Welcome to my Gateway Project Site! My name is Bella Jacobson and I am a senior at the University of Michigan. My entire life I found myself gravitating towards the more creative side of things. Whether that be in art class or in writing class, I always strive to incorporate my love for artistic aesthetics into my work both in the classroom and outside of it. When asked my “fun fact,” everyone’s go-to ice breaker, I confidently announce that I have a twin. That’s when the questions start to flow in:
“Boy or Girl?” Boy
“Identical or fraternal?” Duh.
No matter the circumstances twins have a bond like no other. When I think of my plans for next year, I often lean towards the option of possibly being near my brother: “Don’t just do what your brother does” my dad says. Having been apart for 4 years makes me jump at the idea of being near him. When I applied to college 4 years ago, I had finally begun to find my independence: a theme constantly replaying in my mind. Today, as my college career creeps to an end, I think about my next steps. I constantly remind myself that no matter where I go I will always have my “fun fact.”
Similarly, I asked my close friend (21 years old) what her fun fact is and she revealed to me that she and her brother (15 years old) are twins. She further explained that her mom froze one of the embryos when my friend was born and 6 years later implanted that embryo and had her younger twin brother. Although she is much older, my friend calls her brother almost every day and their bond is similar to the bond I share with my twin brother. I could also relate to her story of her parents using in vitro fertilization since that is how my twin and I were also conceived.
My fascination with twins has grown deeper during my college years spent away from my brother. I constantly find myself engaging in conversations with other twins whom I encounter. Exposing my personal experiences with being a twin and generating conversations with other twins about their life motivates me to explore the special bond twins share.