After failing my G driving test in October, I opened Co-Star, a horoscope app, to read my daily updates. The first thing the app told me was that my head would be “foggy” and I would “take the wrong turns.”
It made me wonder – was it written in the stars that I would fail my test? Was I not meant to pass at all? Was my horoscope right?
It was right on that day and maybe a few days later. While I’m no expert in astrology and don’t often take my horoscopes too seriously, some people are more immersed.
Fourth year Ryerson student Lexia Khan, a Leo sun, Aries moon and Virgo rising, has had two readings from astrologists in the past. She finds astrology interesting because it analyzes feelings.
“The astrologist that I follow, she’ll be like, now’s a great time for this. So it’s not always negative. But I like that it shows you the reason behind certain behaviours or certain feelings,” she said.
For some background, your sun sign is based on your birth date and determines your identity. Your moon represents your emotions and your rising is the mask you present to people.
Astrology has grown into a trend on social media, flooding TikTok and Instagram. However, living and breathing your zodiac signs has its flaws.
It’s become a norm on social media to blame certain behaviours on zodiac stereotypes. For example, Aries are considered impulsive and immature because they are the first sign of the zodiac, and therefore, are associated with youth. People may blame impatient behaviour on being an Aries.
Fourth year student Kristyn Landry, a Pisces sun, Pisces moon and Scorpio rising, really identifies with the traits her zodiac sign is associated with. For her, astrology is fun because she can analyze herself, her friends and even TV show characters.
“I identify with my entire chart. That’s why it’s been really interesting to learn about because I feel like I’m reading up about myself. It almost feels like something knows me better than most of my friends do,” she said.
It can also make some people feel like they know complete strangers, as astrology has become a major factor in the dating world.
Compatibility with potential partners is a make or break for some people. I conducted a survey on Ryerson students which revealed 44 per cent of respondents check zodiac compatibility when they get into a relationship or start to like someone.
Landry said she might look into it, but wouldn’t let it stop her from pursuing a relationship.
“Gemini is a red flag, though,” she added.
Khan, on the other hand, said she loves Geminis and that they’re her best match.
“Geminis are my favourite…It’s hilarious because I have a love-hate relationship with them,” Khan said.
The love-hate relationship that Khan has with Geminis is founded on zodiac stereotypes. Geminis are often described as having two sides to their personality: Loving and gentle, but also distant and detached.
While checking compatibility levels with zodiac signs is just fun and games for most people, it’s important to remember not to take it too far. Swearing off certain zodiac signs for “red flags” and incompatibility is a bit unrealistic, no matter how much you believe in astrology. And if the relationship doesn’t work out, zodiac signs probably aren’t a big factor in why the relationship failed.
So, what caused the astrology trend? The unpredictability of modern life could be a reason.
According to a Refinery29 article, by the end of 2020, Google searches for “astrology” and “birth chart” both hit a five-year high. The article discusses how the surge in astrology interest was brought on by the pandemic when people were looking for an explanation for the way they felt.
Astrology is a good outlet to explain things that are out of control and make them less mysterious. It can help reduce anxiety and gives answers to the complexities of life.
For example, Mercury retrograde, the time when planet Mercury appears to rotate backwards, is often associated with bad luck and unusual occurrences. Those who believe in it may blame cancelled trains, a bad grade, acne breakouts or fights with friends on the rare celestial event.
While explaining bad days may seem counterintuitive, it’s the hope of things getting better that puts people at ease. If your bad day can be blamed on Mercury retrograde, you can look forward to better days once it ends.
It’s important to remember that as long as you consume horoscopes and astrology in a self-aware manner, it’s fun and harmless. But getting to a point where you predict your daily life based on your Co-star update can cause you to go down a rabbit hole. The best thing to do is to live organically and accept that not everything can be explained.
Though to be fair, Mercury was in retrograde when I failed my driving test, so perhaps the astrologists are onto something.