This story was published in print in April 2024.
While some people might start their morning by checking the weather or the news, others instead open up their horoscope to see what the day has in store for them. Whether it predicts internal strife, professional success, or new opportunities for romance, astrology enthusiasts find enjoyment and comfort in interpreting the associations between the locations of celestial bodies and the fates of different Zodiac signs.
In the 5th century BCE, Babylonians viewed the locations of the stars and other celestial phenomena as signs from a higher power. They created the twelve Zodiacs as a way to connect people with the stars and understand the holy messages they believed the stars sent to humans. At the time, star signs played a prominent role in society, and studying them was considered a prestigious academic discipline.
During the Enlightenment period, which was dominated by the ideals of scientific rationality, facts and reason pushed spirituality into the shadows, but astrology has since seen a resurgence around the world.
Beginning in the late 1900s, the allure of astrology grew through the influence of mass media as newspapers began printing weekly horoscopes, predictions for your week based on your Zodiac sign. Astrology is now considered a New Age trend, one of a group of popular spiritual practices that grew rapidly starting in the 1970s. Since the introduction of horoscopes, astrology’s following has grown.
While many disregard astrology based on its pseudo-scientific nature, the practice of interpreting one’s Zodiac can still play an important role in personal growth and self-reflection. By identifying with a particular sign and analyzing how they relate to it, individuals gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses and can discover personal qualities they weren’t conscious of before. Astrology is a valuable avenue for self-reflection, regardless of whether one’s astrological sign has any actual correlation with their personality or path in life.
Each of the twelve Zodiac signs originates from the positions of celestial bodies at the time of a person’s birth. An individual’s Zodiac sign corresponds to the constellation that the sun passed through on the day they were born, a cycle that repeats annually. Each Zodiac’s constellations have their own unique characteristics, and astrology attributes an individual’s personality, behaviors and life experiences to the features of their star sign.
Although studies of astronomy and psychology suggest that there is no real correlation between one’s star sign and their personality or life trajectory, many followers still find enjoyment or fulfillment in exploring their astrological traits. According to a 2017 study from the Pew Research Center, almost 30% of Americans believe in astrology.
Today, many young people use their star signs as a tool to evaluate relationship dynamics and major life decisions.
“There’s your top three — sun, moon and rising signs — which define your personality, emotionally, how you are internally and then how you are with other people,” junior Valentina Leyva said. “You can see what things you might like more, or aspects of yourself that you didn’t know you had and find a common ground with you and your Zodiac.”
Astrological signs can help individuals not only understand themselves better but also develop their empathy and understand the world around them. Zodiac signs offer a structure for interpreting life’s challenges by looking into possible “cosmic influences.” In times of difficulty, people may seek solace in astrology, finding comfort in the idea that their struggles are intertwined with a broader cosmic story. Embracing the ebbs and flows of the universe enables individuals to feel a sense of direction and belonging, which nurtures resilience.
According to a 2016 study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when people read their horoscopes, they unconsciously form expectations of the upcoming time period and later behave accordingly. After reading a positive horoscope that predicts professional success, for example, people may then perform better at work.
“Researching your sign can make you understand things about yourself that went unexplained,” sophomore Kendall Venegas said. “I have a little temper — it kind of makes me wonder if it’s because I’m a fire sign.”
Astrology can also help you to investigate specific relationships. A popular application of astrology is “compatibility analysis,” the practice of exploring the dynamics between two people’s Zodiac signs. By comparing celestial position birth charts between two individuals, people who practice astrology can analyze areas of possible interpersonal connection or conflict. This gives followers a conscious blueprint for a deeper understanding of personality dynamics within relationships. Like any tradition or religion, astrological beliefs offer reassurance that each person has a predetermined destiny to fulfill.
Regardless of whether signs can actually be used to predict the future, astrology inspires individuals to delve into understanding their innermost selves and expose patterns of behavior or shared factors in their relationships.
“It’s very nuanced things that you wouldn’t normally think about, the stars, the sun, the placement of different things millions of miles away,” Venegas said. “It just makes you wonder, how does that affect my life?”
