Siblings tend to bond easily because they experience most of their lives together. A greater connection, however, is made when your sibling is born around the same time as you. As a twin, you grow up and connect on a deeper level because of the small age difference. Having a twin provides a different experience for a student when it comes to every day life.

Sophomore Dillon Casados has a twin brother that does not attend Linfield and was able to learn about himself through the experience.

“Being in college by myself has definitely helped me figure out a few things about myself that I otherwise don’t think I would have figured out if he attended the same school,” said Casados.

By being in a different state, Casados has not been able to communicate with his twin as much because they are busy and have different schedules.

Being referred to as a “twin” all his life made the transition to college more difficult for Casados because he had to do it on his own. He decided that he would then make the effort to meet and talk to everyone that he could.

“When I came to college I didn’t have another person that looked just like me for people to put their attention toward me,” said Casados. “It’s made things such as socializing in college harder for me, which is good because I’m learning how to socialize on my own rather than people approaching me as [one of] ‘the twins’.”

Sophomore Courtney Alley has a fraternal twin sister that attends University of Idaho. Throughout her youth, Alley and her sister would do the typical twin behaviors such as following each other around and talking at the same time. Over time, they developed their own characters.

“Since college started, I’ve noticed I’ve needed her more than I thought I did,” said Alley. “During my freshman year, I had some things happen to me and I felt like the only person I could really talk to about it was her.”

As a junior, Ashley Burgess has been able to realize how having a twin that isn’t at the same school has allowed her to grow as an individual.

Her twin brother, Austin, attends Oregon State University, so she is still near him but still has distance.

“I think the coolest thing while growing up was having that special connection that only twins have. Call it what you want, but Austin and I always knew when the other was hurt even if we weren’t in the same town,” said Burgess.

Since he is about an hour away, she is able to go visit him when she is homesick, unlike other twins that are separate who do not have that opportunity.

Even though Burgess has been able to define who she is by not having her twin at the same school, it has presented her with challenges and rewards as well.

“I don’t have my comfort zone of having him right next to me, but it has also inspired me to find out what makes me, me,” said Burgess. “With that said, having a twin, especially one so close, has also given me the confidence to chase after my dreams.”

Freshmen Dana Gibbons and Amanda Gibbons are identical twins that are sharing their college experience together by attending the same school.

From a young age, they did the same activities such as gymnastics and playing the viola.

Dana is known to be the more outgoing one, while Amanda is more shy.

They are taking the same classes, and they are also roommates.

“It’s nice to always have someone that is there for you,” said Dana.

The Gibbon sisters attended school together because they didn’t feel ready to go to different places. Originally they were going to attend separate schools, but in the end, they both decided to go to the same school.

“If Dana weren’t here, it would probably force me to be more outgoing,” said Amanda.

Now that they are here, Dana and Amanda appreciate that they are here for each other, especially, in those moments that they become homesick.

“It’s like I never left home. My sister is a big part of home,” said Amanda.

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Ivanna Tucker/ Features editor
Ivanna Tucker can be reached at linfieldreviewfeatures@gmail.com.