It is the first day of school and the high school begins to fill up with students walking lazily to their first classes of the year. Among the crowd, two boys walk slowly through the door. One walks to the beat of the music is listening to, while the other focuses on texting someone. As they arrive at their lockers and high five their friends, the bell rings and one enters Spanish and the other Geometry.

At the same moment, two 8th grade girls, slim and fashionable, enter Middle School and begin a conversation with their friends. Both wear the same tight sweatshirt, but in different colors. They head to find their lockers and glam them up, with magnets and pictures. They walk together with their friends and one enters Social Studies, the other History.

But they are different from others… As you see closely they have the same eyes, same nose, same mouth until it makes sense, they are twins.As young adults growing up in Medellin at The Columbus School, Pedro Jaramillo, Manuel Jaramillo in 10th grade and Silvana Valencia and Emiliana Valencia from 8th grade, all share the life and frequent companion of having a twin.

Having a twin

Most studies show that twins feel closer to each other than normal siblings. On the other hand, there exist cases where twins don’t get along with each other due to a rivalry they have developed. However, for twins at TCS, it doesn’t work this way.

“Most of the time I’m with my sister so sometimes when I’m not with her it feels weird,” Silvana Valencia, 8th-grade twin, said.

More than regular siblings, twins are constantly together through the day, lean on each other for help and decision making, which for many, makes daily life easier to handle. From parties to clothes and hobbies, Jaramillo and Valencia twins stated they shared everything

“Having a twin is like having someone that is always with you. Sometimes it’s annoying,” Pedro Jaramillo, 10th grader, said.

Unlike bonding with other sister or brother, the relationship between regular siblings and twins have great differences. Since twins have the same age and attend the same school year, they are more likely to spend more time together, causing them to create stronger bonds. Even though fights frequently come along, many TCS twins agreed that they love each other.

“I love Pedro the most. It’s not that I don’t love my older brother, but my twin is like my best friend,” Manuel Jaramillo, 10th grader, said.

Benefits of having a twin

For the Jaramillo brothers and Valencia sisters, their twin is their closest and most loyal friend, since they are a very reliable source for both good times as well as in the bad times. With a constant companion and someone to always count on being a twin has benefits. According to the web site Twin University,  twins are often more social than others, as they grow up with a child at their side as well as learn how to share with others, as seen in Jaramillo twins that share their clothes.

“It has some benefits because you can change identities, and if I don’t want to talk to a girl I tell Pedro to go talk with her or something like that,” Manuel Jaramillo, 10th grader, said.

Consequences of having a twin

What could come into play as a consequence is people confusing identical twins. Pedro states that about 40% of the teachers confuse him with Manuel. Another consequence twins tend to face as teenagers is the struggle to become independent. As said by Emiliana Jaramillo she struggles to be independent when traveling without her sister.

“I really like having a twin but at times, because it’s great but it has its consequences,” Manuel Jaramillo, 10th grader, said.

Sharing with your twin

Twins at TCS tend to have something in common which is having opposite personalities as their twin. Even though they might look very much alike physically, their personalities completely differ. Jaramillo twins even when sharing clothes have different styles and ways of talking.

“We don’t share personality, but things such as clothes yes.” Emiliana Valencia, 8th-grade twin said.

Jaramillo twins share their motorcycles and passion for horses, while Valencia twins share a love for fashion and traveling. From friends to the same thoughts people may sometimes confuse them, but twins tend to be similar in some aspects but contrary in others. While one Jaramillo is responsible the other is the party type, and while one Valencia is blond the other brunette.

“It all ends up on who gets the woman,” Pedro Jaramillo said.