Twins of 2023

Michelle Wang, Opinion Editor

Britt and Aidan Collins

Fraternal Twins, Grade 12 

(Dulaney Griffin/via Britt Collins)

How would you describe your relationship today?

Britt: Probably the best it’s been. I’d say we’re pretty close.

Aidan: I’d say senior year right now is probably the closest we’ve ever been.

Do you plan on going to the same college?

Britt: Definitely not going to the same college. We didn’t apply to any of the same colleges. 

Aidan:  Her college interests are way different than mine. She wants a smaller liberal arts sc

hool and I want to go to like a big Division I school where I can watch football, like Maryland or Delaware.

How do you think your relationship will change in college?

Britt: We didn’t apply to any of the same colleges, definitely going our separate ways.

Aidan: I don’t think it would change too much. I don’t think we both want to go too far from our homes. So we’d probably like to be able to interact a lot. I don’t know if I’d be texting her as much, but we definitely keep in touch.

What is your favorite part about being a twin?

Britt: My favorite part, I’d say is I can rely on Aidan. He can drive, I do not drive, so he drives me basically everywhere.

Aidan: Favorite part is probably helping with school because it’s very helpful sometimes, especially with AP Euro. And it’s able to help with getting more friends. It’s easier to socialize with having a sister.

Describe being a twin in one sentence.

Britt: It’s strange, but it’s also entertaining. 

Aidan: It’s very different, but normal at the same time. 

 

 

Neil and Nikhil Manickam

Fraternal Twins, Grade 12

(Dulaney Griffin/via Nikhil Manickam)

What was it like growing up as twins?

Nikhil: We were always very connected in the activities we did together. And then as we got older, we found our own paths and our own friend groups. 

Neil: Once we hit high school, he got his own interest and so did I. But we got closer because we weren’t with each other as much. So we appreciated the time we spent together a little more.

Moving forward to college, how do you expect your relationship to change?

Nikhil: I think we’re probably gonna go to different colleges, that’s almost a guarantee. I don’t think it’ll change our 

way [but] it’s a lot less being around each other, especially if we’re not living in the same place.

Neil: We’ve gotten used to not interacting as much; I don’t think college will change it that

much. 

What is your favorite part about being a twin, and what is the most frustrating part?

Nikhil: I always have someone who can help me out with classes, class work, or homework together. It’s also like having a best friend all the time. There’s also the frustrating aspect, because we see each other a lot at home, or because we grew up together, creates a sense of competition. 

Neil: The best part is definitely having someone all the time that I can talk to. Just knowing that you have someone at any given moment is nice. But yeah, it does get frustrating. We get into conflict when we just don’t agree on something and it does get icky when we also don’t have the same beliefs or morals.

Describe being a twin in one sentence.

Nikhil: It’s a friend that you love and hate constantly, and will always be close, no matter what happens.

Neil: It’s having a best friend; knowing that after every fight, you’re never not going to be friends, and still love each other. 

 

Lydie and Cassie Hubbard

Identical Twins, Grade 12 

(Dulaney Griffin/Lydie Hubbard)

What is your relationship like today?

Cassie: We don’t really fight as often as we used to. It’s still the case where we will tell each other everything, whenever something happens, we always talk to each other. But now we both put in more of an effort to have separate opportunities and experiences.

Lydie: At the core, we have a lot of similarities but then branch off into different things. I think we’re still besties but we can also be very independent of each other.

Do your interests overlap?

Cassie: We do have quite a few similar interests. We’re both in theater, we take the same theater class. So we’re both very interested in the arts. Additionally, we’re both interested in engineering. We’re applying to similar colleges, so we’re looking at similar places, similar-sized schools with similar opportunities.

What is your favorite part about being a twin? And what is the most frustrating part?

Cassie: My favorite part about being a twin is that we ca

n tell each other everything, and the other person will immediately know what we’re talking about. It’s never a dull moment between us. The most frustrating part is definitely the comparison factor. I’ve had such a hard time in high school struggling with people comparing me to my sister.

Lydie: The most frustrating thing is probably that you don’t get to be an independent person… The thing I appreciate the most about somebody who talks to me is saying, How can I tell you apart from your sister in the future? Because that’s saying you’re going to put in an effort to tell us apart. 

Describe being a twin in one sentence

Cassie: It’s like having a built-in best friend who can get on your nerves a lot, but will always be there for you, will always understand you the best, and is the one person I can count on for anything.

Lydie: Twins are lucky that they get to work together

 

Samantha and Allison Elliot

Identical Twins, Grade 12 

What was it like growing up as twins?

Samantha: A lot of struggles especially with teachers, because there was one time where we both had the same teacher, and they couldn’t tell us apart. 

Allison: A lot of the teachers would definitely compare our academics. When we’re at home, our parents have to call us “the girls.” Most people call us “the girls” rather than our actual names. 

How would you describe your relationship today?

Samantha: The friendship portion, it’s fun, it’s like having another person, a laid-back one to rely on even if we’re not going to be together for every single step of our lives.

Allison: It’s going strong. I mean, I’m her shadow. So I follow in a lot of her steps rather than making my own course. So it makes it easier on me.

How do you see yourself in college?

Samantha: We’re definitely splitting up after this senior year, going our own ways and doing our own things. 

Allison: We’ll definitely keep in contact though. 

What is your favorite part about being a twin and what is the most frustrating part?

Samantha: It’s so fun to mess with people. But getting mixed up constantly and being referred to as one being sometimes can be very frustrating. 

Allison: Messing around with people a little.

Describe being a twin in one sentence.

Samantha: Something boring with an interesting twist.