Getting acquainted with Andrew, Emily and Anna Costa doesn’t
take an in-depth interview, so much as it takes getting all three
of them in the same room at the same time. Full article
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Getting acquainted with Andrew, Emily and Anna Costa doesn’t take an in-depth interview, so much as it takes getting all three of them in the same room at the same time.
One question and the conversation ignites – the dialogue organically branching from itself like a never-ending game of Tetris between three siblings who admit they sometimes argue over arguing.
“Some engineering,” said Andrew, of what he plans on studying when he begins classes California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in the fall. “A general ‘making anything class.’ ”
“You could build your own house,” suggested Emily, who’s heading off to the University of California, Davis – although originally, she was the one who first wanted to go to Cal Poly.
“Oh, that’s right, I just copied you,” retorted Anna, a Cal Poly Mustang-to-be.
Seeing three siblings graduating from high school in the same year is uncommon enough.
A clan such as the Costas, however – multitalented fraternal triplets born one minute apart, all boasting 4.0 GPA’s – is something you don’t see every day.
Born Sept. 13, the two sisters and one brother make a life-size replica of cell phone reception bars while standing side by side from tallest to shortest, oldest to youngest: Andrew, 17; Emily, 17; and Anna, 17.
And while it’s easy to peg them as “the triplets” out of habit, this intriguing trio is anything but an identical unit.
They do exhibit noticeable cross-similarities in talent, wit, astuteness, sense of humor and smarts, but also bear distinct personality typecasts: The athlete, the intellectual, the singer.
Wearing a skirt and sporting a chic bob haircut, Anna is petite, pixyish and sassy – a chatterbox fashionista who likes to shop at Urban Outfitters when her checking account permits. She’s been singing under GHS choral director Phil Robb since the first grade, enjoys spending quality time with friends, shopping and eating out.
“My dream job? Nothing. My aspiration is to have a life. My career isn’t going to be my life,” said the Chamber Choir member and shortest of the three.
Looking the polar opposite seated next to Anna, Emily is a down-to-earth jock dressed comfortably in a sweatshirt; her hair secured in bun and headband, a Livestrong Lance Armstrong bracelet encircling her wrist. She plays field hockey and basketball, loves to watch the Stanford University women’s basketball team, and is the family’s early riser.
“This sounds lame, but I want to be an accountant,” she said. “I’ve been told that I’m good at teaching, but sometimes I just can’t handle people.”
“You’re such an old person,” interjected Anna. “I hear the IRS takes anyone.”
Andrew says he’s just lazy.
It’s a lackadaisical mind-set that compliments his fantasy career of going on tour with his band, “Cutpurse Empire” – a Shakespeare reference, apparently.
As much flack as gets from his sisters, lazy or not – Andrew’s laid-back exterior is balanced by the 4.0 GPA he somehow manages to keep with six AP classes, despite the occasional cat nap, or AP Government/Economy class spent writing poems titled “Bored in Econ.”
Obviously, he’s doing something right.
The eldest sibling has a wry sense of humor, plays tennis and guitar, sings in Men’s Chorus, acted in the recent GHS production “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” is taking AP music theory, enjoys sleeping, playing video games and fluidly weaves literary, history and chemistry references into everyday conversation like a 65-year-old Yale professor.
Even the triplets’ bedrooms display an uncanny reflection of their lifestyles.
Anna’s is organized and “looks clean” on a regular basis, Emily’s room is messy and Andrew’s “just has this smell all the time,” according to Anna.
Emily says it looks like a cave.
They all agree, growing up together and experiencing the same milestones, challenges and experiences has its simultaneous pros and cons.
“Sometimes it’s helpful because you’re not alone … but then it’s kind of hectic because you’re not alone,” Anna said.
“It can be frustrating, especially with the car,” said Emily. “But it’s kind of helpful when we have same classes and same assignments.”
Andrew said it’s convenient for everybody to get together and share the workload.
“It’s convenient for him to be lazy,” Anna said.
Their mother, Sue Costa, pointed out joint class projects don’t work very well as Anna and Emily end up changing each other’s work.
Anna likened it to “Sleeping Beauty,” when the fairies keep changing the colors of the dress.
After observing a natural tendency toward competitiveness between the siblings at an early age, Sue separated her children into different classrooms in elementary school.
Them? Competitive?
All three nodded their heads in unison.
There’s still traces of rivalry when it comes to school and grades, but it’s all in good fun.
“Our English teacher prefers the Costa child that doesn’t talk,” joked Andrew.
“Miss Pratt doesn’t like you because you sleep,” said Emily.
Their biggest pet peeve?
“What’s it like to be a triplet?” chimed Sue, knowingly.
The siblings rolled their eyes.
Her children get asked this question frequently, their mother explained.
Anna said she’s not necessarily sick of people inquiring – she just gets tired of repeating herself.
“I feel like people forget. That’s the only thing I’ve ever gotten annoyed over: ‘You’re a triplet?’ And I’ll say, ‘Yes, I’ve gone to school with you for seven years.’ ”
Andrew said he just denies it sometimes for the sake of being ornery.
“I’ll tell them, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ ”
Emily added people often assume there’s a “sensational magic” or mind-reading capabilities that come with the territory, but “we don’t have any telepathic powers. We tried it, and it didn’t work.”
They may not share thoughts, but they do share a car.
“You mean Anna’s car?” scoffed Emily.
Well, what’s a parent to do you do when all three offspring turn 16 at the same time?
“It’s just not good,” Anna said.
“I waited awhile,” Andrew said casually. “It was intentional.”
The three share a Toyota Camry, or, “the storm trooper,” as Emily’s friends dubbed it.
Although when they head off to college, the storm trooper will stay in Gilroy, which doesn’t bother Emily – she’s gearing up to take Davis by bike.
“I just got some new mud flaps,” she grinned.
As for what they’ll miss the most, Anna got up, walked into to the kitchen and demonstratively began opening and closing cupboard doors.
“This. The constant noise. I’ve grown up with it.”
Her room is right above the kitchen; an unfortunate location when Emily’s up at 5 a.m. scavenging for food.
“I get hungry a lot,” she said.
Along with her mom’s home-cooked cuisine, Emily said she’ll miss the family cat.
And Andrew?
“Food. Definitely going to miss food.”
A soon to be empty nester, Sue will have some quality time to spend with her husband. She’ll make road trips to visit the triplets, but “I can’t say that I’m not looking forward to have time to do stuff that I want to do … like not laundry.”
