Being a twin, especially as an adolescent, can be extremely difficult because you are at one of your most insecure stages of life.

I struggle with having confidence in myself and being a twin is partially to blame. I find myself comparing each and every aspect of who I am to my sister, even if it’s something I could never change.

I’ve found comparison especially difficult in basketball. Sarah and I both play basketball, and she is a much better player than I am – frankly, she is more athletic overall.

I often compare the way I play to the way she plays and find she is faster, stronger and skilled.

Since we have most of the same classes, we also compare test grades and grades. Whenever one of us gets the better grade, the other is upset.

We compare clothes, athletic ability, friendships, hair, attention from guys and so much more.

It doesn’t help when others compare us, I’ve overheard people saying Sarah was better than I was at one thing, and I was better than her at another.

I’ve heard other peers making nasty comparisons about other sets of twins in the school, and my sister and I often worry that people are talking about us in the same way – which twin is nicer, or funnier or prettier.

I often find myself wishing people would look at twins as separate people instead of as two parts of a whole, and would realize that their differences are what makes them stick out.