What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

When talking to most of my friends about this topic, most of them would agree that they act like their sign. However, there are some who are more skeptical than others. Sometimes, I'll hear people say things like, “I’m not emotional,” or “I'm not introverted,” and "Why is it saying I am?" This is because we are not just made up of one single sign, but actually multiple signs (13 to be exact). Depending on where and when you were born, each of us have a different astrological chart, and each part of the chart represents a different aspect of life. The sign that part of the chart is under represents how we approach that aspect. To understand an astrological chart, though, it's best to understand what each sign means and stands for first.

Each sign, its principal symbol and what it stands for:

Aries: The Ram (March 21–April 19) — passion and competition

Taurus: The Bull (April 20–May 20) — stability and toughness

Gemini: The Twins (May 21–June 20) — communication and wit

Cancer: The Crab (June 21–July 22) — emotions and nurturing

Leo: The Lion (July 23–Aug. 22) — courage and friendliness

Virgo: The Maiden (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) — analysis and reliability

Libra: The Scales (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) — harmony and balance

Scorpio: The Scorpion (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) — intuitive and secretive

Sagittarius: The Centaur (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) — experience and honesty

Capricorn: The Goat (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) — ambitious and responsible

Aquarius: The Water Bearer (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) — politics and humanity

Pisces: The Fish (Feb. 19–March 20) — imagination and the mysterious

To better understand each astrological sign, as well as compatibility between all of them, there's something called sign elements and sign energy. Each sign is categorized in one of the four elements: fire, earth, air or water. Signs that are under the same element are typically ones that get along the best because they all have similar characteristics to one another. The 12 astrological signs can also be subdivided into two different categories — masculine and feminine signs. Fire and air signs are said to have more masculine energy, while water and earth signs are said to have more feminine energy. Signs with the same energy are supposed to get along the best, as well. To find out which signs get along the least with each other, spot the signs whose energies are directly opposite from one another in the chart below:

Elements + masculine and feminine signs

Feminine Energy

Earth: Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Water: Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer

Masculine Energy

Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

The parts of an astrological chart.

As I mentioned earlier, we are not made up of just one sign. Our personalities are dictated by 13 unique signs. The first of the 13 is known as your sun sign, and it's the main sign we know ourselves as. The 12 other “houses” in the chart, all represent a different aspect of life. The rest of the items in your chart matter almost as much, if not more, than your sun sign. For example, a person can have Virgo as their sun sign, but if nothing else in their chart is Virgo or even a sign similar to Virgo, the person may not act too much like a Virgo. What makes up your chart and where it's placed can make your sun sign not make sense. Most Capricorns are known to be quiet people, but if a person has a talkative, outgoing sign like Gemini ruling their third house, the House of Communication, they might not be as quiet or as introverted. Below are the 13 parts of an astrological makeup and what each part represents:

Your sun sign — your general approach towards life

First House — actions/temperament

Second House — personal values/money

Third House — communication/thinking

Fourth House — emotions/settling down

Fifth House — expression/confidence

Sixth House — health/preservation

Seventh House — partnerships/love

Eighth House — change/intimacy

Ninth House — philosophy/spirituality

10th House — career/reputation

11th House — visions/Insight on society

12th House — imaginations/tolerance

Although astrology is cool and can be fun, it is also best to take everything you read with a grain of salt. Here are some websites you can use to calculate your chart.

Alabe.com