When they were younger, sophomores Alex, Lauren and Sarah Tschan, and their mother, Whitney Tschan, spent a lot of time together. According to Whitney Tschan, they used to act out various stories, such as “Little Red Riding Hood,” since there were enough people to play the different characters.

“We would each take a part and play out our roles and then switch,” said Whitney Tschan. “We often fell on the floor laughing during these times.”

Since entering high school, the girls continue to spend time with each other, practicing cheer routines together and helping each other with homework. According to the girls, even though they share similar interests and the same taste in clothing, they have different personalities and friends.

“Alex is really outgoing and then Sarah’s shyer, so [I’m] kind of in the middle of that,” Lauren said.

Lauren said one downside of being a triplet is that people often assume she and her sisters are the same.

“After people meet us, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, you’re so different,’” said Sarah. “And we’re just like, ‘Yeah, we’re different people.’”

Although people try to compare them to one another, Alex said there is no competition between the three sisters.

“We hear like, ‘Oh she’s prettier, she’s funnier [or] she’s nicer,’” said Alex. “Last year in the SAC, on a sheet of paper, [people] wrote our names down and started tallying who’s the prettiest. We weren’t upset about it or anything. We’re used to it, I guess. What matters is that we know we don’t have to compete against each other.”

Whitney Tschan said she refers to her daughters as “the girls” rather than “the triplets” to encourage them to identify themselves as individuals and, when necessary, correct inaccurate assumptions others make about them.

“I know being a triplet is a large and special part of their identity,” said Whitney Tschan. “However, they are also unique individuals with their own interests and strengths.”

The family also emphasizes the importance of each triplet having her own individual identity on the girls’ birthday.

“We all share the [same] birthday obviously, but we get three different cakes and different presents,” Lauren said.

According to Whitney Tschan, the girls’ distinct lives also come with obstacles such as being able to balance all of the events in which they partake, like Homecoming and Turnabout. Taking pictures prior to the dances is a hectic time for their family.

“[Dances are] kind of crazy because it depends [what group you are in],” said Alex. “[So if we’re in] different groups, then my mom and dad have to go to all different places at once, so they have to [come] at different times, or we’ll have a friend’s mom take pictures if they can’t make it.”

Whitney Tschan said this year’s Homecoming was especially challenging for her, with her husband out of town and the girls being in three separate groups.

Sarah said that although people are usually amazed that she is a triplet, she and her sisters believe that being a triplet is “just the same as having another sibling” and cannot imagine their lives any other way.

“I love never having to go through anything alone,” said Alex. “I don’t know what I’d do without [my sisters].”