While most twins are born only a few minutes apart, freshmen Danika and Avery Porter were born two hours apart from each other. 

“Usually, it’s like five minutes,” Danika said. “So (we) get compared all the time, even though it’s not that big of a difference. People can make it sound like we are completely different ages.”

Up until this year, as freshmen, they typically had all of their classes together. This year, they do Highlander Times together, but in past years, sharing classes felt normal. 

“It felt like a common thing, but no one else had that,” Danika said. 

And while sharing classes may have led them to be in the same friend groups, oftentimes people can forget they’re separate, distinct people, Danika said. 

But they each have unique skills. For example, Avery said that Danika is good at hockey, and Danika said Avery is good at art. 

Outside of school, they work at The Pizza Company together and find it fun, Danika said. 

“We’re actually not supposed to work together, because we talk too much,” Avery said.

Identical twin sophomores Alexis and Abigail Foster switched their classes for a day in eighth grade, and nobody knew. 

Abbie went to Lexie’s history class, and Lexie went to Abbie’s gym class. 

“We only told our friends,” Abbie said. “(The teacher) called her name and asked me a question, and I just didn’t answer it, because I didn’t know what they were learning.”

But they got away with it.

“Nobody knew we did it. I told my teacher, and he said he had no idea,” Lexie said.

They pointed out that having a twin throughout elementary school was beneficial because they never had to worry about not having a friend in their class.

“It’s also good now because we can help each other on assignments,” Lexie said.

Outside of school, they work together at Rita’s. 

“People say when we work together, we’re funny and good to be around,” Abbie said. 

Lexie said the small birthmark on her chin is a way that some people can tell them apart. Another way is by their hair or the necklaces they wear. But not everyone notices.

“Right when people meet us, it’s harder to tell the difference,” Abbie said. 

Lexie agreed. 

“New people wouldn’t know us apart,” Lexie said.

Despite the shared celebration, juniors Reece and Quinn McKenzie consider their shared birthday as a typical and normal day. 

“It’s like any other birthday,” Reece said. 

“We go out to dinner and share a cake,” Quinn said. 

The McKenzies have two older sisters. Quinn noted that his relationship with his twin is different from that with his other siblings. 

“I see him every day of my life,” Quinn said. 

Despite not sharing any classes this year, they noted that throughout elementary and middle school, they frequently had the same teacher. Now, they will eat lunch together during Highlander Times or spend time motorcycling together. 

“We both have motorcycles we take everywhere,” Reece said. 

Occasionally, they said, they drive the motorcycles to school together.

Despite the frequency with which they see and spend time with each other, they both recognize each other’s unique characteristics. Reece said that Quinn is good at playing guitar, and Quinn complimented Reece’s photography skills. 

They work together at Spoonwood, noting that they are sometimes scheduled to work together, and find it fun when they are. 

Overall, they said that they do not generally have any negativity with being twins, such as being associated with each other all the time, even when they were growing up. Quinn noted that their relationship dynamic as twins continues to change over time. 

“As we grow up, things change in some ways,” Quinn said. “We’re best friends.”