Being an identical twin comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. If you're a twin, you know that one of the most annoying things is hearing the same questions and statements every time you meet someone new. But if you're not, take a look at the following list to learn what not to say when you meet two people who share identical DNA.
I can't believe how similar you two look
This is probably both the funniest and dumbest statement I hear, and I hear it every time. Even if I warn people ahead of time that we’re identical, everyone is always still shocked when they first see Kelly and I side by side. I guess some people still haven’t grasped the concept of “identical." Still, the excited reaction we always get hasn’t gotten old after 19 years, and I don’t think it ever will.
You even sound the same
Surprise surprise, it’s not just our outside appearances that are the same. When you share identical DNA with someone, everything about you is identical, not just your appearance. There have been times when we’ve talked on the phone with friends and family, and even they can’t tell who’s who.
Do you have the same friends?
This one varies between sets of twins. There are some like Kelly and I, who have had completely separate friend groups our entire lives, and others who share everything, including friends. We both get along with each other’s friends, but we also have different likes and interests that we share with our besties and not with each other. But regardless of who our friends are, our best friend will always be each other.
Are you going to marry twins?
For about three years in between the ages of five and eight, my answer to this question would’ve been yes. We were even planning on having a double wedding. But just like we play different sports and have different friends, we also have different types when it comes to guys. Plus, having kids that are siblings genetically and cousins by marriage would just be weird.
Which one of you was born first?
Just like there’s an older sibling complex with kids that are born years apart, there’s one with twins too. Even though we only have a 14 minute age difference between us, Kelly would never let me forget about it when we were younger.
Who's the smart twin?
For some reason everyone always assumes that one twin is smarter than the other. And while we were definitely competitive when it came to school (and everything else) it wasn’t like there was one of us who was miles ahead of the other. People also tend to assume that twins will continue on to the same college, but while I’ve made my home at NC State, Kelly attends Virginia Tech.
Who's the pretty twin?
If everyone assumes there’s a smart twin, they assume there’s a pretty one too. This stereotype has always cracked me up, since as identical twins, Kelly and I are identical in appearance (other than our hair, which we’ve both dyed different colors). Although if anyone asks, we’ll both tell them that we’re the pretty one.
Can you read each other's minds?
We always used to play this game in long car rides where we would try to guess what the other was thinking. And (almost) every time, we would guess the wrong thing. Her pinky didn’t hurt when I broke mine last November, and I don’t get happy for no reason when she does well on an exam. So, I’m sorry to break it to everyone, but twin telepathy is not a real thing.
Do you ever switch classes?
Kelly and I shared almost every class, so unfortunately, we never got the chance to try. But there were definitely a few times where we traded assigned seats and tried to see how long it took our teachers to notice that they had handed back papers to the wrong student. Half the time, they went the entire class period without noticing.
Is it weird being apart?
Missing Kelly is honestly the worst part about being a twin. Living 230 miles away from each other is one of the hardest things about attending college, and our reunions are always my favorite parts of the year. I know a lot of siblings that are extremely close, but there’s something about being born minutes apart that gives twins have an unbreakable bond.
