"No, we don't have twin telepathy."
"Do you guys feel each others pain?"
"What is your twin thinking about right now?"
"Do you match outfits everyday?"
"Who's older? By how much?"
"Why didn't you go to the same school?"
The list of questions that twins receive is virtually endless. There is also no telling how many times I have answered the same question. And going along with that, there's no telling how many times I have gotten annoyed by answering all these questions. Though the most painful question to answer is "Are you fraternal or identical?" I think that the answer to this question should be visibly obvious... My twin and I are fraternal, which means that we do not look alike. Identicals are identical, just as the word suggests.
My twin and I have shared quite a few things; from wombs, rooms, and cars we have shared a lot of things and experiences in our lives (we have also shared a pretty awesome sister who claims to be the long lost triplet). As children, my twin and I pretended to be Mary-Kate and Ashley. I was always Mary-Kate because my twin's name is Ashley.
There are advantages to being a twin: you can help each other with homework because you're learning the same thing, and you get invited to double the amount of social events (because people feel like if you invite one twin you have to invite the other). Also, we've never gotten each other birthday presents, which saves us money. There are disadvantages as well, like when you share your car and you need to be in two places at once, that kind of stinks. It also can become a treacherous territory if both of you end up liking the same guy. This kind of stuff happens because you are in the same grade and have similar social circles, but still, this is when sticky situations happen.
Before college, I think I spent a total of four to five weeks away from my twin in my entire life. But now I have spent months away from my twin. Whenever I would have a new experience or go to a new place, my twin was mostly always by my side, experiencing the same thing. So going off to college and not being known as "The Twins" was a completely new thing. I was a completely independent person., I was my own person. My professors and friends didn't know my twin so the comparisons to my twin ended. I was able to do define who I am today. Most twins you meet are almost complete opposites. I learned once that it's because twins subconsciously want to define themselves as two different people.
What I just said made it sound like having a twin was horrible. But, in fact, I love having a twin. One of the best things about being a twin is sharing a birthday. Most people think it would be weird to share a birthday, but I think that it would be weird not to share a birthday. After 18 birthdays together, 19 will be the first birthday my twin and I are not together. It's going to be a strange experience. It'll feel as if I'm alone, but in all reality, I'm not going to be. It blows my mind to have a birthday all to myself.
I would not change anything in the world about being a twin. But I would change all the annoying questions I get. Being a twin is a special bond that few people have the pleasure of having. So here's to twins and the double trouble we cause.
