The Nelson family sits around the dinner table as the twins, juniors Anya and Erik, recall the lesson from chemistry class that day. Being in the same classes helps the twins understand each other.

In a recent study by the CDC has shown that 34 of every 1000 births in the United States are twins. For the Nelson family it is no random statistic, it is a part of their lives.

Having a twin sibling has proved helpful in school for the Nelsons, currently they are in the same chemistry hour as well as taking the same courses in other subjects.

“He’s one of my best friends,” said Anya, “sometimes if I’m stressed, he’ll say ‘Anya you need to cheer up’ and then he’ll play Disney music for me. It does help me cheer up.”

The feeling of friendship is mutual with Anya’s twin brother Erik.

“We are pretty good friends,” said Erik. “We do a lot of stuff together, we play some of the same sports and listen to some of the same music. We get along pretty well most of the time.”

Having a twin has not always benefited the Nelsons, they have at times struggled with the downsides of their situation.

“Sometimes it’s rough, especially when we were younger people used to lump us together a lot. Almost like we weren’t even our own people, just one person,” said Anya.

The twins are both heavily involved in their Nordic ski teams. Skiing has been a common interest with the twins for a long time but the Nelsons do not get to ski with each other often because of the boys and girls team’s differing schedules.

“We don’t see each other often when we are skiing, but having the common interest gives us something to talk about over dinner every night,” said Anya.

The twins give off a friendly and accepting aura that people around them love. The Nelsons have plenty of inside jokes but are very accepting of other people into their relationship.

“Anya and Erik seem like they are very tight knit. Sometimes I see them look at each other in the hallway and they laugh like they have some sort of inside joke that doesn’t even need to be said,” said senior Isaac Hale.

Being in their junior year, the Nelsons have begun to start thinking about colleges. They have visited many schools together and are planning on visiting more in the future.

“Anya and I have no clue,” said Erik, “We’ve visited Northern Michigan University, University of Minnesota Duluth, Augsburg, and Luther. We are planning on going on more visits and keeping our options open.”

Though they grew up in the same grade at the same schools their whole lives, the twins may end up finally splitting while choosing their ideal college.

“We both want to go to college, but neither of us are sure where yet,” said Anya. “I don’t think we’ll try to go to the same place, but if we both pick the same one as our absolute favorite, it should be pretty fun.”

Even though they were born at the same time and have many common interests, the Nelson twins have very different plans for their futures.

“I was thinking about some sort of wildlife biology type of thing for a major but I’m unsure,” said Erik. “And as for Anya, I have no clue, and I don’t really think she knows either.”

Whatever the Nelson twins decide to do with their future, they will be able to do it confidently with the full support of the other sibling.