February 26, 2016|page 19
THE LION’S ROAR|THELIONSROAR.COM|Features
More Than a Mirror Image Living with twinning at Newton South
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n seventh grade, senior Abigail Belozerova and her identical twin sister Sabrina had the same math teacher during different blocks. Although the math teacher taught both girls, it took two weeks before she discovered they were separate students. “I’ve gotten so used to [being confused with my sister],” Abigail said. “We both react to each other’s names. I mean, I don’t really think much about it just because if you’re just getting to know me, it’s obviously going to be hard looking at two faces. I just brush it off. It’s nothing personal.” Sophomore Gil Alon, also
By Maia Fefer, Misha Ocheretyanny and Celine Yung
an identical twin, has had similar experiup, we would constantly compare ourences. selves because we are the same age, we are “Last year, one time [my sister’s] doing the same thing, we should be doing math teacher hugged me in the hallway, things at the same level,” she said. and I didn’t know who she was,” she said. While too much competition could “Stuff like that happens, and I’m pretty have negative results, sophomore Jonathan much used to it.” Ayash —who has a fraternal twin — said Being confused for a sister is comthat some comparison can be beneficial. mon as for both Abigail and Gil, as well as “There’s a lot of competition, but many identical twins at South. Twins, even it’s good because we get better off of each non-identical, are used to being mixed other. Like this [swim] season, … we both up or compared to one another, as if they wanted to beat each other,” he said. “We ought to be similar. And despite frequent both make each other better.” competition, many twins have learned to Part of the problem is that twins are lean on each other for support. often assumed to be carbon copies of each The chances of being a twin are around other, Sophia said. one in 30. Given these Jonathan odds, being a twin, agreed that there fraternal or identiare benefits and cal, comes with an drawbacks to being obligation to answer a twin. questions. “You can “People always always talk to ask me, [‘what it’s like someone,” he said. to be a twin], and it’s “But [being a twin nothing. I don’t really is] also annoying know what it’s like to because people think not be a twin,” Sabrina of us as ‘Jonathan said. and Daniel’ instead Senior Sophia of ‘Jonathan comma Tepermeister, a fraDaniel.’ They always ternal twin, whose think of us together, brother Max also at” - Sabrina Belozerova, Class of 2016 not separate. tends South, agreed. Although “B eing a people continue to twin is not as weird as some people confuse the Alon twins and the Belozthink. It is just like having a sibling,” erova twins, distinct interests help she said. them form separate identities. According to Abigail, “I am a twin, but I’m also though, her relationships with my own person. In school, [Noy] her identical twin and her likes writing better than I do, and older sister are slightly difI’m more of a math person,” Gil ferent. said. “I can have my own thing, With her older sisand she can have her own ter, she said, she is “close thing, and we can come toin a different way.” gether at the end of the day.” Sophomore Noy The same is true Alon, Gil’s identical of the Belozerova twins, twin, agreed. Sabrina said. “I have two “We have a little older sisters, and bit different personaliI can definitely ties. She’s a little bit more say that I’m outgoing than me. She’s closer to Gil, [my also better at math and twin], than I am closer science, and I’m betto them,” she said. ter at English. We kind “We’re the same age, of complement each and we go through evother,” she said. erything together. You These differences, do everything together Abigail said, have so you get so close to helped them develop each other.” a strong relationship. Sabrina agreed. Gil, too, enjoys being “Our parents just a twin. signed us up for ev“It’s like having erything together, but a best friend and a I wouldn’t have it any sister put together,” other way,” she said. she said. “I can talk But sharing about teachers and activities has led people and gossip, to a constant state whereas with my of competition older sisters, I have between her and to explain who they Max. are while my twin “Growing just gets it,” she said.
People always ask me [what it’s like to be a twin], and it’s nothing. I don’t really know what it’s like to not be a twin.
“While with older sisters you look for advice, … [Noy and I] can relate to each other because we’re doing the same stuff at the same time.” Noy added that her close bond with Gil has become an important part of her life. “I cannot imagine life without a twin. I don’t want to,” she said. And, although he may compete with his brother, Jonathan said that having a twin would provide him with a lifetime of support. “It’s like a roller coaster,” he said. “I guess that’s just how life goes. When we need each other, we’ll be there for each other.”
photos by Kimia Tabatabaei