As soon as I meet someone and they find out I’m a twin, the surprise in their face and the curiosity to know more about it never fails to amaze me. To me, being a twin is normal, and I sometimes forget that less than 1% of babies are born as identical twins.
In my opinion, having a twin can be both a blessing and a curse. Don’t get me wrong; I’m extremely grateful for having a lifetime best friend and someone who has and always will be there for me, but sometimes I feel as though twins are misunderstood and perceived differently by society. Here are some of the situations I’ve faced throughout my life that show how I feel about being a twin:
1. Awkward encounters
Being a twin, it’s very likely that someone you don’t know greets you so you have to pretend that you know them. This has happened to me quite often, and I just awkwardly smile back at them and wonder if they think I’m my sister or if I’m just bad at remembering faces. On the bright side, if I don’t recognize someone I could just play the twin card and I’m safe.
2. Stares
It doesn’t matter if I’m wearing an all black outfit and my sister’s wearing a sun dress and has a different hairstyle – wherever we walk, people stare at us as though we’re aliens. Have people never seen identical twins before? It never fails to amaze me how intrigued people are when they see us walking together.
3. Repetitive questions
Who’s prettier? Who’s smarter? If I punch you will your twin feel it too? I mean, why is it that only twins get these kinds of questions? I seriously don’t understand how someone could think it’s okay to ask anyone these questions. It’s not, and it has to stop.
4. Being categorized as the same person
Sure, we might look extremely similar on the outside, but we don’t share the same brain. Believe it or not, we are two totally different people. It’s really frustrating when people just assume we’re one person, and it has often happened that when a friend gets mad at my sister, they automatically hate me too.
5. People rarely call you by your name
People calling me by my name? Forget it. To everyone who knows us, we’re “the twins.” I guess it’s easier for people to remember us that way, or it’s just an excuse for the fact that they can’t tell which one is which. Either way, I often have to remind people that I do have a name, and I would like to be called by it every so often.
Although these experiences might not seem like the most pleasant, I feel lucky that I don’t have to go through any of this alone. I’ll always have my sister to rely on, and I know she’s the only constant person in my life that has been there for me through good and bad times. I’ve realized that despite all the negative situations, I’m extremely grateful that I have a twin sister. As cliché as it sounds, she’s my other half and there’s no one else I’d rather share my birthday with.
GIFs via Giphy