Illustration by Elena Griedel
Astrology is the scientific study of the sun, moon, and stars. It is frequently used to determine someone’s future and what the best thing to do is. From horoscopes to tarot cards, there are many forms of astrology. There are many websites, apps, and books dedicated to telling what your horoscope is for the day, and what to do.
But in order to know your horoscope, you need to first know your zodiac sign. The zodiac plays a significant part in astrology. Ancient astrologers knew that it took twelve lunar cycles (months) for the sun to return to its original position. Using this knowledge, they identified twelve constellations that they observed were connected to the movement of the seasons.
Michaia Dixon, a Berkeley High School (BHS) sophomore, is a huge fan of astrology. “I love astrology. It’s the only thing that tells me what I want to hear in life. In this dark and unforgiving world the reading of the stars are the only thing that makes life worth living. I only wish that it didn’t have so many stereotypes, like that Scorpios are bad, or that Aquarius can be good,” Dixon said. Dixon says that if she was thinking of doing something and her horoscope gave her the green light, she would go for it.
Nia Kelly, a BHS sophomore, has mixed feelings about astrology. “I like that you can learn more about yourself from reading your sign’s traits. Once I got into astrology and read the Libras’ traits and I was like ‘oh yeah I am kind of like that’,” she said. She also likes that you can sometimes determine how someone might behave depending on their sign. However, she doesn’t heavily rely on it because she is a Capricorn, and doesn’t like it when people force the stereotypes of Capricorns on her.
“I like astrology, probably because my own horoscope is very accurate, but I know people whose horoscopes aren’t accurate at all,” said Magdalena Frigo, a BHS sophomore. “It’s amazing how everything in our universe is connected in this way.”
There are only twelve zodiac signs, and it’s highly unlikely that they will accurately describe everyone in the world. However, it might not be their accuracy that makes them so popular. “I look at horoscopes to just make things feel stable. It also makes me feel validated, like it’s not my fault, it’s the stars fault,” said Dixon.