I recently retook a personality test known as the Myers Brigg, or 16 Personalities test, which I first took during my senior year in high school. I have taken it about at least ten times since then and 90% of the time I have always been classified as an INFP. INFPs are described as "introverted, intuitive, feeling, and prospective." Interestingly some famous examples are John Lennon, Audrey Hepburn, C.S. Lewis, Tim Burton, William Shakespeare, and Virginia Woolf. While we are perceived as "quiet or unassuming, Mediators (INFPs) have vibrant, passionate inner lives," which I am not sure if that is an accurate description of me. While I am skeptical about personality quizzes, horoscopes, or anything of the like, I am also simultaneously intrigued by them. I found myself in a deep rabbit hole during quarantine, scouring the internet for more answers to my doubts and fascinations. What kind of fashion sense do INFPs have and do I fit into that mold? What about their job prospects? Am I on the right career path? What about their music sense? Eerily, the Youtube algorithm almost knowingly recommended me videos of playlists with songs catered for INFPs and I have been more than fascinated since then.

https://www.16personalities.com/infp-personality

I almost always have earphones on listening to music. I generally have a wide taste in music and will listen to anything from pop, r&b, rock, ballads, and classical. Over the summer, I rediscovered The Beatles and have been listening to them a lot. I also like Maroon 5, Cavetown, Charlie Puth, Frank Ocean, and Alicia Keys. I would say that it is harder catching me not listening to anything when I am commuting, studying, cleaning, exercising, and whenever. I find that it balances my mood and keeps my thoughts regulated. It acts as white noise and keeps me centered, separating myself from the outside world. It is a good distraction, especially when I feel stressed or overwhelmed with life as a whole. The INFP playlists on Youtube were perfect for that. Songs across several playlists all had calm, mellow, and melancholic notes in common. When I initially listen to a song, I look for its melody first. I do not look for a distinguished tune, but rather one that resonates or strikes a chord within me emotionally. It is a different feeling when you are able to replay a song over and over again because it is catchy versus when it is familiar and nostalgic to you. INFPs are very idealistic and generally emotional attune to everything in life. They say that certain sounds can conjure different memories. Different melodies evoke distinct emotions, stirring the heart in various ways. So, when I revisit a song after a while, I tend to feel the same emotions I felt when I first heard the song.

While a song's melody appeals to me first, lyrics also speak to me. I often have difficulty in articulating my words in a way that will effectively express my thoughts and feelings. So, when I am at a loss for words, song lyrics effectively fill in that gap. During moments when I am not even sure how to feel or what to think, song lyrics help me to process everything that is spiralling inside of my head and produce something more coherent and comprehensive. Sometimes when I talk to my friends, but I cannot find the right words, I will just recommend them some of my favorite songs at the moment. It is almost like an implicit way of me conveying my mental state within that moment. Instead of putting my friends at ease with a "Hey, I am feeling fine at the moment," I can just introduce to her a song that lifts my spirits, which I probably have been playing on repeat for the past week or so.

In a way, music has become its own language in my life. I see music as an effective and universal communication tool. Whenever I am in the car listening to the radio or inside of a store shopping, even if I do not understand the words or content, I can still get the gist of it emotionally. While music has not had a momentous effect on my life, it has definitely encouraged and supported me during some stressful and turbulent seasons in my life. Whenever I feel like the world is moving too fast, I can just put on my earphones, turn on some music, and drown out the sounds of the outside world.

By Yooree Park

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