One of my most vivid memories as a freshman is sitting in a circle with a bunch of nervous 14-year-olds who didn’t know each other, listening to an Arcadia High School senior give us advice they wished someone had told them. 

She said to us, “These 4 years will pass by SO fast.” And of course, she mentioned which AP classes would be the easiest (and which we should avoid at all costs). I listened to this advice intently, noting that I should never take AP Chemistry, but when it came to the sentimental aspect of her advice, I waved it off. 

Now, in the final weeks of my senior year, I find myself reflecting on a blur of four years. Some moments passed so quickly that I can barely remember them; I even struggle to think exactly who my friends were freshman year, so I certainly don’t remember the type of person I was then. However, I did one thing that provided benchmarks for my personality over time: at the start of every school year, I took the Myers-Briggs 16 Personalities test and recorded my results. So, let’s go back in time through the lens of these personality types and trace my growth. 

Freshman year: INFJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging)

INFJ’s are typically described as thoughtful and idealistic. Going into high school, I was full of conceptions of how it would go. I would do well in all my classes, spend lots of time with my friends, and meet a ton of cool new people. It was going to be scary, but great. However, INFJ’s are also typically described as perfectionists. Freshman year, I put a large amount of pressure on myself to do everything “right.” I worried constantly about how other people perceived me, losing a lot of my hobbies and quirks in the process. I wanted to be just like any other high school student. 

Sophomore year: INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging)

INTJ’s are typically described as strategic and reserved. Compared to freshman year, I became a lot more focused. Sophomore year was when school started to feel more serious. Classes became harder, and suddenly, people were talking about college. I began to think more about my future. INTJ’s are also known for holding themselves and others to high standards, and I definitely did that. While that mindset helped me grow academically, it also made me forget to appreciate spontaneity. I didn’t really know who I was, and I didn’t really bother trying to figure it out either. I tried to stay in my comfort zone. 

Junior to Senior year: ENTJ (Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging) 

ENTJ’s are often described as assertive, confident, and efficient. Out of all my time in high school, junior and senior years were probably when I changed the most. Starting in junior year, I began saying yes to more opportunities. I decided that I wanted to find myself, which meant interacting with new groups and trusting my own instincts. By the time senior year rolled around, this confidence had solidified. On the verge of becoming a legal adult, I became more willing to put myself out there instead of worrying so much about failure or judgment. I adapted the mindset that I’m probably never going to see most of these people again, so why care what they think? Embarrassment started to seem like a silly concept: I told myself I would live my senior year to the fullest and be as happy as I could. This was the point where I became more confident in my own voice and more comfortable with who I was becoming. 

Each personality type reflected a different stage of my growing up. Freshman year was full of idealism and overthinking, sophomore year was all about ambition and pressure, and junior and senior years developed my confidence and connections. So, it turns out that the senior back in the circle was right. High school really does pass by fast, but it’s important to look back on how far you’ve come. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the INFJ version of myself, and I think she would be impressed to see the person I am today.