LIFESTYLE
TWIN TALK
BY ELLA KUNAR ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 32.1 out of every 1,000 births in the United States in 2019 were twins. Here at Granville High School, twins are pretty common. Juniors Matt and Mikey Chaykowski, juniors Bobby and Caroline Otter, and sophomores Gabrielle and Olivia Graves talk about their experiences being twins.
A
What it’s like to be a twin Identical twins are when one fertilized egg splits in the womb and produces two babies. They have the same exact DNA, so they have a lot of similarities. Gabrielle and Olivia Graves are identical twins. Fraternal twins, on the other hand, are not identical because two separate eggs were fertilized, so they genetically have the same DNA as siblings. Matt and Mikey Chaykowski are fraternal twins, as well as Bobby and Caroline Otter. The Graves twins said they don’t even realize that they are different from everyone else. “I am just so used to being a twin that I sometimes forget,” Gabrielle said, “I just see her as my sister, not my identical twin sister.” The downsided of being a twin For identical twins, one common frustration is being mixed up with one another. “It’s inevitable, but we have to deal with it and it gets annoying,” Gabrielle said. “A lot of people like to say we are the same person, but if you really knew us that is not true. Being identical twins is tough, and getting confused can feel degrading from time to time. “We get mixed up all the time,” Olivia said. “I would like to have my own identity.” Caroline shares another downside of being a twin.
Since they are in the same grade, they do not get a break from each other during the school day. “I don’t like going to school with him because we have ‘beef,’” Caroline said. “I would rather just have a regular sibling. Best part about being a twin Gabrielle and Olivia enjoy having a best friend who is also their sister. Though they dislike getting mixed up, having a best friend always there makes it all worth it. “I kind of have a built-in best friend,” Olivia said. “She’s like a support system.” The twins enjoy just always having someone there. They never have had to worry about being lonely because they are always together. “You can just do anything because you always have a best friend there. You can just grab your twin and throw the football or play some lacrosse,” Mikey said. Caroline and Bobby stick together, whether it is against their parents or people in their grade. When it comes down to it, they trust each other more than anyone. Bobby says the best part about being a twin is “the bond we have because of the secrets we hold against our parents.” Caroline said the best part of having a male twin is “knowing the ‘tea’ about every single boy in our grade.” Twin Telepathy Twin telepathy is when twins have a sense or connection to the other twin’s thoughts or feelings. Twin telepathy has not been deemed fact or fiction, and can be argued both ways. The Otters and Graves say they do not have telepathy, however, the Chaykowskis are sure of it. When asked to name the first food that they thought of on three, they both screamed, “STEAK!”
MEET THE TWINS
THE CHAYKOWSKIS Juniors Mikey and Matt
THE OTTERS Juniors Bobby and Caroline Fraternal Twins
THE GRAVESES Sophomores Gabrielle and Olivia Identical Twins
VOL. 12 NO. 1 blueprints 15
