Having a twin is something that I would never want to change.
Since birth, my twin has been someone I could not only confide in, but also someone that I could rely on no matter the situation. However, once someone does find out that I have one, the same old and quite ridiculous questions are asked that have stayed the same for as long as I remember. Below are a small selection of questions that all twins, fraternal or identical, everywhere struggle with answering and are quite tired of hearing.
1. How does it feel having a twin?
Whenever I get this question, and I am sure for other twins, I am never quite certain how to answer it due to the fact that I do not know what it is like to live without one. With all honesty, it is the norm for me just how it is normal for some people to have blonde hair. At the end of the day, it is just another sibling who happens to have the same birthday as you, who looks similar to you, and someone who you spend a lot of your time with.
2. Are you sure you guys are not identical?
Right after having to actually prove to someone that I have twin, this has to be one of the most absurd questions I am constantly asked. Yes, I agree, for being fraternal twins my sister and I do look quite similar, but other than sharing similar facial features, there is not much else identical about us. Not only do I have to explain the science behind what exactly it means to be a fraternal or identical twin, I had to call my mom on various different occasions just to prove that I am not lying about it.
3. Can you read each others' minds?
To contrary belief, twins do not have the power to communicate telepathically. Even though my twin and I were practically cellmates for nine months, it does not give us a super power that non-twins are not able to get. Although my twin and I do have similar thoughts, and sometimes think the same thing, we do not have to ability to do things such as give each other the answer to a question (which would have been helpful) that we do not know or even have a conversation via brain waves.
4. So, how many minutes are you two apart?
Personally, I do not get the point of this question. Nineteen years later and I am still wondering why people are so interested on this very odd, and tiny detail of my life that does not pertain to who I am today.
But, for the record I am 41 minutes older than my twin, and yes, I realize that is a very long time.
5. Have you guys ever switched places?
Other than changing into each others' pajamas and getting into each others' cribs when we were 3 years old, we really never attempted to pull a "ParentTrap" on other family members or even teachers at school. Even though we were highly encouraged by friends growing up, we never had much of an interest in it, thinking that it would be too much of a hassle to work out every little detail.
6. Do you like having a twin?
Once again, I feel odd answering this question because having a twin sister is really just a sibling that has the same birthday as you. Since the day I was born, literally, it is all that I have ever known, and it is someone that I could not imagine my life without.