Sometime during my first year at Gannon, one of my friends sent me a link to the Myers Briggs Personality Test, which is meant to be an indicator of personality types. So I took it, and it turns out my friend and I are both INFPs: Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Perception.

This week in Interpersonal Communication, we took a test measuring how happy we were, and consequently discovered it was not the most accurate test. So, I decided to take the personality quiz again and take a closer look at the results.

Once again, it said I was an INFP. Then, I decided to look at the descriptions of the personality type. It said I was 67% introverted, 90% intuitive, 89% feeling, and 67% prospecting. This does not surprise me, as I know that I am a very intuitive and feeling person. Under strengths it said: idealistic, seeks value and harmony, open minded and flexible, seeks value and harmony, passionate and energetic, very hard-working. 

When I met with my supervisor during my placement last spring at Villa Elementary, she said that I always seek value and harmony with the students and that is something I should never let go. She also noted at how open-minded I was in terms of dealing with the students. I always attempted to meet their individual needs and do whatever was possible so everyone could learn how they learn best.  For the most part, I was pretty successful at it, but I also spent a little too much time on this.

Looking over the other strengths, I realized that they affect who I am as a teacher and theater artist as well. I tend to be a very idealistic person, and whenever I plan, I imagine the best case scenario.

I also like to think that I am hard working. During my last placement, I kept doing my unit plan over and over again so I could perfect it. This also shows when I am at the theater. Shawn Clerkin noted that I am usually one of the first actors to be off-book in most shows I am in. My biggest display of perfectionism, though, was when I worked on the sound design for “Pygmalion.” It was during the sound design process that  I spent my spare time in the audio production studio to refine the sound effects for the show.

But I also have many weaknesses, and the quiz results pointed some of them out.

The first weakness on the list was “too idealistic.” I’m the guy who always daydreams about every upcoming event going as perfectly as possible. I have a tendency to daydream plan about an idealistic future. A lot of this happens with what I plan to do as a teacher.

It also mentions being too altruistic. Being altruistic is a good thing, but there is such as thing as too much of a good thing. It also mentions being “impractical,” and that INFPs often forget to eat and drink and do everyday tasks because they are so involved with the ideas in their heads. I don’t forget to eat and drink, although I can’t say I don’t forget to do other things from time to time.

Another weakness read “dislikes dealing with data.” I got an “A” in Calculus. Does this mean I am going into a math or science field? Not at all. This is why I chose theater and teaching. (I don’t think I’ll mind teaching math or science which is a very fortunate thing.)

As I continued to scroll down the page, a certain weakness took my eye: “Takes things too personally.” This is me.  I sometimes avoid getting acting/directing/design feedback because I will take the most negative feedback too personally. This is can be a problem.

According to the test, I am also difficult to get to know. However, I have made an effort to be more talkative to the students when I teach. I think this means the students I teach may be the only ones who have an easy time getting to know me.

Yep…typical INFP.