Imagine having to be compared to someone your whole life, whether it was grades, beauty, or knowledge. This person is basically attached to you for your entire lifetime and there is no way to get away from them. That is a feeling I have experienced for as long as I know. Usually, when people discover I have a twin, they immediately get excited and say how they wish they had a twin as well. They also might ask questions such as if we have "twin telepathy" or if we can feel each other`s pain. Sometimes people are absolutely astounded when I tell them there is another person that looks just like me.

First off, let me tell you that twin telepathy is not really a thing and no, we can not feel each other's pain. Madison and I have been together since birth, literally, except for the one minute when she was born before me. We shared a room for eighteen years until I moved away for college; we shared everything. We shared a car, clothes, homework, makeup and food. We also went to the same school and had the same friends throughout our lives. It may seem fun having double of everything, including your own person (trust me, sometimes we would try and pretend to be the other one and go to each other's classes). However, the problem with having a twin is that you are never really your own person. I was always known as "the other one," "the twin," or "Madison`s twin."

I have always been associated with having a twin which restricted me from ever opening up and becoming my own person. This completely changed when we went to separate colleges. People just assume that we are the same because we are twins but reality is that we have completely different personalities. It is hard to be your own person when people always conclude that we act the same way. In reference to "The Parent Trap," she is more like Hallie Parker and I am more like Annie James.

Also, you are constantly being compared to each other for everything. Everyone asks questions about who is more athletic, who is smarter, who has more friends, and who is prettier. It is constantly a competition to see who is the better twin. Twins are just as different as everyone else. I played soccer and volleyball where as she threw discuss and shot-put in track. Madison is a very good test taker however I apply myself more to my school work. We went to the same schools and took the same classes thus we had the same friends. As for who is prettier, we are twins...so we look alike.

When I decided to move away for college, I was super excited to go to a new place where people would finally know me as myself. Turns out, I actually miss not having Madison with me at school. Sometimes I feel like a piece of me is missing. But then I realized that it may be for the better because it gave me the chance to be myself and make my own friends. It definitely allowed us to become our own people which I am grateful for but I know that a piece of me is always missing (thankfully she is not too far away.)