82% of people in the United States have a sibling, but what about those special few with a sibling who’s not older or younger but the same age? Yes, twins. Whether they are identical or fraternal, they’re there. They’re also an integral part of FHC. That begs the question, is sharing your grade with your twin an advantage or a disadvantage?
Almost everyone hits the same milestones when it comes to school: switching from one teacher to six, graduating middle school, and, inevitably, graduating high school. These milestones represent big changes in our lives, not only academically but socially and emotionally. A large part of these changes is due to students becoming more self-reliant in the world and facing these things alone. However, what would happen if you were never alone when it came to graduating and introducing yourself to a new group of people? What if you had someone by your side since birth? The twin population at FHC not only shares these moments with their sibling but love every second of it. Sophomore Sophie Luyckx is a fraternal twin with her sister, Josie.
“I really enjoy sharing those important events in my life with my twin [Josie Luyckx],” Sophie said. “That way, I can share those memories with her. [A twin] is like a person to have with you forever, no matter what. Sometimes, I get super anxious, but I know I have my twin with me. You’re really never alone.”
Sophomore Ella Haughey relates her twin to having a best friend. Even if she has to share the spotlight a little bit where others usually don’t, she doesn’t mind.
“My twin [sophomore Sophia Haughey] is like my best friend,” Ella said. “I don’t really see it as sharing an event with a sibling. Instead, it’s more like my best friend is coming with me.”
Even if they have to share the spotlight, the twins at FHC don’t mind as long as they have their sibling with them. However, twins share not just the big moments in life but also their classmates and teachers.
Sharing the same grade as you’re sibling might seem intimidating, maybe even suffocating. However, having your twin enter the same school as you is not as complicated as people think. According to Ella, her twin has made traversing school even easier.
“If I was given the choice, I’d still choose to attend the same high school as my twin, Sophia,” Ella said. “I don’t know what I would do if she wasn’t here. Having the same homework is also helpful. It’s nice if I’m confused with something in class and I can just go home and ask my sister for help since she’s learning the same things.”
The twins’ thoughts stay the same when thinking further down their educational pathways and facing the question about colleges. While some siblings choose to avoid their siblings at college, these twins choose to stick together. While they don’t want to be joined at the hip, entering a new situation with someone at your side brings over some of the same advantages of having a twin in high school.
“If I were to attend college, I think going to the same one as my twin would be fun,” Sophie said. “I’d love to like bump into her around campus and even share some classes. Although, I think I’d like my own dorm. I’d want a chance to have my own life and be more self-reliant. So, I’d love to see her around. It would be helpful if we had some similar classes, and I’d still have my own life.”
In school and at milestones, it seems that having a twin is not only helpful but necessary. However, not everything about having a twin can be glamorous; being the same age creates challenges. Competition between siblings can be heightened due to the closeness of age and similarity of activities. Jealousy and expectations for twins to share everything also come hand in hand with competition. It is easy to compare two siblings when they share the same age and assume twins to act similarly. Still, the closeness of a twin is unmatched, at least until the closeness becomes suffocating. Seeing siblings everywhere can make situations more tense and strained.
“Having someone in the house that’s the same age is hard,” Ella said. “We end up fighting a lot, and it’s hard to get time alone. Especially since I see them at school and at home, while it is nice that they’re always there for me, they’re also always there.”
It turns out twins aren’t the only ones who see some downsides. Sophmore Zain Chan, who doesn’t have a twin, can visualize the negatives that might come hand in hand with having a twin. Like Ella, he fears that having a twin would take away from his twin-less freedom.
“When I think about having a twin, I think that it would be hard to get away from them,” Zain said. “I might end up having classes with them, and I’d always see them at home and school-related events. I think I’d get tired of having a twin.”
Having a twin is a double-edged sword. However, most twins at FHC have come to the conclusion that it is worth every second.
Even though the twins at FHC have mostly nice things to say about each other, some of the other students in the student body are still unaware of the opportunities that twins provide to each other, instead assuming that they are a hindrance.
“I don’t think I would want a twin,” Zain said. “I think that if my twin does something bad, it would reflect badly on me. I understand that it’s kind of the same for older siblings, but I think people would compare me too much to my twin if I had one.”
While everyone has their own perspective on the advantages and disadvantages of having a twin, those who do haven’t had much to complain about. You know your twin from the second you are born, and no one else will be able to say the same. Whether they are helpful or hurtful, twins are one of a kind.
“I know everyone has their own view on what it’s like to be a twin,” Sophie said. “I’ve heard some people say they wouldn’t want one. But I love my twin, and I’m so glad I’m lucky enough to be a twin. And having a twin is a really special thing not everyone can claim.”
