I will be the first to admit that I am a sucker for a good old-fashioned personality test. Like any college student, I am still exploring my identity. To be honest, it is stressful surveying yourself while having to make large life decisions such as articulating your career or building strong relationships with your peers. Viewing my personality out of a one-way glass perspective is both blinding and binding because I have no clue how I am perceived outside of my own thoughts. To say the least, having my traits and aspirations laid out on paper in front of me through spreadsheets and analytics is something I will always accept; it relieves me of a large stressor.

That is why I have always dived headfirst into random makeshift personal diagnostics. When I was in fifth grade, I learned about zodiac signs (which is probably the loosest kind of personality test, I will admit). In seventh grade, I took the Myer-Briggs sixteen personality assessment and followed with the Enneagram quiz my sophomore year of high school. I can oblige that I naturally looked for similarities between the test scores and my own attributes and thought that the examinations summarized my being perfect. Yet, while I know many of these tests are folly and feature broad categories that can encompass anyone’s characteristics, I still think there is some type of algorithm behind the assessment that gives me an accurate report.

As for astrology, I am hands down a fan. I know it can be considered childish or even pathetic to associate your birth date with your personal qualities, but I think my own signs summarize my behavior relatively well.

I am a Pisces sun sign on the cusp of Aries; I am between the end and the beginning of the zodiac cycle. This probably explains why I can often be hair-brained or erratic. Not only am I the dividend in the middle of the alpha and the omega but also between a water and fire sign as well. To me, this describes why I am not only indecisive with my own decisions but also how I react to other people’s decisions as well. I either react fully with my heart or my head and it is often up to a coin flip; I either shirk away from conflict or approach it with vigor.

My other traits detailed by my zodiac include quirkiness, creativity, and intelligence. The descriptions also say I am a good leader while also being extremely stubborn; apparently, I turn everything into a debate (and my residency as captain of the JCU debate team would agree). While this may make me sound arrogant (a staple trait of Aries and other fire signs), I agree with the data presented entirely.

Below the basic levels of astrology, I am also a Gemini moon and Libra rising. Evidently, while I try to have a positive worldview, I struggle with anxiety and, once again, indecisiveness along with a smidge of immaturity. Nevertheless, not to be full of myself, but the report also diagnoses me with a charming demeanor and as “the life of the party without even trying.”

I could honestly write a novel about my own zodiac report and how the other planets and signs impact my temperament. However, I know this is already a long enough piece as is. Who would have thought someone with Aries placements would love to talk about themselves?

On to the other examinations. The Myers-Briggs sixteen personality assessment is a gauge designed to box all of humanity into one of sixteen personality types. Those who take the test are given a combination of four letters each with a complex meaning. You can either receive an E or an I (extraverted or introverted) for your first letter, an N or an S (intuitive or observing) for your second letter, a T or an F (thinking or feeling) for your third letter, and either a J or a P (judging or prospecting) for your final letter. To be frank, I am not a licensed psychologist so I would conduct your own analysis if you are interested in this trial.

According to the Myers-Briggs test, I am an ENTJ also known as the commander (the same as Tony Stark, Steve Jobs and Gordon Ramsey). The evaluation classifies me as a natural-born leader, a recurring pattern I see in all my test results. Not only am I charismatic and naturally authoritative, but I also have a “sharp mind.” Those statements almost make up for the fact that I am also “ruthless”, “relentless”, and “unforgiving.”

Naturally, I do find myself in agreeance with the quote “I don’t care if you call me an insensitive b*****d, as long as I remain an efficient b*****d”. Also, if anyone reading this is interested in a battle of wits, I am always up for a challenge because I apparently can respect anyone who can “stand up” to me intellectually. Just do not show your emotions because I reportedly construe feelings as weakness.

Next, I look at the Enneagram test which entirely has to do with emotions; where do I find my self-value? This analysis prescribed me the code 3w2 for my psyche also dubbing me as “the enchanter”. Again, the words charming and driven appear (to say the research I did for this column has boosted my ego would be an understatement). Albeit, the examination says that my desire to be accepted leads to a crippling fear of failing and being unworthy of love.

Out of all the tests I explored, while this is the shortest, it hit me the closest to home. Perhaps it is because the band Sleeping at Last created songs for each Enneagram type laced with encouragement that caters directly to a person’s assigned paradigm. The melody attuned to my category repeatedly states how I am much more than who loves me or my accomplishments, a sentiment that made me tear up in the library while listening to it. Uh oh, my Myers-Briggs type would be upset that I displayed any sort of feelings!

In summary, whether you think personality tests are accurate or not, they undoubtedly help you investigate your persona on a deeper level which I can appreciate. Do I agree with most of the statements I was given based on the tests? Yes. However, I know this is not the case for everyone. Yet, just as I believe self-exploration is a key aspect of college, I concur that these examinations can serve as stepping stones for reaching your desired level of understanding.