthday (unfair, BTW.), so just think of us as two people who just happen to look alike.

Don't get me wrong, I love being a twin, and I wouldn't trade my sister for the world. The good, the bad, and the ordinary -- these are just a few things that life as a twin entails. Much love to my fellow twosomes. XOXO and good luck. I hope to you traditional one-at-a-time babies, this has given you a little more insight into the life of a twin.