Olivia Lutey
Yin and yang, sun and moon, salt and pepper; belief in the power of twos is thousands of years old. At GFS, twinhood adds a unique dynamic to student life. While some twins find that the high-achieving, sometimes rivalrous environment on campus is compounded by being a twin, others feel that it forges a unique camaraderie vital to navigating the difficulties of high school.
Lily and Tate Jensen (fraternal), Class of 2024
Although college has diverged their paths, Lily, a rising sophomore at Middlebury College, and Tate, a rising sophomore at Wesleyan University, view their childhood as a “collective thing,” as Lily puts it. She says that they experienced “the most similar upbringing of anyone I could ever possibly know”; however, both agree that in many ways they’re very different.
Before college, it was sometimes difficult for them to escape the academic pressures that are so prevalent in GFS’ culture. Lily describes herself and Tate as “competitive people,” and so comparison with each other was “hard to avoid.” Tate says, “We were taking the SAT, for example, at the same time. We were learning to read at the same time. I feel like [comparison] does get a little bit amplified.”
Now, living in different states, Lily describes school without Tate as being “kind of sad.” Despite this, their connectedness continues, particularly through their alleged twin-telepathy, which they agree is completely true and has happened before. “There are certain conditions that need to be met for us to telepathize,” Lily shares.
Ayodeji and Ayodele Enakhimion (identical), Class of 2028
Ayodeji and Ayodele were new to GFS in seventh grade, and, as Ayodeji says, people often think the two are “like one person.” In reality, they are quite different—in their style, hobbies, ven social behavior. “I feel like I’m pretty outgoing, but he’s more of an introvert,” says Ayodele. Despite these distinctions, they do feel a strong connection in activities like athletics. Ayodeji says that they both love sports, and Ayodele agrees: “Whenever Deji and I play two v. two on the same team, I … think we rarely ever lose. Like, we just know each other so well.”
Unlike some other twins, the Enakhimions love to embrace healthy competition in their relationship. Ayodeji says that comparison makes them work harder, adding, “If he’s better than me at something, I would try and work harder.” Most of the time, however, Ayodeji says that they “just try to build each other up, not only race each other.”
Mauli and Sam Desai (fraternal), Class of 2027
While some twins on campus highlight the similarities between their lives, sophomores Mauli and Sam Desai underscore the many different interests and tendencies they have. Mauli is a serious dancer, whereas Sam is deeply involved with music, specifically jazz. When it comes to doing schoolwork, they’re especially different. Mauli says, “I try to be really proactive, and when I get a thing assigned, I’m like, ‘Oh, I have 20 minutes now. Let me just do it, even though it’s not due for three days.’” On the other hand, she teases, “Sam is like, ‘Oh, if it’s due in three days, I’m not going to do it [for] three days.”
Despite their many differences, their academic lives are very similar, sometimes leading to friendly rivalries. Sam says, “Given that academics is sort of the only place where we cross over, it can get a little competitive.” Mauli adds that, since they’re in a lot of the same classes together, grade comparison can creep in, too. When contrasting GFS with their old school, The Philadelphia School, Mauli says, “It’s more intense for anyone at GFS, and so, it’s just like a level above.” Sam agrees, saying that the environment at GFS “bolsters” the competitive nature of their academics.
Jalil and Jamil Pines (identical), Class of 2015, current faculty members
Jalil, the DEI Administrative Coordinator, and Jamil, the Boys’ Varsity Basketball Head Coach and Application Coordinator in the Admissions Office, both graduated from GFS 10 years ago. Although they no longer live under the same roof, they remain as close as ever, partly due to the fact that they work together at GFS. Jalil says that it’s a blessing to be able to see each other every day and find moments to chat or grab lunch.
As students, Jalil says it was sometimes hard to create their own identities outside of the labelling of “the twins,” but he adds that, as adults especially, the positive sides of twinhood shine through more than the negatives. Jamil concurs, saying, “It’s actually been beneficial. … It allows us to just connect with more people here.”
When reflecting on their relationship, both say that they always just want each other to thrive. According to Jamil, “It was always more so about just making sure that we’re both excelling, and making sure that we’re both just continuing to be the best people that we can be.” Despite the ways their individual lives have changed since high school, their tight friendship and twin telepathy help them remain close as they progress through adult life.