What’s the big deal about zodiac signs, or as most of us know them, horoscopes? The Zodiac was originally created in ancient Egypt, or so the legend goes, but the Babylonians eventually adopted it. The term zodiac imitated the Greek word meaning “circle of animals.” Early astrologers observed 12 constellations reflecting the progression of seasons that lined up with the 12 lunar cycles, or months that it took the sun to revolve once around the Earth. The 12 constellations were then named after either animals or people that fall into the four elements of fire, water, air and earth. Fire Signs: Aries, Sagittarius and Leo. Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Air Signs: Libra, Aquarius and Gemini. Earth Signs: Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo. The American Federation of Astrologers describes how the zodiac signs that we read work.
“Your horoscope charts the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars at a specific time and place of your choosing (e.g. the date, time and location of your birth). Astrologers don’t use ‘clock time.’ Rather, they measure it as ‘sidereal’ time, as measured from the sun’s position at the spring equinox.”
Basically, these signs tell you information about what each day, month (the most common form of deliverance) or year holds for you and your personal life. They give you positive experiences to look forward to, tell you what areas in your life to improve on, and ultimately predict your future. A lot of times, these horoscopes will also describe your personality in different ways.
I often find myself reading these horoscopes as they pop up in my Facebook feed or I find the ones printed in magazines. As I’m reading through my horoscope, Sagittarius (I am an early December baby), I notice that it turns out to be pretty accurate of what my life looks like in reality. Astrologers speak a lot of truth of my personality, but also give me advice that oddly seems needed at the time I am reading it.
However, I definitely do not live my life by what my horoscope says or tells me to do. In my opinion, no one can predict my future, especially not some random astrologer who has never met me. I don’t believe that the stars affect any of my actions or choices I make. However, I know many people in the world religiously read their horoscope in order to help them make the right decisions, or to help them understand themselves as a person.
Colorado Mesa University student Michaela Williams is identified as a Gemini, but just barely meets the cut off. She said zodiac signs are fun to look at sometimes. She thinks they give people hope for their future, and serve as a guidance for life. She doesn’t personally believe in them though.
“I don’t really believe in them because nobody really knows your life except for you,” she said. “Sometimes they are accurate, but that is probably just coincidence.”
Whether coincidence or not, however, twins supposedly fall under the Gemini horoscope and Williams is actually a twin in real life. I found this completely coincidental and honestly a little weird. Still, I think horoscopes are a hoax and serve more for the purpose of entertaining folks than determining their life courses.
