There are a lot of factors to consider when you’re deciding on the college you want to attend. Do you want to be close to home or across the country? Do you want to commute or live on campus? For us, a question that sat at the back of our minds during applications was: do you want to attend the same school as your sibling?
When we decided to attend Rutgers together, we knew that there would be a few implications: people getting us confused, some academic competition, etc. But now that we’re both in our junior year, we have a good grasp on what attending the same college as your twin actually means.
1. You know at least one person your freshman year
Orientation and the first day can be intimidating, and the fear of not knowing anyone is a real one. Fortunately, when you attend the same school as your twin, you have an orientation buddy and at least a familiar face as you navigate your new environment. This helps make such an intimidating day feel way more manageable.
2. You can borrow things from them
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Clothing, money, food, you name it: your twin has got you covered. A true perk of continuing your journey with your twin is having someone to bug for an extra sweatshirt, extra cash, or leftovers.
3. You’ll have someone to rant to/talk about things pertaining to your college AND your home life
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Sometimes when you rant to friends or talk about certain things, they don’t understand where you’re coming from or have no background on the subject. When you have your twin with you, they get it. You can rant to them about anything ranging from your mom to that one weird teacher you have and they won’t ask questions or get tired of you. Plus, when you talk about annoying things that happen at school, they’ll understand because they’re experiencing the same thing. We can’t count the number of conversations we’ve had about annoying Rutgers weekend buses and classes closing on WebReg before registration. Friends from home and your family won’t understand it as easily unless they’re at school with you.
4. You have a piece of home with you on campus
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Sometimes being away at college can really take a toll on you, and when you start to feel that homesickness creep in, it’s extremely comforting to know you have a part of it right on campus. Having your twin is like having your home away from home — plus, it’s nice to be able to reminisce about the good old days at your real house with someone else.
5. You have someone else to look out for
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Don’t get us wrong — it’s great to have someone looking out for you while you’re away at school, but it goes both ways. We’ve both spent our fair share of hours worrying about what the other one was doing, where they were, and if they’re okay when we don’t receive a response to the “wya” text or we see a Snapchat in a shady location. Your twin is the closest person to you, and the panic sets in the second you feel like your other half is in danger.
6. You will get compared to each other
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As a twin, this is something you’ll get your whole life because there is someone out there who is genetically similar, in the same grade as you, and possibly taking the same classes as you. Comparisons, whether it be by yourselves or by other people, are inevitable. This usually wears off as people get to know and differentiate the two of you, but sometimes we still find ourselves comparing things like GPAs. It’s part of life, but in high school, you forget how strong comparisons can be or what it’s like to have a new group of people compare you physically and socially. In college, it’s a whole new game.
7. You have to remember to be your own person
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This part can be tricky, especially if one or both of you are introverted. College is a time to explore who you are as a person, and this means breaking away from whatever your twin’s interested in. This isn’t always the case for everyone, but it can be an adjustment trying to make a name for yourself and going out of your comfort zone if you’re used to hanging in the same circles or doing the same things as your twin, like we were. Your twin is a comfort, but they can’t be your crutch. Try things that scare you; that could be joining a totally different club or going to events by yourself. It’ll help you distinguish yourself from each other.
There are pros and cons to everything, and while attending the same college as your twin has its perks, there are a few things to be mindful of. In the end though, we wouldn’t have it any other way.