When it comes to twins, most people think of identical twins which can be irritating sometimes for those who are fraternal. Being a fraternal twin has it's advantages and disadvantages but, it's fun. It's nice looking different than your twin so people don't get us mixed up and get confused. We might look different and act different, but we have some similarities. Here's a list of struggles fraternal twins face:
1.) "You guys are twins? Wow, I never would've guessed!"
If I had a dollar every time I heard this, I could probably afford college. No, we aren't cousins nor did one of us get held back in school. We are twins.
2.) People assuming one of you is an older sibling
Just because she's taller than me doesn't mean she's a year or more older than me.
3.) Family members buying two of everything because "matching is cute"
Ugh! And here comes the cringing. From the very beginning, relatives and direct family members have gotten us the same exact outfits or other things because "it's cute". No, it's not cute. It's annoying. We have our own preferences and differences and we probably don't want to wear the exact same pink shirt.
4.) You can actually call each other ugly because you aren't identical.
The perfect insult.
5.) You don't have teachers or co workers getting confused.
Well...sometimes. We don't look the same so we have a lower risk of awkward encounters. However, people still end up mixing you and your other half up.
6.) You say the same thing at the same time.
There is no such thing as twin telepathy however, if you have been around some one long enough (like your whole life), your brain makes predictions on what the person is going to say, therefore, you say things at the same time or think the same thing. With just a look you can tell what one another is thinking.
7.) You don't have the same personalities or academics (thank god).
Just be glad you're not the same psychologically.
8.) People assuming because you are a twin, you and your other half share the same views, academics, and personalities.
"(Insert name) is really smart and good at Biology. You must be good at it too since you're twins." HAHAHA! I wish. We may be twins, but we certainly don't have the same academics, personalities, etc. One of us is more sassy than the other, one is better academically, one is more artsy, one is more chill, one is more uptight, and so on.
9.) TWIN STUDIES
Twin studies are by far the best part of being a fraternal twin. We get paid to be studied our whole life and it's very interesting and fun. We get to help the medical field and learn things about ourselves.
10.) Being away at college.
It can be hard but, for me personally, I didn't feel too bad being so far away from my twin. I knew I'd see her again and there is a thing called FaceTime and calling that if I ever needed to, I could talk to her using that.