Lexi Heifler

From a young age, I knew I was different, but I couldn’t quite understand why. Whenever my identical twin sister and I were together, we always seemed to stand out in the crowd. Strangers would glance at us with curiosity, stare awkwardly, and do double-takes as if their eyes were playing tricks on them. Teachers and coaches would compare just about everything between us: our grades, looks, hobbies, and anything else they could find to convince themselves we were the same person. Our close friends and family never felt the need to learn the difference between us and they would just refer to us as “the Twins” or “the Heifler’s.” It was never just “Lexi,” and that lack of individuality weighed heavily on me as a child. I struggled to feel truly seen as my own person, and always felt overshadowed by our shared identity. I became determined to stand out, and I vowed to myself that I would do anything in my power to carve out my own, personal identity.

Through the years, our hobbies began to change and so did our personalities. However, as we grew up together, I've come to embrace having a twin sister and realized that I took our special bond for granted. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a real life doppelgänger to play tricks on other people with, and a built-in best friend who I can always count on. Now, as we navigate college together, thousands of miles from our hometown in NJ, I am so grateful to have someone special who reminds me of home. Being a twin has taught me about unconditional love, the value of individuality, and the unique magic of having a built-in best friend. It’s a journey that no one else can quite understand, but I sure know that I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.