If having a twin is twice the fun, having two twins must be triple the fun, right? Juniors Esha, Luv, and Kush Kataria are triplets who face many questions about being a triplet on a daily basis.
“I get that so often,” Esha said, laughing when asked what it’s like being a triplet. “I’ve never really had it any other way, so I feel like I’m so used to it.”
Esha, Luv, and Kush all have a unique connection with one another, but that doesn’t mean they are the same person.
People tend to make a lot of assumptions about being a twin or a triplet: they are attached at the hip or they struggle to find their own identities. All of the triplets said that this extreme is not true.
According to Esha, being a triplet has its pros and cons. When the triplets were kids, they fought, as most siblings do. They would get into a lot of physical fights when they had trouble sharing and even fight over perceived favoritism from their parents.
Esha said that she would get so angry with her parents when they seemed to be partial to one of her brothers. Their sibling rivalries would get to the point where the triplets would not say ‘Happy Birthday’ to one another, unless forced to.
“When we were younger, we used to fight a lot,” Esha said. “When you’re younger, and you don’t like to have to compromise.” The triplets, naturally, had to learn to compromise more than most siblings do, but they all claimed to have matured, and their relationship has only strengthened with time.
The triplets were all brought up with the same values: to be helpful and hardworking. “Even though we might get into arguments, I think, at the end of the day, we have a great relationship,” Kush said.
Esha agreed. “I feel like a lot of people think of us as one unit ‘cause we are always together,’” Esha said. “My brothers were closer because they played the same sports or had the same friends at school.” In middle school, the boys went to a different school than Esha. Esha said that she was fine going to separate schools, but she also would not have minded going to the same school as her brothers. She said she did notice, though, that in middle school the siblings didn’t feel as connected because their schedules were all different.
Now at KO, their schedules are a lot more similar. They even have some of the same classes and teachers, allowing them to help one another out with homework and provide a strong support system. Even though it can be a little weird to have classes with siblings, the triplets said they disagree. “You never feel lonely, almost, because there’s always someone to talk to if you need help, like with homework,” Kush said.
The triplets are all interested in science and write for the KO News, but they also do many separate activities. “My brother and I like to play soccer or basketball against each other,” Luv said. Like most siblings, they are often competitive with one another regarding sports. Esha, on the other hand, said she is more sensitive and focused
Despite their differences, the triplets are often lumped together. “I always get asked questions like, ‘Where’s your brother?’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know! I’m not attached to him,” Esha said, laughing.
At the same time, the triplets would not want their lives any other way.“I can’t imagine being an only child because I feel like it would be so hard not having anyone who’s your age at home,” Esha said. In high school, where everyone is trying to find “their people,” perhaps Esha, Luv, and Kush had the advantage of starting as a group, but they now face the difficulties of forging their own paths.
