These past few weeks have just felt like one thing after another. A paper, an exam, an exciting event, another exam, and so on. The cycle continuously repeating and adding more stops along the way. I’ve been drowning in things to do and simultaneously ignoring them. It’s not that I don’t want to write another paper– I mean, I’m an English major, it’s what I signed up for– but I haven’t felt as confident in my abilities or knowledge lately. I had been deep in midterms, but my dilemma surrounding my writing began when I asked for an extension on an assignment. I don’t believe I’ve ever asked for an extension before. I was told the due date, I knew about it, so if the assignment isn’t done, I have to face the consequences.
Although I have always placed a lot of value into my goals and abilities, for some reason this week everything I have done feels subpar. This led me to push aside my papers and instead look deeply into the personality tests that my Management professor assigned.
I’ve taken a number of personality tests and the answers are usually what I expect. I know that since there are so many ways to define me, or any person, that it would be a disservice to define myself by one name, test, or trait. Despite this, I think that there are a lot of fun personality tests online that can not only serve as a break from strenuous work, but also a fun way to see which character you are in your favorite shows, books, and movies. Although it began with two scientific tests with copious research behind them; McClellan’s Theory of Needs and Rotter’s Locus of Control, I quickly turned to take other fun personality tests. Here are my top five personality tests I found.
McClellan’s Theory of Needs
In 1961, McClellan found that there are three motivating factors in everyone’s life, regardless of age or gender, that lead people to possess certain traits. The three needs are achievement, affiliation, and power. My test came back ranking them achievement, power, and affiliation. My highest need was achievement. The tests explain that because of this, I feel the need to accomplish goals, receive feedback on my achievements, and that I prefer to work alone. These are all true. I desire constantly to achieve as many things as I can and honestly, am frequently looking for approval, as well as critical feedback on all the things I do. In these past two years of college I have felt the need to have something physical to show for what I have done. Since a lot of English is abstract– trying to pull meaning from work that doesn’t explicitly tell you what to look for– I find a lot of value in getting high letter grades. To me they represent that I have been able to express my ideas clearly and thoughtfully.
Rotter’s Locus of Control
Rotter’s findings explain that people either have a dominantly external or internal locus of control. An internal locus of control indicates that someone feels as though they have control over my life, actions, and decisions. An external locus of control would mean that someone believes and feels that outside forces have more control over their life than they do. My test came back saying that I have a more internal locus of control than external. People with an internal locus are additionally said to believe in their own abilities and that take responsibility for both the good and the bad; rather than blaming it on others. I feel like this is also really accurate for me because the pressure I put on myself is because I know I am capable of achieving what I want. I do believe that because of this, I have a lot of control over where I can go in life.
Which Brooklyn Nine-Nine Character Are You Actually?
My roommates and I since the start of the year have been cycling through shows. First it was Love Island, The Office, and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and recently we have been binging Brooklyn Nine–Nine. I had never watched this show before, and despite being set in a police headquarters of the NYPD, its lighthearted nature, comedy, and talented cast have made it one of my favorite shows. Of course I made all of my roommates take the quiz, and all our results were accurate. According to the test I am Charles Boyle. The test reflects, “You’re full Boyle! You’re loyal, dependable, and the best friend someone could ask for! People often underestimate you, but you’re a hard worker and put your all into every single thing you do.” I honestly feel like that’s a really accurate assessment. Watching the show he’s my favorite character–maybe that makes me a little conceited–but I see many of my traits reflected in him. He’s funny, but doesn’t always have the best timing. I think that what makes him and other characters on the show relatable is that they feel real; not caricatures of police or forced personalities.
“Which Lana Del Rey Song Are You?”
Lana del Rey has been one of my favorite singers since I can remember. With a large discography I thought it would be fun to see what song I am. The quiz questions were fun because instead of having single words as answers to the prompts, they had longer, Lana-like descriptions that I felt not only partially captured her, but also made it easier to choose one. The quiz results came back saying I reflet the song, “Love”. “Dreamy and full of hope, you’re someone who sees the world through a rose-tinted lens. You believe in the beauty of simplicity and the power of love to heal and transform. Your optimism is infectious, drawing people towards you. Like the song, you hold a vintage soul, cherishing the timeless moments and connections in life.” I think some of this is true, other aspects being a little dramatized. I do, however, connect this song to spending summer at sailing camp in middle school, so I believe that the idea that I cherish timeless moments is accurate.
Although there are only a few possible answers within most Buzzfeed or online quizzes, they do give insight to my personality. I think these quizzes provide a fun and easy way to connect even more to see TV shows, movies, and books