Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

M: I hope to be relatively stable. It would be nice if I had someone to settle down with, but that I am also still relatively close to all of the people who are truly important to me. I want to be done with school and content with whatever job I end up with.

L: In five years I see myself working for a publishing company like Harper Collins in some large city or other while trying to publish a few short stories of my own.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

M: I would change how obsessive my thoughts are at times or how much I care what other people think about me. Either way, I would want to change the fact that sometimes I depend on other people to make me happy.

L: If I could change one thing about myself I would change my honesty. I can be quite blunt and it is often taken the wrong way.

What advice would you give to your 14-year-old self?

M: I would tell myself that there are much better things ahead, but to write about all of the things you are going through now. I would try to convince myself not to care what other people think (but I would anyway). I would tell myself to worry spend more time getting to know my family members better and asking them questions that I might want to know someday. I would tell myself that I would soon appreciate the struggles I experienced because they helped to mold who I am.

L: Some advice to my 14-year-old self would be to be patient and to not doubt myself. Fortune favors the bold.

What do you wish someone would ask you about?

M: Sometimes I wish people would ask more about the memories I shared with my dad. So often people don’t ask to avoid upsetting me, but when I talk about him it helps me to keep his memory alive. I also like when people ask about my failed relationships because I don’t think a lot of people realize how much I’ve been through.

L: I wish someone would ask me about my love of Lord of the Rings or my fascination with literature.

What is one question that you’d like to ask me?

M: Do you ever feel like you sabotage things that could potentially make you happy because you are scared to be vulnerable?

L: Who's your favorite TV show character? You can tell a lot about someone by their choice in TV character.

What makes you feel safe?

M: Talking to my mom.

L: A detailed plan makes me feel safe. Or a cup of hot tea, my bed, Netflix, and a blanket. It really depends on my mood.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist?

M: I am an optimist in regard to others, but a pessimist when it comes to myself.

L: Neither. Everyone focuses on the amount of liquid in the glass and they forget that the glass is refillable.

Tell someone (not revealing their identity) something that you never had the chance to tell them.

M: Though you hurt me more than anyone else ever has, you didn’t destroy me. You allowed me to grow and become stronger.

L: I'm sorry for being a jerk in 8th grade. Everyone else despised you and I hated feeling alone, so I joined in to have a friend even for just a brief moment.

What is the most beneficial emotion? The most destructive?

M: I believe that love can be the most beneficial, and the most destructive depending on how you treat it.

L: The most beneficial emotion, to me, is love. It pushes us to go above our limits. It teaches us to see the good in someone. It teaches us restraint, forgiveness, and perseverance. The most harmful would be greed. It is more or less the motivation for any selfish action and greed is never satisfied. It is an addiction with a voice like the seagulls from Finding Nemo: Mine, mine, mine.

How do you think your friends would describe you and is this an accurate portrayal of yourself?

M: My friends have called me nice, funny, and strong. I think these are all pretty true even though sometimes I don’t feel very strong. I am, however, incredibly funny…if I do say so myself. ;)

L: I would think my friends would describe me as funny, intelligent, and exceedingly sarcastic. They'd say I have a heart of gold and hide it with a cold and aloof exterior. I'd say it's a fairly accurate portrayal and they would say I don't give myself enough credit.

Describe your ideal relationship.

L: My ideal relationship would be dating someone who is mentally stimulating. Intelligent conversation paired with a thirst for adrenaline filled adventure like rock climbing or skydiving. There would be a great deal of cooking or baking together and I would surprise them with the most romantic and detailed of gestures.

M: Being with someone who is honest and fairly straight-forward, but also sensitive. Someone who makes me feel safe, but also keeps me on my toes. Someone who will challenge me and reassure me at the same time. Someone who loves me for everything that I am. Someone who does not just think I am beautiful, but makes me feel beautiful. Someone that makes me feel like I do not have to compete with anyone else.

Do you want children someday, and would you be content if you had a child who turned out to be just like you?

M: Yes, I have always wanted children. I would like my children have many of my traits, but to not worry as much as I do. I want my children to see the positive in themselves more than the negative.

L: I would like children someday, but I am in no rush to be a father. I would be heartbroken if my children were just like me as I want them to be their own persons. They would also be extremely predictable if they were just like me and I dislike not being surprised every now and then.

Would you rather break up with someone, or be broken up with?

M: Though I hate to break someone else’s heart, it is easier on me than being broken up with. When someone breaks up with me I feel completely out of control and wonder if there is something wrong with me.

L: I would much rather break up with someone than be dumped because it means I more or less have control of the situation. I cannot be persuaded to deviate from my plans and their reactions to the situation would show me who they really are. There's no time to put on a mask if the person is completely surprised.

Describe your dream job.

M: My dream job would include teaching, inspiring, working with children, and creativity all at the same time!

L: My dream job would be as a publishing agent making seventy to eighty thousand a year. I would have reason to travel and time to write. I would also meet fascinating people and maybe get involved in other career fields.

What is a song that is very important to you?

M: “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan

L: A song that is very important to me would be "All I Ever Wanted" by The Airborne Toxic Event. It has a fantastic rhythm. I can sing it almost perfectly and it has a relatable meaning.

What would you do if you were not afraid, and if nothing held you back?

M: I would wear my heart on my sleeve even more than I already do and be a lot less shy.

L: If I was not afraid and nothing held me back I would be a Theatre Performance major and audition for anything and everything I possibly could in St. Louis area.

Do you consider yourself the hero or the villain in your story?

M: I try to be the hero to other people, but I am often my own worst enemy. In that case, I guess I am my own villain!

L: I would consider myself the hero of my story, but I certainly hope I'm the villain in someone else's. Villains have all the fun after all.

How often do you step out of your comfort zone?

M: It depends. In one respect, I am incredibly insecure. On the other hand, I am more myself than a lot of people would ever dream of being. I do not think I intentionally step out of my comfort zone very often, though. I just tap dance to my own beat!

L: I try to step out of my comfort zone a few times a month to make sure I still have some courage left. It's also a great way for me to be moving towards my goal and not getting comfortable. Comfort and contentment breed laziness.

If a genie granted you three wishes, what would you wish for (besides more wishes)?

M: To be completely happy with myself, to be able to directly interact with my loved ones who have passed away, and to make my mom young enough that she would be alive for the rest of my life.

L: Three wishes: I would wish for one hundred thousand dollars (to pay off my student loan debt and for any travel expenses I would have as I searched for a publishing/editing job), a small paradise island (could live on it or I could sell it for a great deal of money). Lastly, I would wish for an indestructible notebook to write down my thoughts, my schedule, and my ideas.

What intimidates you?

M: Walking into a room full of people I don’t know alone, the possibility of being rejected, not knowing how other people see me, and sometimes…extended eye contact. I say sometimes because on occasion I like to intimidate other people with extended eye contact. It just depends on the person and the situation.

L: People who never talk intimidate me. I never know what they're thinking and they usually have no intention of telling me. Since they don't talk much if at all, they spend their time doing other activities like watching me and trying to dig into my head. They wouldn't tell me if they thought they succeeded and what I don't know is what frightens me the most.

And finally, what makes you, you?

M: My heavy eyeliner, being an overly picky eater, the anxious feeling I get when I chip my nail polish, my passion for everything and everyone that I care about, the weird questions I type into search engines late at night, bad puns and my sense of humor, my love for giving gifts to people, smiling all the time, my love for Christmas and the spirit that I keep all year around, the special way I care about children who are often seen by others as too difficult, having trouble making decisions because I like to keep my options open, but feeling uncomfortable if I cannot make a decisions. Really, I am made up of everything that I have been through, and everything that I am. I appreciate the simplest little things but tend to complicate everything as well.

L: I would have to say that a quick wit, observant eyes, and an ever-present smirk that hints at some diabolical plan I have in store. A beanie on my head, a skateboard at my side, and a pen or two in my pocket.

Though personality tests are often brushed under the rug or treated as an even worse alternative to horoscopes, they can truly offer some valuable insight. If nothing else, you get the chance to know yourself just a little bit better than you did before. While personality tests like the MBTI should not define your whole character, you can definitely use them to identify some of your strengths and weaknesses. I believe Lucas and I have done just that in a few simple questions. And even more...we have shown just how vastly different - and strikingly similar two out of 16 of the MBTI personality types can be!