Overview

With social media having such a profound influence on students’ lives, there are many reasons for young people to experience anxiety. One of the greatest areas of anxiety is in the area of personality types. Despite the advice from teachers, counselors, and parents admonishing young people to simply be themselves, many young people wish they were like someone else in both looks and personality. While this module may not be able to convince you to be yourself, it may assist you in better understanding who you are and help you to understand the personalities of your parents, friends, and classmates.

No matter how many personality tests I take, I typically am identified as an INTP — Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving person. Perhaps this is why I chose a career as a writer. I enjoy my own company and feel comfortable in my own space. I do not desire to look like someone else or to be as popular as someone else. I like who I am and accept my personality. 

Entering a new school year or school setting can be uncomfortable or even nerve-racking. Avoid believing that you must blend in and be like everyone else. Take time to understand who you are, and better yet, to appreciate the very special person you are. Understanding yourself, together with identifying careers which provide the best “fit” for your personality are two important areas of self-reflection in the career planning process.

Recognizing and understanding different personality types can help you to get along with classmates today and co-workers in the future. Understanding your own personality can assist you in discovering and pursuing careers for which you are best suited. As a teenager, although many of my friends aspired to become rich and famous, my greatest aspiration was to become happy. What is your greatest aspiration?

Objectives

• Identify your personality type.
• Identify the personality types of each student in your discussion group.

Estimated time to complete: 30 min.

Guiding Questions

• Why do I appear to easily understand some people while being constantly confused by others?
• Why do I easily get along with some people while always having conflicts with others?
• What is the ideal situation for me to thrive as a student based on my personality?