Double Trouble: Twins at Padua
Twins. They’re just like us- except there are two of them. But, how much do we really know about their lives? Padua has several twins, some that both go to school here and others that go to different schools.
Meghan and Madison Wilhelm are identical twins who are Juniors here at Padua. Although Meghan was born first by one minute, but she doesn’t hold that over her sister. The Simpson twins, Colleen and Rachel, are Seniors. They aren’t sure if they’re identical or fraternal because, as Colleen said, “our mom didn’t know she was having twins and we were a rush delivery.” Annie Sea is a Junior and her fraternal twin brother, Ben, goes to Salesianum.
Growing Up
Growing up so closely with a twin gives them a connection that normal siblings can never share. “We just always had someone there who understood everything because we grew up together,” Annie said.
Madison agreed, saying, “Growing up together, I always had someone to play with and hang out with. We did everything together because we were best friends. And we still are.”
As twins grow up, they often grow apart. They develop their own likes and dislikes and want to have their own experiences. Annie said she felt like her and her twin, “…don’t talk as much as we used to… We just don’t get to interact as much as before.”
As they grew older, Colleen said, “We used to do everything together but now we’re more independent.”
Having a Male Twin
Twins who are different genders have different relationships than those who are the same gender. Annie and Ben Shea went to middle school together, but they decided they to go to Padua and Salesianum for high school – apart from each other. Annie said it was different not going to the same school as her twin because, “We used to do our homework together and help each other out. And now we can’t consider doing that because we don’t have the same classes.”
One plus side of having a twin of the opposite gender is that people don’t really confuse them. Although they look alike, the difference between them is apparent. However, Annie said, sometimes, “People ask me it we’re identical… but he’s literally a boy. How do you think we’re the same person?”
Annie felt that, if she was the same gender as her twin, they would be “…really competitive and have to share everything. But, since we’re a boy and a girl, we have our space and privacy.”
Having the distinct difference in appearance makes it easier for Annie and Ben to be individuals in other areas of their life while still enjoying their time together. “We just had homecoming and my friend group just went with his entire friend group, which it was very nice,” said Annie.
Positives and Negatives
Being a twin comes with many positives. One perk is that they always have someone to hang out with. “We went to the same school all throughout grade school so we always understood what was going on with each other. It was just really nice to have someone to talk to who was in your grade,” said Annie.
Another perk is that they always have someone in their class to help them. “…When we were freshmen… If she was in my class, I knew someone all the time. And we would come home and talk about it,” said Meghan.
Colleen agreed, saying that having a twin, “…helps with making sure I don’t miss anything because it’s kind of like two people are in [the class]. It’s not like I’m asking a friend for help with something because my sister’s right there.”
However, there is one major negative to having a twin: people don’t always know the difference between them. Although this is mostly an issue for identical twins, it is one that is very difficult to deal with. Many people make an effort to learn the difference, but that isn’t always the case.
Meghan finds it annoying, “…when people get our names wrong after knowing us for a long time.” Madison added to this, saying it’s strange when she sees, “…teachers in the hallway or girls that I never talk to who think I am Meghan. They get really confused.”
Similarities and Negatives
Twins are often very similar. Meghan said Madison and her both like the same food and get along well. Annie said Ben and her, “…look pretty similar- we both have like blond hair and blue eyes and run cross country. We’re also pretty smart and kind of quiet.”
Although they are similar, twins aren’t exactly alike. Meghan said the main difference between Madison and her is, “Our style… the clothes we wear are different. We don’t really dress the same.” Other than gender, Annie and Ben have a few different interests. “I’m into musicals and he isn’t really. I’m into reading, and he’s not. I feel like I’m a little more outgoing than him- overall he’s pretty quiet,” said Annie.
Another major difference between the lives of twins and other people is that twins know what it’s like to constantly be around someone who is just like themselves. As Madison said, “I don’t know what it’s like not to be around someone that’s just like me.”
