For some, college can be a fun and scary experience as it might be the first time someone lives away from home. In some cases, one family member doesn’t leave once everything is unpacked after move-in.
That’s how it is for twins at Texas A&M University.
Child professional services senior Breanna Rians and communication senior Maggie Rians are fraternal twins that go to Texas A&M and said that it’s been a fantastic experience coming to college with each other.
“[Breanna] and I are best friends and we spend most of our time together,” Maggie Rians said. “I seriously couldn’t imagine life without her. She is always there when I need to simply talk to someone. We have a very special bond.”
Maggie Rains said that A&M has so many opportunities and the nicest people and it was a no brainer for both of them to choose going to A&M.
“It would definitely be weird [if we didn’t go to college together],” Maggie Rians said. “Bree was originally going to go to the University of Arkansas, and that was a scary situation. We were always together growing up, so I could not have imagined spending four years in a different state than her. I think that college has strengthened our relationship.”
Although they have different majors, they are both minoring in human resource development and are also in the same Christian sorority, Sigma Phi Lambda.
“We are actually taking three classes together this semester,” Maggie Rians said. “Having a twin is like having a built-in best friend and study buddy. You never have to worry about who you’re going to sit by on the first day of classes because you have your twin by your side.”
International studies freshman Mckenzie Brunner and biomedical science freshman Madison Brunner have shared a room together at home and also at Texas A&M and said the experience of living with your twin in college is very similar to living with a regular roommate.
“I only see her about 50 percent of the time,” Mckenzie Brunner said. “We have completely opposite majors so it doesn’t give us a lot of time to see each other. It’s an indifferent experience to me seeing my sister at school because it’s almost always been this way.”
Mckenzie and Madison have not only ended up going to the same school as roommates but they have also ended up in the same Fish Camp group.
“It was kinda cool and kinda weird being in the same Fish Camp group,” Mckenzie Bunner said. “I didn’t see her that often and when we did see each other it was always at random times when we really couldn’t talk much.”
Recreation, park and tourism junior Peyton Sales and English junior Jordan Sales are identical twins that go to Texas A&M. The Sales twins were brought up by their Aggie father and grew up living everything A&M.
“Our dad was an Aggie and brought us up to College Station every year for the Thanksgiving football game,” Peyton Sales said. “We knew it was the only place we wanted to go.”
Unlike the Rians and Brunner twins, they haven’t been roommates in college.
“We actually haven’t been roommates once out of our three years in college,” Peyton Sales said. “We thought it would be an awesome opportunity to branch out and build relationships with other girls. We still see each other every day though.”
They don’t have any classes together but they are in the same sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, which gives them various opportunities to see each other.
“I couldn’t imagine not seeing Jordan as often as I do,” Peyton Sales said. “We definitely are better friends now than in high school. She’s my best friend. I love that my friends get to know my favorite person too.”