I do not remember the day I was born, but as long as I can remember I have had someone to grow up with. I am proud to say I am a twin; yet, as with everything it has its faults. I still do not know why, but the news of our birth traveled everywhere, so many people were glad to hear the news that Brian and Tara Stermer were having a baby boy and girl. Each year we still receive letters saying “happy birthday” from people that I to this day am not familiar with. It may seem otherwise, but being a twin is not always as glamorous as it looks. We are always getting compared, always together, and we always have problems. The hardest part is the gender difference between me and my twin, Claire.
There was a time when there was nothing that made us any different. We were cute blond haired and blue eyed kids. We learned to walk together, we learned how to ride bikes together, and we even took baths together, as awkward as that may seem. Now people view us as two completely different people. Claire is a fantastic singer and dancer while I on the other hand excel in sports. Amusing enough, I always dread the day when I have to go to her choir concerts or dance recitals, although she probably feels the same way with my events. The most grievous change in our relationship was becoming friends with different people. This started when she began being friends with people that were not cohorts of mine. This was a substantial change for me because I felt that her time was stolen from with me and instead with someone else. Nowadays, Claire and I barely talk when we are at home. The time when we talk the most is at dinner. Dinner is a time that in our family is spent together and is usually happy and filled with laughs. There are not always times when everything is easy to talk about, but at the dinner table we all feel comfortable to “let it all out”.
Our relationship is not just all love and sweet memories, it is also filled with sad memories and arguments. One of my most unfavorable memories in our relationship was when she called my mom after I teased her about being nervous to perform in a talent show. This was very recent, but I felt this was a point in my life where I really did not enjoy being her twin. All siblings argue and tease each other, but when its your twin it seems like you are getting in a fight with a friend because you are in the same grade and go through many of the same problems. Many of my friends ask me if it is awkward if they think my sister is “hot” or if they are attracted to her, yet that never seems to bothers me much. What bothers me most is when she has a problem and I can not help her out, even though I never would never tell her this in person.

My parents are the reason we are here. Claire and I have such a strong relationship with each other because of all the pleasant memories we have as a family and my parents constant devotion to keep us a tightly knit group. My parents always say that their biggest accomplishment is their kids. We are proud to say we are Stermers because its always good in the end at our house. Claire and I are always messing with each other and before it gets serious my parents are usually their to stop it. My parents also say how hard it was to raise two kids at one time, while most families on the other hand had to deal with one crying baby and one diaper to change at a time. One time when we were four, my parents were asleep and Claire and I felt like causing a bit of trouble, so we hopped out of our cribs and tipped them over. The loud crash nearly scared them to death, so they rushed in the room and took a breath of relief to see that their children were alright. Without our parents, I have a feeling of great uncertainty regarding where we would be.
Claire and I not only have gone through many difficulties together, but we also suffer from food-borne allergies to nuts. This makes it hard for us to go out to eat sometimes and feel that we are safe and away from danger. Having a twin with the same issue makes the allergy easier to deal with because I have always had someone to help me get over my fear of possible death. Honestly, she is my confidence that I will be alright because she usually is braver than I. Unfortunately, we both have had a severe allergic reactions and had to be treated in the ER. I don’t remember my first reaction because I was too young, but I remember Claire’s like it happened yesterday. She was at our neighbors house in Michigan, Carly Wade, she was fed trail mix and we got a call saying she was swelling up fast. It scared my mom out of her mind and her reaction scared me too. I was nervous for my sister, but she returned home later that night her same normal self.
One of the hardest things I have ever gone through was moving from Michigan to Connecticut. I knew no one here and I did not want to make new friends because I was already missing my other friends and I was only in the third grade at the time. Funny enough at the time I did not even know Connecticut was a state. Luckily though, I had my best friend of all to travel with me to this foreign place. I was timid at first, but as the school year was going I felt that Connecticut is my home; not just a scary new place. If not for having someone with me that I was comfortable with I may not have been the loud, outgoing person I am now.
Claire has a similar personality to mine. Even though we pursue different interests, we are both very friendly and enjoy helping people. Claire is very good at making friends and she is very popular in school. I am not nearly as popular as her, but we both have many of the same friends. This applies to being a twin because half of my friends are people I met because of her and the same thing in her case. I believe that if Claire was not my twin I would not be friends with half of the girls and some guys I am friends with now. Many of my friends are not very popular and would never have been such good friends with Claire if it was not for me. One of my friends was quite scared of girls, but because of his legitimate friendship with Claire many girls know him and like him.
I would not normally say this, but I love my twin sister. She has inspired me to be much of who I am now and I hope I have inspired her at least a little bit as well. I can honestly say that if I did not grow up with such a wonderful person I would not be as congenial as the person I am now. Claire has pushed me to do many things. I remember the time I went to Six Flags a few years ago and I was about to get myself sick just looking at the massive loop in the Batman track and the fast car zipping past my face as it went around the sharp bends and corkscrews. If not for the confidence and motivation she bestowed on me by ensuring my safety and the pleasure I would have if I rode the rollercoaster I may have never conquered my fear and had the confidence to try something new for the first time.
Foremost, I need to show my gratitude toward her for being the most admirable twin she can be. Claire is not perfect, but she changed me for the better through experiences that will last with me forever.