Advanced Essay #2: Madison Siegel

Ever since I was little, I have had to get used to being a twin.  My parents would always refer to us as “the twins,” but let’s get something straight, we are entirely different. My twin, Justin, has always been known to catch onto things more quickly then I have been. I have always had a hearing problem that has dentified me to struggle more than Justin has. I have to try harder than Justin, but we usually end up achieving the same goal. I don’t think I struggled more than Justin has at all, but the thought that other people thought that had taught me to learn how to work harder. My past experiences have created my identity, including my self-worth, learning from other people’s mistakes, and accepting the fact that everything isn’t always going to work out the way I want it too.

Throughout my years of education, Justin was always placed in higher classes even though I  always had to spend a lot more time studying. Since I knew that my brother was able to catch onto things more easily when I was little, I have always been eager to get to the same level as him. In the article Twin Study the author says, “I knew what Samantha was going to say before she said it, and I knew which boys she’d like before she met them, and we always got up at the same time in the night to pee, among other uncanny similarities.”  In this article, we learn about a girl who is a twin and is identifying the specific things that she realizes her sister does. Samantha and her sister are a great example of twins growing up together, and it was clear that they would become close and know each other really well. That relates to Justin and my relationship because just as Samantha was able to recognize certain things that created her identity from being a twin, I have too by understanding the things that Justin has done well. Justin and I also know how to handle each other when we're angry, whether it's us trying to get each other angrier or trying to make each other feel better. For example, when Justin is furious at me I know to not answer and give him a few minutes to think about the situation. My brother had always known when I was upset about something that I might not even have any control over and has always tried his best to cheer me up. These are just some of the many things that my brother and I have learned to get into the habit of, to help us be there for each other no matter how mad we could get at each other.

Growing up people always referred to my brother and me as if we were a set, meaning that one always went with the other. They automatically assumed that since we are twins, we are similar. My brother and I both have different skills that make us who we are. As we got older, that became more clear. Justin was able to be mature in ways that I didn’t know how to be when we got older, but the same went for me. National Geographic’s, Eve Conant, explains to us the way kids create an identity based on their gender by saying,  “Many readily admitted that it could be hard—frustrating, confusing, lonely—to fit into the communities they call home and the roles they’re expected to play.” The author points out that this was the view 9-year-old girls had since they knew at a young age that it would be harder for them to find a job then it would be for a male. When it was time for Justin and I to get our first jobs, Justin was just offered one. I had to work hard to find one. In New Jersey, you can get a job at 14, but most businesses won’t hire anyone under the age of 16. When we moved to Philadelphia, we worked at the same place. Justin was able to work well carrying heavy things and knowing how to answer customers questions without any help, whe Even though I was struggling with the job at first, I eventually learned everything to help customers have full satisfaction. That helped me to learn that I can succeed at anything I set my mind too.

My identity overall has been influenced by the actions of my brother and how it shaped my own character, as I’m sure it also helped to develop his identity. I learned not to argue over unnecessary things, and to get along with my brother in the easiest way possible. That also helps me to have good habits too. In the article, What Is the Self? It Depends, Julian Baggini says, “Conceptions of self are usually assumed to be attempts to describe the objective reality of what a self is, and this is indeed what thinkers around the globe have often thought they were doing.” With that saying, every action of my past has shaped who I am today. When I think about the past mistakes I have made, I am not just thinking about mine, but also the mistakes that my brother has made. I prefer to go with the flow and hope that time will figure things out, and if they don’t? What’s the worse that can happen? Justin has taught me that everything doesn’t have to be done perfectly correct and that it is okay to make mistakes because they should always work out.

As much as I wouldn’t like to admit this since Justin and I have experienced so many of the same events, it has caused us to not only be brother and sister but know each other more than anyone else on this planet. My brother has always known when I am lying, just like I always know when he’s annoyed. Since Justin has always caught me in a lie, I now prefer to tell the truth because what’s the worse that can happen? Whenever my brother ever gets angry or upset, I can always understand why better than anyone else can. We handle things differently and are both just trying to figure out a way to get through life successfully. We also know that just because something doesn’t work out, that we would always have each other's back because let's face it, we’re stuck with each other. Just because my brother and I have been through many similar life experiences, we are our own human beings, and are completely different from each other.