In less than a month, I will be a freshman again. I will be three hours away from home. I will have an 8 a.m. class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I will finally be able to decorate my dorm. I will be back in school. I will meet a lot of new people. I will be making a huge change. This is the first time I will be away from my twin for more than a few weeks. I won’t see her until Thanksgiving. I won’t get to wake up with her and get ready for school with her anymore. We won’t be able to argue about who is going to wear the green jacket, and which one of us is going to explain to mom why we missed the bus. There won’t be late night laughs about our stupid arguments or early morning confrontation because someone fogged up the mirror in the bathroom.

Everyone always asks, “Why didn’t you go together?” It was simple; my school has a better program for me, and her school has a better program for her. Did we do it on purpose? No, but going to a different college will have its perks. We will both finally be able to become just Mary and just Mercedes. Not the other’s sister. That’s one of the tough parts about being a twin, you have to fight to have your own identity. But ironically, that is something I will miss.

With all of this change coming around the corner, it is tough to think I will be without her for most of it. We’ve been there for every major milestones. First day of high school, first day at a new job, first boyfriend, first heartache, first drive, first makeup mistake and now our first day in college will be spent apart. It’s a weird concept to grasp.

There will be no more before photo primp sessions, there won’t be random trips to Walgreens and there won’t be anymore late night procrastination sessions. But there WILL be phone calls, Facetime procrastination sessions and Snapchats to maintain our bond.

Everyone always asks, “What’s the worst part of having a twin?” Usually I scoff and say something sassy along the lines of, “She steals my clothes,” or “I never know where my lipstick is,” or “We have an incredible talent of walking out of the house in the same outfit.” But the worst part is here friends. The worst part is definitely going to be our time spent away from each other while we are at school.

Good luck Marge, love always Bea.