Features

Twinning together

Vanessa Hernandez, Staff Writer|March 27, 2023

Twins Selena (on left) and Cynthia (on right) are in the same fourth period International Baccalaureate (IB) biology. During this class session they are conducting a lab that involves dissecting a fetal pig (not shown.)

Bonita Vista High (BVH) is well known for its diversity of students. This can range from race to gender to siblings and twins. Many people are curious about what life is like when having a fraternal or identical twin. At BVH, twins face multiple ups and downs when it comes to their personal life and their school life.

Life at home for twins is nothing out of the ordinary. While some twins share a room together, some others have separate rooms. Normally, they also share their tasks and chores. Senior Lena Estrada shares her experiences about living with her twin, senior Alex Estrada.

“At home, we share chores and switch them up. We have a calendar where we do chores every other day. We don’t share a room though, that would be awful,” L. Estrada said.

Alex Estrada, on the other hand, wished not to be interviewed for this article. In some cases, twins do have to share a room. While having company can be nice, sometimes it’s hard to find a quiet space to breathe according to senior Cynthia Garcia. She explains her situation sharing the same room with her twin, senior Seleena Garcia.

“At home, life can be pretty difficult sometimes when having a twin. We share the same room, so we’re with each other twenty-four-seven. It’s kind of hard to have our own privacy from each other,” C. Garcia said. “Sometimes we do need time apart as twins, but it’s really hard because we share the same room. I need my space and she needs hers.”

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At home, life can be pretty difficult sometimes when having a twin. We share the same room, so we’re with each other twenty-four-seven. It’s kind of hard to have our own privacy from each other…

— Twin and senior Cynthia Garcia

One would think that the twins’ parents would know how to tell them apart since they’d know their own children more than anyone. However, according to junior Kevin Brasas, his parents do struggle with the names and differentiating the voices of their kids.

“At home, we get mixed up all the time, especially with our mom. When she’s on the phone, she won’t know [which one of us] she’s talking to. It’s kind of funny,” Kevin Brasas said.

When it comes to twins, appearances may be deceiving. No matter how similar they look, most twins at BVH seem to be very different from each other when it comes to styles and personalities. S. Garcia shares the differences between the two of them.

“I think [Cynthia] is more friendly, I would say. People can come up to her and start a conversation. But with me, I’m a little more reserved. I think we are different in that sense, but there are some things that we do share [in common],” S. Garcia said.

In addition to varying personalities, twins at BVH also seem to differ when it comes to interests and classes. K. Brasas talks about how different he and his twin are academically.

“We’re always paired in different classes. Even last year and previous years- since elementary- we’ve never been in the same class, which is weird,” K. Brasas said. “[In interests,] we’re polar opposites. Since we were kids, he’d like one thing and I would like another thing. He plays sports but I’m not really a sports kid, so we’re [pretty different].”

Yet this is not the case for all twins. Some do follow similar academic paths at school. S. Garcia talks about all the programs she shares with her twin.

“[Cynthia and I] are IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma candidates so it does create a schedule where we have the same classes. We have two classes together. We usually do the same clubs and stuff, like Key Club, Future Medical leaders and Ted-Ex,” S. Garcia said.

Twins also have some ups and downs when it comes to friendships. In the case of junior Kyle Brasas, who is Kevin’s twin, their friends have a tendency of mixing them up, sometimes even on purpose.

“[Our friends tend to] mix us up, especially now that we pretty much have the same haircut. A lot of [my friends] on purpose call me Kevin,” Kyle Brasas said.

Surprisingly, twins at BVH have not faced many struggles with teachers. L. Estrada explains her encounters with teachers when she and her twin share a class.

“Teachers don’t struggle when I have the same class with [Alex.] We aren’t identical, so they don’t have trouble telling us apart. I share two classes with him and our teachers figured out we’re siblings, but I don’t know if they [are aware] we are actually twins,” L. Estrada said.

When it comes to certain aspects, twins believe their actual lives are much different than what people assume them to be. Kyle Brasas explains some of his troubles with these assumptions.

“Other than purposely being called Kevin [although people] know who I am, sometimes they assume we’re the same person. People say things like, ‘Oh, I thought you were Kevin but wearing a different outfit!’ It’s weird,” Kyle Brasas said.

Despite it all, the twins at BVH all seem to be grateful for having a twin. Although not everything has been smooth sailing for them, C. Garcia talks about the benefits of having a twin.

“The good thing about having a twin is that I always have someone to talk to. I always have someone to let my feelings out to. I’m the one to tell her things, sometimes she [is] a little more closed off in telling me things, so I’m the one telling her my business. Having a twin means having someone there for you,” C. Garcia said.