By Staff Writer Jena Fakroddin

Multiples are not uncommon in the Naperville area- there are 379 sets of twins and 20 sets of triplets. In fact, it is often said that there are more triplets per square mile here than any place in the United States, according to CBS News.

NNHS is the home to one of the many sets of triplets in Naperville, but nothing about them is ordinary. Seniors Arpan, Anushka, and Ashrita Rau give students an inside look on what life is like as a multiple.

“The one thing that gets on my nerves occasionally is when people refer to us as ‘The Triplets’; they don’t get to know each one of us. We try to be different, only because we don’t like that happening,” said Arpan.

These three siblings strive to create their own path and make their individual identity visible to all. While agreeing that being a triplet has its advantages, there are also some downsides.

“I think a good thing is that we help each other out in school a lot because we take most of the same classes,” said Anuksha. “A bad thing about being a triplet is that, even though we have different interests, sometimes people don’t get to know us individually.”

Growing up, creating the “triplet” image was a primary focus.

“Our parents played it up a lot. They used to color coordinate our outfits. Like for Halloween, they would dress us up as the Telle-Tubbies or the different lions from the movie, The Lion King,” said Arpan. “Thankfully it stopped around age five, when we were all growing at different rates.”

Because of the way people constantly compare the three, it was hard for Ashrita to feel comfortable with her identity.

“When I was younger, if Anushka and Arpan did really well on something, I would get upset and wish I were like them. As we have gotten older, no one expects us to be stereotypical triplets. Everyone is focused on creating themselves, especially now in high school,” said Ashrita.

As the end of their high school career approaches, each sibling longs for a bright future. They are all applying to colleges that are very far apart, but they will do whatever it takes to stay connected.

“College is going to be weird because we are so used to coming home and discussing the same topics within our friend groups or classes,” said Ashrita.

Even though they will not be in the same school or see each other every day next year, these siblings will never forget the funny and ironic experiences they have shared.

“At one point in Robotics, nobody knew that Arpan and I were even related, and we had been in the club for around two and a half years,” said Anushka.

While the Rau siblings may not always find themselves experiencing, “twin telepathy”, they often find themselves making the same mistakes or struggling to understand the same academic concepts. Different as they are, they are occasionally unconsciously similar.

“Anushka and I had the same English teacher, and we had to write a paper about whatever topic we wanted. Without knowing, we wrote about the exact same topic,” said Arpan.

Though the Rau twins make up just one of the many multiples in Naperville, they are different from the others – and one another for that matter.