Studying the stars: finding out if my personality was developed or divined

March 30, 2023 — by Divya Vadlakonda
Graphic by Annie Liu
The signs of Sagittarius, Libra and Aquarius join together in the unique brew that is my personality.
I dissected my “big three” placements to see if the stars have my personality down.

People first began to observe astronomical cycles in the sky during the third millennium BC, taking up astrology as a serious academic discipline until around the 17th century. However, this practice of turning to the stars to contemplate human existence has not moved beyond our collective consciousness, but continues to thrive in a more watered-down way. In my case, astrology came into my life through the enlightening platform known as TikTok. 

Recently, I took some time to discover the ins and outs of astrology birth charts. In essence, they are a snapshot of the sky the moment you were born and a window to the “types of energies you were exposed to at the exact moment of your birth.” After inputting my birth date and time into a birth chart calculator, I discovered I am a Sagittarius Sun. 

Sagittarius Suns are broadminded, higher-thinking and philosophical people who often chase geographical, spiritual or intellectual adventure. They are incredible storytellers and entertainers as a result of their adventurous spirit and perpetual thirst for knowledge. 

On the down side, Sagittarians are notorious for their sharp tongues, and their brutal honesty often leads to conflict and hurt feelings. Their intelligence can have a tendency to come off as pretentious and arrogant.

I do relate to Sagittarius’s thirst for knowledge; for example I frequently fall down 3-hour Wikipedia rabbit holes, but I relate a little less to their adventurous side. While every so often I may be struck with a sense of spontaneity, I don’t consider myself a daredevil who dabbles out of her comfort zone frequently. It is often a struggle for me to try new things and I prefer the comfort of my room rather than venturing outside. But I do find myself in situations where I tend to like telling people the blunt truth that is fair to them, which is not often the case. 

My moon, the planet that represents the hidden, private sides of your personality, is in Libra. According to Just Astrology Things, a Libra moon can make one sensitive, rational, imaginative and socially oriented. They care very deeply about fairness and a strong sense of justice, which can often result in indecisiveness. Libra Moons are also very codependent, gaining comfort and happiness from being around others. In short, spending too much alone time makes them gloomy.

For the most part, fairness and equality has always been a big part of my life, and I am definitely partial toward compromise. I rely on my friends and family as a support system but I would say that I also value my time alone as well. It is rare that I get stir-crazy and crave social interaction.

Last, my rising sign —  the outward personality or mask — is in Aquarius. Just Astrology Things describes Aquarius risings as independent, rebellious oddballs who are dedicated humanitarians. They are inclined to do their own thing and pay little attention to trends, often coming off as friendly but aloof.

After asking a few friends, I have determined that I come off as independent and friendly more than rebellious. However, they did attest that I come off as aloof in some situations. 

Though I do not believe that my birth chart can capture all the facets of my personality, I think that exploring the concept deeper than the surface level definitely gave me a better understanding of the layers of my personality. I did resonate with some traits, but I do not think that birth charts should define your personality and be taken as gospel. It is a fun idea to read about and consider, but nothing more.

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