What EJ Personality am I?
Written By: Kayden (26-E6), Vivienne (26-E6), Yi Fang (26-I1), Wendy (26-I4)
Designed By: Belden (26-E1)
In this world, we are like snowflakes. We are never the same, but we still have common traits that help us get together with one another. Personalities help us define who we are. In this article, we have identified some more prominent characteristics of Eunoians, and categorized them into different personality types, namely the mugger, athlete, leader, detached, and tiktoker. Check out which one you think suits you best, and find out some of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as how you can interact with people of other types!
Muggers of EJ
This section is dedicated to those who often watch the ironic EJ sunset, accompanied by their lecture notes on level 9 or 10, either residing in their own corners or huddling in small groups. They are perceived with either admiration or judgement by the student population, most of the time both, which are unspoken secrets.
Strengths:
It is not surprising that some of these individuals are lectures ahead of their classmates. They find joy in academic rigor. The other subset of ‘muggers’ are individuals who, despite spending all their time studying, just fail to do well in school. To these two groups of students under this classification, the school population applauds you for your public service to your classmates in the form of free academic tutoring. They are immune to the effects of brainrot, having attention spans as long as their 3 hour study sessions. And it is precisely due to this immunity, they seem to have 48-hour days in contrast to the mundane 24-hour days the rest of us have.
Weaknesses:
It takes courage to be an out-of-closet mugger, with expectations for oneself and from others at an all time high. This could have several repercussions in the long term, such as smaller social circles, higher academic pressure and a lesser school experience. EJ has a work hard play hard culture, and leaning too far on one side of the spectrum could lead to unintended exclusion from classmates who might assume you’ll rather study than join them for dinner. As muggers, they are likely to be perfectionists, and might get frustrated when group mates disagree to put in the same effort into Project Work, especially due to the current system changing it to a mere Pass/Fail subject. Sometimes, they might feel less than in conversations about trends and pop culture, because they lack the contextual knowledge that can only be developed through occasional 3 hour TikTok scrolls.
Most compatible (athlete):
With their willingness to put in the effort to achieve academic wonders, it is no wonder that muggers are the most compatible with athletes, who also give their all to their sport. These two personalities strive to be the very best in their respective fields, the flame of passion only burning ever brighter with the support and encouragement of each other. Together, they form the ultimate force of nature, making sure that nothing stands in the way of their goals, be it exhaustion (mentally or physically), struggles or even potential burnout.
Least compatible (tiktoker):
The similarity that drives these two types of people is ironically the difference that drives them apart. They are both chronically in their own corners of the internet, one skilful in finding relevant research papers to cite, the other’s flying fingertips when faced with technology inadept individuals who cannot figure out how to use audio on Tiktok, The disparity in their focus makes it hard for them to get together and accomplish tasks collectively. Lacking the trend knowledge, muggers constantly face challenges when attempting to find common interests with tiktokers to chat about. Nevertheless, by respecting each others’ interests, this driving force can help them bond together, by supporting each other through studying and relaxing.
Athletes of EJ
These people are the ones you find running competitively for Eurun, or are amongst the top 50 for the non-competitive category for Eurun. Their athleticism however, carries far beyond their playing field and school events, showing up in form of sportsmanship, resilience, and a drive to influence and bring out the best in others, be it pacing them during Eurun practice, or being the biggest cheerleader at the finish line (‘cause they’re always there first, duh).
Strengths:
Athletes have discipline and pain tolerances on an otherworldly level than the rest of the human race. They push their physical and emotional boundaries every week, and thus facing hardship becomes routine for them.
Sporting has also made them very social creatures with a resilient, hardy, yet easy-going personality. They fail, and succeed repeatedly in a controlled environment on a regular basis, strengthening their emotional resilience in which failing once does not entail the end of their world.
Weaknesses:
Athletes excel in their field at a cost— less time to excel in anything else. Much of their school life is consumed by their sport, with the unmistakable shape of a racket sticking out of their bag, a shoe bag in hand, on a daily basis. Sometimes we marvel at how they never forget their training equipment behind, which further illustrates how significant their sport is to them!
They seem to have endless energy on the adrenaline driven court, leading to perpetual exhaustion in mundane life, not just emotionally like most of the school population, but out of physical exertion. They tend to push themselves not to their own limit but beyond to set a new limit, and they always show up, even with taped shins and ankle braces. Elongated white spaces are spent in the gym, before rushing to change back into attire for the next lesson, constantly in battle with time and balance.
Most compatible (tiktokers):
For athletes, they would pair perfectly with tiktokers, if they aren’t already making BeReals with their teammates. With matching outgoing and extroverted personalities, tiktokers and athletes never fail to share their thoughts and experiences with each other, bright personalities being the perfect mirror of each other’s. Whether in the court or in the classroom, they rally others together with their cheery and high-energy antics, approaching life ready to hype up the people around them.
Least compatible (detached):
Striving off high energy and vibes, athletes clash the most with the detached, who yearn to have their own individual time and favour personal space. The difference between them is extremely obvious – active and expressive against passive and reserved. The athlete’s high energy and motivation may be perceived as intrusion by the detached. Establishing common ground becomes a challenge, with both parties committing to their different paces of life. It is however, possible for them to bond over the prospect of busy schedules, living a double life, despite vastly different levels of commitment and engagement to school and its community. Thus, with some reciprocated understanding and personal boundaries, they can share their differing energies with each other, eventually overcoming their contrast due to unexpectedly similar circumstances
Leaders of EJ
These people are ‘leaders’ for a reason. But this reason is not attributed to labelling. What makes a leader in EJ is to have that extended heart to notice, to feel, to care for those who need it. They hold an influence because people want to be like them, and they are trusted to use that for the better. They are a steady force, unshaken by unforeseen circumstances, the voice people turn towards even in a crowd.
Strengths:
These people seem to be able to function with their attention spread across a multitude of aspects of EJ life. The fact that they can juggle so much and retain that excitement for life everyday is precisely because everything they are involved in interferes constructively. Looking out for their classmates energises them, serving as a motivation for them to crawl through a proposal submission for their VIA projects. Studying hard makes it easier for them to help their struggling peers, and the satisfaction of guiding them to mastery fuels their passion to study more, generating a positive feedback loop. We should all strive to learn their ways, not in coercing ourselves to care for others, but to find something we are passionate about, have the heart to be concerned about, which ties into our daily lives and gives our lives a purpose.
Weaknesses:
Leaders hold high expectations for both themselves and the people around them, and tend to be disappointed by the latter group because they themselves always put in 100%, while others might lack the endurance and capacity to do so. They hate being labeled “hard to work with” because they know too well they’re the ones who put the most work in. Their earned competence, natural way of taking the lead tends to intimidate their group mates, leading to a further spiral in which others sit back with bare minimum, expecting them to uphold the weight of their own expectations.
“Always the poet, never the poem”, runs true in this case, as the carefully crafted plans are rarely for their own enjoyment. They manage the ugly side of never ending logistics, of tight timelines but never-forgotten deadlines, and still stand as the face the crowd faces, with an unwavering yet knowing smile. Knowing the work they’ve put in for everything to come together like this, knowing that the general school population didn’t and would never see this half of it.
Thus having worked their way up to respect through neatly crafted proposals without reaping the consumer benefit, they might lack out of the box thinking and flexibility. The sense of true weightlessness is rare in natural leaders, as they are always seeking the next thing to shoulder, the next step to fixing the problem, the latest solutions, so much so they neglect their own happiness in their pursuit of feeding a larger purpose.
But as leaders, some by nature, all nurtured, they find fulfilment in the moment the student body claps in dull unison, when their classmates exclaim that they saw them on stage emceeing earlier.
Most compatible (tiktokers):
Being in charge of so many projects and interests has definitely led them to manifest superpowers in communicating with others, thriving in social situations. With tiktokers, both personalities love acting as a bridge between different people, bringing everyone together for a common experience that everyone will enjoy (even if that experience does entail horribly dancing for Instagram). These personalities will not hesitate to state their opinions, even if they aren’t the kindest words. When paired together, any 5-minute conversation turns into a yap session, with their degree in infodumping.
Least compatible (Detached):
Leader and the Detached, a real life version of “unstoppable force vs. immovable object”. With the leader taking charge and influencing others under their charge, they tend to be more assertive and push progress, and may feel frustrated when the detached appears to be rather resistive or unwilling to engage. The leader may feel a lack of support from the detached, while the latter may describe the leader’s assertiveness as pressure instead of guidance. This creates a vicious cycle, where the more the leader pushes, the more the detached withdraws. With logical resolution, both parties need to step out of their comfort zones and better understand the other party’s perspective. Exchange of ideas can help to resolve this “paradox”.
The detached
We all have that one mysterious classmate who seems to have an entirely separate life outside of school that nobody knows about. It takes weeks to figure out what their subject combination is: and eventually realise they are just missing lectures, or seated away from the class’ allocation. Some look upon them with quiet admiration, those who know that it takes strength to be seen alone in a school of almost 1.5 thousand students. And there are others who practically overlook their existence, those who are swallowed in big groups. The detached seem to just come and go, and barely interact with anyone at school at all… who knows what’s going on in their minds?
Strengths:
These people tend to have the best time management and the most fulfilling lifestyle because of the fact that they live a double life. If you need some stimulation or a work-buddy, tap into these people! Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zones and learn the ways of the detached– exploration, experimentation, and exploitation. Tag along their next adventure and you’ll always wonder if they have 48 hours every day!
Weaknesses:
They lack stability— but perhaps the thrill in instability is what they seek. However, it is probably universal to seek a sense of belonging, especially in a high pressure school environment. The detached, unlike most of the school population, falls in the grey area where they are neither attached to a small group of tight knit friends, nor in the biggest crowd. They simply exist, showing up at the lunch table every now and then, having the abundance of choice: “Which friend group should I join today?”
But maybe they too will miss what they never had…an unspoken first love at 18: falling head over heels for school life just as it draws to an end. The hustling for lifts, lecture shenanigans, inside jokes and finding your people, truly experiencing what adults call the “formative years”, all of which traded to be bigger than student life itself, to hold the honour and quiet amazement of sustaining a double life. Then the 1am realisation hits that they haven’t really opened a private chat window with any of their classmates, despite occasionally popping in as comedic relief in the class group chat, a chronic late-replier in smaller group chats, who do they really turn to when they want to be heard?
The detached hold heaviness in wondering if anyone ever misses their presence, despite a stronger pull, greater pursuits — a consumer of time, sometimes external sports, performing arts, or mysteriously unheard of, demanding them to be absent.
Most compatible (tiktoker):
Their chill, aloof personality serves as the perfect complement to the outgoing and bubbly tiktokers, as they say, opposites do attract! With tiktokers, the detached can be more open to school life and brought out of their shells, always unearthing new sides to them that we’ve never seen before. Whereas for tiktokers, with the help of the detached, they can sometimes serve as the voice of reason and consideration for them, being the voice of the more reserved and offering suggestions that can benefit everyone involved. These two sides of the same coin help to balance each other out and make up for any qualities that the other might lack.
Least compatible (Athlete/Leader) :
The detached often retreat into their own places— places with sociable personalities, the Leader or Athlete, would not linger in. Their value for personal space and time creates a stark contrast against more expressive personalities like the athlete or the leader. They express their thoughts through many indirect means, and they have clear intentions behind their actions – but this is not always what others perceive. Thus, assertion and energy causes the detached’s withdrawal even further, though not out of resistance. The withdrawal is seen as an act of retreating to a comfort area at a controlled pace to the detached, but others constantly misinterpret it as lack of interest. However, with stronger communication, boundaries can be set without the need of self-withdrawal, and a sense of connection can be fostered.
Are you someone who’s seen someone either roping people in to film the trendiest tiktoks, or whipping out their phones for BeReals? If you have, they’re probably this school’s tiktokers. These social butterflies will not hesitate to ask strangers to dance with them, and an expert on which face filters look the best on you. Don’t hesitate to join in! As they say, the more, the better!
Strengths:
Stating the obvious, they have the biggest social circles, have heard the most tales, and are opinionated animated story tellers. They are fun to be around and a good reminder of the importance of occasional lightheartedness in school life, efficient in gathering a big group of people when needed, not simply building connection between them and others but also within their schoolmates.
In addition to their soft skills, these people have quite a buff arsenal of hard skills, particularly those in statistics. They know how to analyze and adopt trends to exploit the algorithm, even if they do not realise they do. To an extent, having thousands of followers of TikTok says more than having a qualification in communications.
Lastly, these individuals and groups have a hawk’s eye view of what is happening around school. They have an organised portfolio and profile of most Eunoians stored in their biological CPU. Their brain capacity is something to marvel at indeed.
Weaknesses:
Always in the loop, never having to learn and execute a trend on the spot comes with its downsides. With approaching deadlines and accumulated stress, the 3-hour scroll sessions hit harder than ever before, reducing the world to just repetitive audios, muscle memory scrolls. The next day comes and nothing's new, brimming with suggestions and teaching hand gestures, always the brightest voice in the room, always the friend group’s video editor. References thrown left and right, and they’ve learnt to laugh a little extra louder with the developed awareness not everyone is as chronically online as they are.
They wonder what they’ll be without it, but never voice it, because there is no “yellow text btw” in speech. If they let themselves just be. To refuse the growing need to stay on top of every trend, fabricating interaction to build shared memories, would make room for more meaningful, deeper conversations?
Most compatible (Athlete):
These high energy and trendy individuals would pair the best with our athletes, matching each other’s vibe by being active and social (online and offline). They’re always willing to put in their 100% into whatever they think is fun, always being the loudest to cheer for each other’s achievements. For tiktokers, they would never stutter or hesitate in cheering for NSG games, while for athletes, they’ll never say no to being taught the hottest dance tiktok currently has by yours truly. Together, fun, laughter, and hijinks are sure to ensue.
Least compatible (Detached):
Contrasting to the detached, expression and engagement defines most of the tiktoker’s interactions with other personalities. When met with the detached, attempts to share, connect, or gain feedback may be met with minimal reaction, leading them to feel unappreciated or ignored. What is seen as communication by tiktokers may instead be seen as unnecessary exposure by the detached. The need for constant interaction can be draining for the other party. This can be resolved with the tiktoker learning to take a few steps back, and understand the feelings of the other party when seeking external validation. They can also learn to have more balanced interactions and respect personal boundaries when met with low feedback.
In Conclusion,
We hope that this article has given you much insight into the behaviours of people your type. We know some of us may be more specific than others, and it is not uncommon that you might fit into none of these personalities. It is great to understand other personalities, especially those of your best friends, so that you can understand their perspectives better. It is always fun to step into a fresh pair of shoes and see where the ride takes you!
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