Bethany Factor

Canaan and Sloane Factor ’26 enjoying lollipops and mohawks together.

Imagine having a built-in best friend, someone that grows up with you, lives with you, and might even share your bathroom. Only 3.2% of people in the world are twins, so it is not something that is all too common. Canaan Factor ’26 and Sloane Factor ’26 happen to be a part of that percentage. So I decided to investigate what having a twin is like, for the rest of us, who happen to be twin-less.

Canaan is the older twin and he won’t let Sloane forget it. The sister of this duo grew up as tomboy, since she was the only girl in a family of six. As a kid, Sloane had a short haircut and a knack for getting her hands dirty; she has never been afraid of playing rough. 

“Growing up with brothers made me more of a girly girl and I wanted everything pink because everything else in the house was blue and for the boys. Looking like a boy also made me want to wear more pink, but growing up a bit more made me want to be more of a tomboy and more like them since everything in the house was a competition,” Sloane Factor ’26 said.

Canaan, on the other hand, seems to be the more conceited of the duo. According to Sloane, he enjoys staring at himself “a little too often.” The siblings share a bathroom, and although I could expose their often arguments about shower space and singing, I think that some things should stay between brother and sister. Even if the arguments were funny to listen to.

“It’s a blessing, I’m just two minutes older, the reason I was born first is because I didn’t cause any problems, she crawled behind my mom’s spine. I didn’t cry when I came out, Sloane was so little she fit in the palm of my dad’s hand. She made it hard on the nurses,” Canaan Factor ’26 said.

Even with all the bickering, both Sloane and Canaan agree that they are really close. Whether it is Canaan teaching Sloane how to play the guitar, or Sloane paying for Canaan’s buys, they enjoy their time together, often going to lunch when they are bored, and just hanging out in Sloane’s room because of its larger size. 

“[Having the bigger room] It’s amazing, it definitely gives me more space and a lot of times that our friends come over. We hang out in my room, plus he doesn’t need the extra space so it’s great,” Sloane Factor ’26 said.

Sloane moved into the previously shared room between the boys of the family, she was able to get a couch and decorate a space that is just for her. But, as things go with siblings, Sloane’s room has become the ideal hangout spot for all of Canaan’s friends, frequently barging into her room and staying for a chat. Although Sloane does get surprised, she never turns down the buzzing bees that file into her room for a conversation. This goes both ways though. Often Sloane’s friends will stop at Canaan’s room for a chat, and like his sister, he doesn’t really turn down the opportunity to talk. 

“It’s chill, actually it’s great, just like Sloane is my friend, she tells me stuff that I wouldn’t know just being in the guys side of the friend group, we go to the same parties and protect each other during them too,” Canaan Factor ’26 said.

School life is also helped out by the fact that they are twins. Since both twins take mostly all the same classes, most questions can be discussed by just crossing the hall; talk about luck.

“I think it’s great because we have the same teachers every year and we can clarify questions with each other and we also don’t miss out on any work,” Sloane Factor ’26 said.

Another interesting thing about the Factors is their genuine belief in twin-telepathy. They react the same and speak at the same time frequently, often jinxing themselves in the process. A common example is when their mother calls out to them. 

“It’s awesome, it mostly happens in car rides and we react the same a lot, saying words the same time and sometimes responding to the same question the same. I guess it’s because we have the same genes, our brains are wired the same. We have the same pet peeves, and cringe at the same stuff too,” Canaan Factor ’26 said.

Through thick and thin, the brother and sister duo has had each other’s back and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Who wouldn’t want a built-in other half. Sounds like a blast.