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Image courtesy of Anaya Mitchell
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Drexel chapter.

Now I already know what you’re thinking, isn’t every college student going through a mild crisis wants to get into astrology so it can be the explanation to all their problems. Let me be the first to tell you, that’s not entirely how this works. Astrology is used to give you better insight into yourself and those around you.

First things first, the most important things you need to start are the signs. Each sign has its own constellation and symbol and is spread out throughout the year. These are what pretty much everyone knows about astrology in terms of their sun sign and the traits the come with them.

Aries | Fire

Pros: fiery, intense, passionate, sexy, leader, bold, courageous, active, & independent

Cons: selfish, impulsive, impatient, hot-headed, bossy, reckless, combative, & naive

Taurus | Earth

Pros: dependable, gentle, patient, determined, sensuous, artistic, down to earth, & stable

Cons: materialistic, stubborn, unreasonable, lazy, slow, greedy, resistant, & possessive

Gemini | Air

Pros: witty, clever, intellectual, fun, adaptable, curious, versatile, free spirited, & sociable

Cons: immature, superficial, judgmental, two-faced, gossipy, moody, sarcastic, & unreliable

Cancer | Water

Pros: sensitive, nurturing, caring, loyal, intuitive, kind, expressive, & gentle

Cons: clingy, defensive, overbearing, nagging, moody, worrier, & touchy

Leo | Fire

Pros: dramatic, bold, leader, exciting, regal, generous, big-hearted, affectionate, & loyal

Cons: self-centered, egomaniac, bossy, vain, demanding, unreasonable, & overbearing

Virgo | Earth

Pros: perfectionist, detail-oriented, intellectual, logical, critical, orderly, & hard working

Cons: tightly wound, boring, worrier, cold, never satisfied, & judgy

Libra | Air

Pros: charming, peaceful, stylish, cooperative, relationship oriented, intelligent, & idealistic

Cons: superficial, indecisive, passive-aggressive, dependent, frivolous, vain, & avoids conflict

Scorpio | Water

Pros: intense, deep, mysterious, psychic, strong, magnetic, emotional, & seeks purpose

Cons: vindictive, scheming, controlling, moody, deviant, resentful, obsessive, & power-hungry

Sagittarius | Fire

Pros: truthful, optimistic, lucky, enthusiastic, philosopher, open-hearted, & humorous

Cons: tactless, flighty, reckless, irresponsible, fickle, shallow, & rebellious

Capricorn | Earth

Pros: disciplined, reliable, leader, determined, patient, diligent, witty, cautious, & loyal

Cons: materialist, aloof, somber, social climber, competitive, prideful, & controlling

Aquarius | Air

Pros: intellectual, futuristic, logical, friendly, truthful, objective, curious, idealistic, & inventive

Cons: lack of empathy, stubborn, distant, detached, stubborn, rebellious, & argumentative

Pisces | Water

Pros: emotional, sensitive, creative, intuitive, compassionate, adaptable,unselfish, & visionary

Cons: escapist, impractical, emotional, lazy, unreliable, unrealistic, stubborn, & unpredictable

 

Next up is the rising, moon and, of course, sun signs. These are the three most important things that make up your birth chart and can tell you the most about yourself.

Sun Sign

Your sun sign is what you most likely already know about yourself and astrology. The Sun represents your vitality and ego, essentially who you are. What most people don’t know, is that you are constantly growing into your sun. So, if you don’t match all the characteristics of an Aries, it doesn’t mean it isn’t right. This just means you haven’t grown into your full potential yet. Your sun doesn’t exactly go into the specifics, it more so gives you a broader sense of yourself.

Moon Sign

In contrast to your sun sign, your moon is were you feel the most comfortable. So as much as your sun is who you’re becoming, you moon is who you see in yourself as in who we always are. This also represents your emotions and how you nurture others around you. In many ways, your Moon personality is the one you keep hidden. It is you at your core, which feels hate, jealousy, and fear. On the other hand, it is your Moon personality that spontaneously feels and expresses joy and pleasure.

Rising/Ascendant Sign

The ruler of your chart! Your rising sign is the image or mask we project to the world and the impressions we make on others. Contrary to popular belief, your rising sign isn’t a mask as much as it is the part of you you use to protect yourself from strangers. You behave more like you rising sign when you’re around by strangers or but into new positions.

Last but definitely not least is the four elements. The elements give a “temperament” to each personality.

Fire Signs | Aries, Leo, & Sagittarius

Fire signs are impulsive, dramatic, and fun people. Most fire signs love living in the extremes (think your best friend who talks you into the bad decisions) and always saying what’s on their mind, no matter what anyone else has to say. These signs need to learn how not to act so impulsively and be calm.

Earth Signs | Taurus, Virgo, & Capricorn

As you would guess, Earth signs are your grounded and dependable friend with four different planners and a bomb bullet journal. These signs know hard work and practicality better than anyone and glare harshly in the face of change. Earth signs in your life need to learn how to let go and enjoy the world around them.

Air Signs | Gemini, Libra, & Aquarius

Air signs are our light and flowy friends. They go with the flow and don’t let too many things in life bother them a great deal. These signs are incredibly concerned with others and their problems and occasionally forget about their own. They need to

Water Signs | Cancer, Scorpio, & Pisces

These signs are emotional and nurturing people, (that friend who always thinks they can change someone for the better. They love to nurture and be nurtured even to a fault. These signs need to lean to put themselves first, rather than others.

While I know this is definitely a lot of information to take in, but I promise it’s not as hard as you think. The best advice I can give is to take everything one step at a time and remember astrology isn’t 100 percent who you are. There’s always room to improve on yourself because at the end of the day, you are in control of who you want to be. With that being said, hop on your laptop, do your birth chart on Cafe Astrology, and dive into the mysterious world of astrology (thank me later).

 

 

Anaya Mitchell is a Marketing major with a minor in Public Relations. She embodies love for all things fashion, pop culture, beauty, true crime, and binging TV series'.
Her Campus Drexel contributor.