Yes, we look alike, get over it.

When I tell people that I'm a twin, they're shocked. Their faces reflect wonder and astonishment, which is understandable, but the questions that follow are not. 

"Are you really twins?" and
"Do you ever get yourself confused with your twin?" are somehow common questions that are asked after I tell people of my identical twin sister.

People are so interested in twins, but to me it just feels like having another sibling, nothing out of the ordinary. I am myself, and I have my own interests, goals, and personality. Strangely enough, whenever I look at her, I don't even feel that we look alike, even though we do. I am not my sister and she is not me. 

There are many positive and negative situations that come from being a twin, and these are just some. The pros include being able to help each other with homework, it’s an interesting thing to share about yourself, and knowing the same people.

One of the only questions that isn't irritating to me is “How can I tell you guys apart?” This question is not as annoying as you would think. At least it shows that you're actively trying to learn our differences. If you ask, I will actually be glad that you asked instead of trying to guess, for the tenth time, and still getting the wrong name.

The cons are annoyances such as teachers who can’t tell us apart even if we’re in different periods, and being compared.

I think the statement that bugs me the most is "wow, you are the exact opposite of your twin."
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?
This could be a compliment, an insult, or neither, but either way, it shouldn't be said. If someone who is closer with my sister tells me this, it feels almost as if they don't like anything about me, which leaves me to reply with an unenthusiastic and confused  "thaaanks.."

The thing about having someone who is genetically identical to you is that being compared is inevitable. I feel that my parents do a good job at realizing that we are not the same people, but having a twin sort of leads me to compare myself with her. In my mind, there is always some type of competition going on. I want to be better, smarter, more athletic, but even if I were "better" in those senses, there are always things that she will be better at. It's hard to say "oh, I am the smarter one,” or “she's the more social one," because that's admitting that you're better or that you're lacking in something that you feel almost entitled to. For example, whenever I get a better grade than my sister, it's exciting because you think to yourself " I'm better than her in that aspect" and in a way, it's almost like you can see that you worked harder and earned it because, technically, shouldn't we be the exact same? 

Any questions or comments? Feel free to email me.