Pros and Cons of Being a Twin
Having a twin is an interesting experience; it’s something that tends to define people’s view of you. They make this thing the most important part of your identity until it honestly feels that way. So here is what I have found to be the ups and downs of being a twin.
Bad Parts:
People believe you are exactly alike
People have the tendency to believe that me and my twin sister Melissa are exactly alike just because we look similar. They think we both love the same things, hang out with the same people, have the same opinions. For some reason people are convinced that we are copies of each other with no discernable traits that make us different. Which, of course, is the farthest from the truth. We might look alike and share some interests but we have our own lives separate from one another. Just because we grew up doing everything together doesn't mean we didn’t develop our own interests, beliefs and ideas. This tends to always shock people who have concluded that we are one in the same. But the reality is that we are very different but people tend to only see our similarities on the outside and think that it goes all the way through.
You are defined by your twinness
Being a twin becomes your identity; people see you and simply know you as the twins. All they tend to see is the fact that you have someone who looks scarily similar to you but the truth of the matter is were both so much more the just twins. It’s unfortunate that a lot of people can’t see past our similarity and see us for who we are. You get trapped in this identity by other people around you and it takes a lot of convincing to get people to believe you can be anything other than a twin.
No one can tell you apart
My sister and I are fraternal twins meaning were twins who don’t look a like...or so it seems. Even though we are in fact fraternal twins people have always thought of us as identical because of how similar we look to one another. When we were kids we even had to wear name tags so are kindergarten teacher could tell who was who. It sucked being mistaken for each other and not being able to be seen as ourselves.
You are forced to look alike
People tend to think it’s cute to make twins look exactly alike and I have to admit that the matching outfits really do fall under that category. But, making twins look exactly alike tends to fuel the confusion that they feel in trying to find their own identities. It took me a long time to figure out who I am outside of being a twin because that's all I’ve ever been to so many people. Forcing your children to be carbon copies of each other can make it harder for them to truly know who they are. I know for a fact that it made it harder for me to realize my own likes and dislikes instead thinking in a collective sort of way.
Good Parts:
You always have someone to talk to
No matter how hard life may be you always have someone to confide in, who understands you to some level. You always have someone to listen and be there for you who understands you better than anyone else. It’s nice to have a constant shoulder to cry on, a person to always listen to your woes, to make you laugh and be there for when you cry.
You have an unbreakable connection
Ever since me and my sister were children we’ve had this unbreakable connection to one another. Seemingly being able to read each other's minds and facial expressions and we just knew each others ups and downs. It was almost eerie to be perfectly honest, but to me and my sister it felt like the best thing. We have this connection that no one else can replicate, this feeling that we know each others wavelengths and I wouldn’t change this for the world.
You have a partner in crime
You can wreak havoc on your unsuspecting family with your twin who also knows how to get under your families skin. In life you have someone who will torture your loved ones to no end, someone who will pull pranks on them with you. Who will help you confuse them and help you become a better person. They’ll stick with you through thick and thin and always be there for you. You have a partner in life who will always be on your side and who knows you to your very core.
You have someone who knows you better than anyone else
They know you straight through to your soul and know how you are truly. You can be yourself around them and be true to who you are. They won’t judge you unless you do something absolutely idiotic then they’ll judge you in full force. They aren’t afraid to be honest with you and to tell you how it is. They know when you need someone or when you need to be left alone. They know you and get you.
All in all, being a twin is overwhelmingly a great experience but one that can be difficult at times. Yet, no matter the struggles having a twin means you're never truly alone in anything, that you have someone who sees past all your defenses and simply knows you and loves you all the same.
