Identical twin geographers graduate side by side… but only one gets a first

Graduation is supposed to be a joyous day where you celebrate three years of hard work with your family and friends.

So imagine the horror for Charis Hackett, who opened her results to find out she had got a worse degree than her identical twin who studied the exact same course.

Charis and Flora Hackett, both 21, graduated with Geography degrees, which they chose separately after visiting Lancaster on an open day.

Charis, left, missed out on a first

Flora said: “We didn’t put our heads together to decide but we both ended up choosing Lancaster on our own.

“We’ve never deliberately chosen to do the same things but it works out the same. “

The twins completed also identical A Levels in their home of Chester before starting at Bowland College in 2012.

The twins shared accomodation in Bowland College

Charis, who graduated with a 2:1, said: “I like to blame my boyfriend for why I got a 2.1 and Flora got the 1st.”

As well as studying the same subject, the twins also shared accommodation during their three year degree.

Flora said: “We both lived in the same block at Bowland College on the same corridor. We had a big gang of friends and the same social life. “

Not only did they share halls in first and third year, they even shared a house in town before moving back to campus together.

Charis, who failed to get the First in colouring in said: “It’s easier with a twin because you always have a companion.

“You can bicker with your sister in a way you can’t with friends.

“Together we had a wonderful time at Lancaster and I’m sad it’s over.”