For as long as I can remember, my identity as a twin has been no less entertaining than a circus attraction. With questions ranging from curious to downright personal, we’ve heard it all.
“Why aren’t you dressed the same?”
“Can you read each other’s minds?”
“If I punched your sister really hard in the face, would you be able to feel the pain?”
Some of these questions may sound ridiculous to you, but they are a reality my sister Imaan and I deal with on a daily basis. To many, the idea of growing up with a clone sounds interesting. The annoying aspects, however, are something not many of us think about.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
The first and most common challenge twins face is being mistaken for the other person. We’ve gotten so used to it over the years that now we generally just laugh it off and try to turn the situation into something humorous. As a child, however, this had the potential to be extremely traumatizing.
Back in elementary school, Imaan and I were put in separate classes. One day, I went with my class to the library, and ended up getting an earful from Imaan’s teacher who assumed I was her. In the first grade, I couldn’t even tell apart my spoons from my forks, and yet here I was being accused of bunking a class. It sounds silly to think about now, I know. At the time, however, it was an emotionally scarring experience.
What’s Mine is Never Really Mine
Another nuisance of life as a twin is the all-encompassing and never-ending sharing. In fact, if you think about it, we’ve been sharing a room since before we were born. Whether it is clothes, friends, or classes- everything is either strategically allocated or simply the same. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve received a single birthday gift with the words “To the twins” written on top of it. Friendly Tip: Every twin deserves their own gift!
Unhealthy Competition
Unfortunately, however, it’s not always a mere matter of inconvenience. At times, people can use our shared experiences to pit us against one another. I began skipping meals at age 14 when an acquaintance commented that Imaan was thinner. When I bagged the main role in a school play, Imaan was asked, “aren’t you jealous?” Every achievement of mine, as well as every shortcoming, is unceremoniously placed next to hers.
The Twin Life
Over the last twenty years, my life has revolved around having a duplicate. Although we can all agree that it hasn’t been easy, it’s also true that I wouldn’t change any part of it. Having a twin sister may be confusing and annoying and full of mishaps. But at the end of the day, it is the most crucial part of my identity. Above all, I have a built-in best friend going through the exact same phase of life as me. For that, I am thankful.
At least, until we open our birthday gifts.
2 thoughts on “What It’s Like to Grow Up as a Twin”
This is really interesting!
Did the teacher ever get to know that she punished you instead of Imaan? Was Imaan punished later?
Thankfully she found out almost instantly and was pretty apologetic.
I’m glad you enjoyed it!