Being an identical twin now for 18 long years has definitely been both a blessing and a curse. Not to be overly cliché, but having a twin sister is like having a best friend and sister in one―someone who I can count on when it really matters. Although being a twin can be rough at times, the worst part about it is the stereotypical misconceptions that people have about twins, as if we are some sort of rare and exotic species that no one will ever be able to fully understand.

First of all, many people simply don’t understand the difference between identical and fraternal twins. Yes, my identical twin sister and I look very similar, but that doesn’t mean that all twins who look alike are identical, and vice versa. Identical and fraternal refers to the genetic makeup of twins, not looks. Personally, I know several sets of twins who look even more alike than me and Madison, yet are fraternal. I have gotten into several arguments with people about whether or not my sister and I are truly identical if she has allergies that I don’t or we don’t get sick at the same time. How does that even make sense?

After 18 years of twindom, I have been asked just about everything there is to ask a twin. “What if you and your twin were switched at birth and you are really Madison and she is Megan?” Well, I sure feel like a Megan and there is nothing that I can do to change that now, sorry. “If I pinch your sister, can you feel it?” No, I cannot feel it. If I pinch you, can your dog feel it? “Which of you is better at sports?” My sister and I have mastered the answer to questions like this by now, claiming that we are just “better at different things.” We are just like anyone and their regular older or younger sibling, sometimes we excel in different areas.

Having a twin is a special bond, and while many times it is frustrating and may seem inconvenient, there is nothing else like it. We are just like typical siblings, but there is something about being a twin that makes us unique. Honestly, it is pretty weird for me to stop and think about how there is someone else in this world that is literally me, but most of the time it is just normal, everyday life.

Last but not least, I would just like to say that, no, we are not going to marry identical twins just so that our kids will be genetically the same. No, we are not the exact same person despite having the same DNA and yes, I have been asked how my parents tell us apart a million times, a million and one, to be exact. Oh, and we do indeed see you doing double takes as we walk by―every single time.