Having a double is clearly the sign of a more evolved species, just sayin'
You may not know it, but we have entered a Golden Age of twins. Everyone from Beyoncé and Jay-Z to George and Amal Clooney has a set. In fact, twins really are becoming more common; the twinning rate has doubled in the world's wealthiest countries over the last 40 years. As a twin myself, I’d like to think I was slightly ahead of the mainstream curve – I’ve been making twins cool since 1993. So here are 9 reasons why being a twin is the best.
Twins are the ultimate besties
Being a twin means you‘re born with a ready-made best friend. You've known your best friend since kindergarten, you say? I've known mine since I was in the womb. Most people are familiar with that feeling of dread at school when your teacher asks everyone to find a partner for a paired activity, but twins always have a back-up partner: each other. This works on anything that requires a pair, from roller coasters to chess to karaoke duets.
Twins have star potential
Being a twin can be pretty lucrative. Ultimate power duo Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have gone from child stars to business partners. Celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson and Ashton Kutcher also have twins. And let’s not forget everyone’s favourite wizard twins, Fred and George Weasley from Harry Potter, played by James and Oliver Phelps in the film franchise.
Twins inspire great Works of Art
The Weasleys aren't the only fictional twins - Hallie Parker and Annie James, anyone? That's right, twins were the inspiration behind one of the greatest films ever made: The Parent Trap. This cinematic masterpiece sees separated-at-birth twins reunited at summer camp, where they decide to switch places in order to meet the other halves of their family. Who didn't wish for a long-lost twin after watching this?
Twins can be in two places at once
Speaking of switching places, this can be both useful and entertaining when you’re a twin. Want to confuse your teachers or even your parents? Just wear identical clothes and work your twin magic. They won’t know who to punish for not washing the dishes or whose homework to give a C grade. While my twin sister and I never actually pulled any pranks like this, I do use this trick to avoid talking to people I know if I bump into them on the street. Mwahahaha.
Twins are great at sharing
Having a twin means having a built-in mirror. Not sure how you look in a particular outfit? Just have your twin try it on and see how they look instead. Having a twin also means having a second wardrobe. Sometimes I even buy "gifts" for my sister just so that I can ask to borrow them later.
Twins are secret keepers
Who do you trust with your deepest, darkest secrets? Twins don’t need a diary or a confessional box. We can get everything off our chests, and feel assured that our secrets are completely safe. Admittedly, even if someone else tells me a secret, I still usually tell my twin sister because – according to my logic – it’s just like telling myself again.
Twins are telepathic
If you’re a twin, someone will definitely ask you if you and your twin can read each other’s minds. While I’m pretty sure twin telepathy isn’t actually a thing, twins do tend to be tuned into each other’s emotions and have fairly synchronised thoughts. This probably simply comes from knowing each other so well. It’s always convenient to have someone who wants the same thing for dinner as you, and comforting to have someone who can sense what mood you’re in.
Twins have double the brain power
They do say that two heads are better than one, so when it comes to school work, a twin makes a great study buddy. Throughout both school and university, my twin sister and I would proofread each other’s essays, drill each other before exams and recommend useful texts to each other.
Twins just get each other
A twinship is a very exclusive club, and it comes with a lifelong membership. Like any good secret society, we have secret codes, languages and handshakes. If you have siblings or a close-knit friendship group, chances are you have long-running inside jokes which only your group understands – my twin and I can make whole conversations out of these. It doesn’t matter how obscure the reference, we’ll always get it.