As we enter exam season, many students will look to the stars for guidance. Find your astrological sign below to discover what’s in store for your April, exam season and start of spring.
Aries (March 21 – April 20)
This month, you continue to ride the high that is Aries season — a beautiful time when everyone around you is drawn to your energetic aura. You might find the April atmosphere to be particularly bold, as Neptune — the planet of dreams and unconscious imagination — entered Aries on March 30, and will remain there for the next 14 years. Needless to say, any group projects in the final weeks of classes will likely be oversaturated with “natural-born” leaders. This energy is comfortable for you, but try not to lock horns with peers during this time of heightened impulsivity.
On April 13, there will be a full moon in Libra — your sign’s polar opposite. This would be the worst time to pull an all-nighter, as you’ll quickly find yourself trapped in a foreign state of indecision over where exactly to start. You’re also less likely to get a good night’s rest, so for those with an exam the next day, prepare for a bumpy ride. At least you can blame any poor grade on the stars!
On April 18, Mars enters Leo, making generosity and pride move you. On April 19, there will be an effortless balance between your confident charisma and your competitive nature, making this the prime date for any student of the Sprott School of Business to shine in an ego-boosting oral exam. Finally, on April 21, there will be tension between two conflicting versions of yourself: the stubborn student, and the attention-seeking dramatic. Find a study group to hold yourself accountable but make sure to show up and lock in — even if you want to yap!
Taurus (April 21 – May 20)
Venus, your ruling planet, begins the month in Pisces and also in retrograde, which might result in a heaping dose of academic delusion and overly naive decision-making. Maybe skip the 3 a.m. emotional email to your professor, and don’t title your philosophy take-home exam “Why Socrates was a virgin: A manifesto.” That’s the retrograde telling you your actions have no consequences and the retrograde is (sadly) very wrong.
On April 13, Venus retrograde will end, stationing in Pisces. This should put you in the clear of any detrimental decisions. However, don’t expect the end of your term to look pretty. With Venus in Pisces, you’ll finish writing that observation report, but will probably do so while referring to it as your “lab (b)rat era.”
Luckily, on April 19, the sun leaves its position in Aries and brings you home to Taurus season! This practical and stable energy will be perfect for finals, especially with Uranus, the planet of progress, stationed in your native domain. To top it all off, the last day of the term will be followed immediately by a Taurus new moon. This should bring catharsis to any Taurus, offering a grounded and refreshing outlook on life after the winter term.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
For the Gemini exam season vibe, I’m afraid I have good and bad news: the good news is that you are ruled by Mercury — the planet of learning and expressing information; the bad news is that Mercury begins this month in retrograde. Hopefully you don’t have any crucial schoolwork due the first week of April, because the brain fog will be heavy up until April 7, when Mercury stations direct.
On April 2, your unpredictable mood will strongly influence your intellectual ideals. This could result in you getting surprisingly invested in a five-hour research stint; but it could also mean you overload your brain with unnecessary information. Be cautious when it comes to your restless curiosity.
After April 7, sunnier skies are ahead. On April 16, Mercury enters Aries, making you learn material best by teaching it to others. Then, on April 20, there will be an opportunity for your energetic learning style to mesh with your eccentric obsessions in a way that yields positive results. You may find your ability to absorb information and tune out background noise is heightened. Just be mindful to care for yourself, too. Even geniuses need fresh air, food and the occasional shower.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
You, my dear Cancer, are ruled by the moon, and this month your mood will be heavily influenced by your ideals of expansion. Lean into your optimism.
On April 13, there will be a Full Moon in Libra — which would make this the worst night to interact with others. Literally anyone. Your classmate, your bestie and even your grandpa. This full moon will illuminate imbalances in your relationships, but exam season is not the time to open up those cans of worms. Hold off on addressing your interpersonal qualms until the term is over — lest you suffer the fate of having to write an exam 14 hours post-breakup. Been there, done that, would not recommend.
Based on the placement of the moon at scheduled examination times, I predict the following outcomes for students in these five courses:
- JOUR 2203: expect good breaking news;
- CLCV 2010: you’ll be Achilles sans his goofy heel;
- MUSI 3408: you’ll hit all the right notes;
- AERO 4442: you’re ready for take off;
- FILM 2206B: you’ll be Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times.
Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)
Leo is ruled by the sun, which begins the month positioned in Aries, a fellow fire sign. The energy surrounding you should be somewhat comforting, as it brings out your naturally passionate and bold personality. On April 19, the sun will leave Aries and enter Taurus, and you may harbour a practical outlook toward work methodology as the school term ends. This shift may even increase your stamina for longer periods of library review.
On April 21, two wolves will battle within you — except one is actually a lion. The problem? Well last I checked, dogs and cats notoriously do not get along. One part of you will be itching to take dramatic action, while the other wants nothing more than to nap and order in. These two forces will be deeply in conflict. My advice? Try turning this obstacle into an agility course and let the animals do their thing. Stay in your PJs, quiz yourself from bed and reward every correct answer with a spring roll.
On April 23, with only three days left in the exam season, you’ll battle between reliable discipline and unpredictable rebellion. While greatness is often born out of such eccentric intensity, make sure your “genius” ideas are actually genius — burning a year’s worth of notes might be more of an environmental hazard than a symbol of intellectual rebirth.
Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)
Like Geminis, you are lucky enough to be ruled by Mercury — otherwise referred to as “the mind’s planet.” Mercury is the planet of learning and expressing information. Unfortunately, the fact that you are ruled by Mercury means your academic prowess will be heavily affected by the retrograde at the start of the month. Not only that, but on April 1, Mercury will find itself spinning backward into Pisces — your sign’s polar opposite. Your normally detail-oriented mind might feel worn out, and your ability to structure your thoughts could take a major hit.
I don’t make the transits — I just interpret them — so don’t hold it against me as I deliver more bad news. Mercury isn’t the only planet retrograding in your polarity, as Venus is also spinning backwards through Pisces until April 13. At the start of the month, there will be an oversaturation of sensitivity in the air — a concept you’re not particularly skilled with. You should probably bite your tongue before you say something you’ll regret. No, your contract instructor does not need to hear you say, “you look tired,” no matter how “concerned” you are. Read the room, bestie.
On April 7, Mercury stations direct in Pisces, signalling an end to one retrograde and allowing for a little bit more clarity. If your final assignments require creativity, you’ll benefit greatly from this shift. However, your perfectionist expectations may still be out of reach. Luckily, Mercury won’t be in Pisces for too long, as it will enter Aries on April 16 and remain there for the rest of the month. From this point on, you should feel decisive, ready to act and more confident in your abilities.
Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)
Venus, your ruling planet, begins the month in Pisces and also in retrograde, meaning your usual charm might be running on faulty wiring. You may find yourself overestimating how well you can bullsh*t your way through exams. Before you try to sweet talk your TA into an extension with a message that reads, “I just think deadlines are, like, a social construct,” take a lap because that is the retrograde talking.
The retrograde ends on April 13 as it stations direct in Pisces, staying there through exams. Big tasks will feel easier, but don’t relax just yet. You’ll submit that final essay on time but not without an existential crisis over font choice — Helvetica or Bakerville? Or maybe go wild with Courier New???
On April 6, there will be an effortless balance between your love for diplomacy and the sensitive way you apply such love. Cheering people up will come naturally to you during this time. Just be careful not to overextend yourself — there’s a reason flight attendants tell you to put your own oxygen mask on first. Being everyone’s emotional support system won’t help if you forget to support yourself, too.
Then, on April 13, the Libra Full Moon will amplify your need to administer cosmic equilibrium. However, exam season is not the time to become a one-person Supreme Court. Watch some Judge Judy compilations to satisfy your cravings for justice, then stick your nose in your textbooks.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 22)
Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, the planet of transformation, power and deep psychological insights. With Pluto currently in Aquarius, you may find yourself seeking out unconventional ways to tackle your exams. Perhaps you rewrite all your notes in invisible ink — knowledge is power, and power should be exclusive.
On April 20, there will be an opportunity for your hands-on learning style to collaborate with your detached intensity in a way that yields positive results. Whether it’s research or exams, your ability to separate your emotions from your tasks will serve you well. Just remember: at some point, step away from the highlighters and get some fresh air.
On April 23, with only three days left in exam season, you might feel some tension between your practicality and your belief that shock-and-awe actions are necessary to succeed. Don’t let this conflict distract you! Unless you’re a PAPM or BGINS student, it won’t serve you to spend hours of your precious time searching for controversial jobs on LinkedIn. Galen Weston’s personal assistant? Girl, get a grip.
Sagittarius (Nov. 23 – Dec. 21)
As a fellow Sagittarius myself, I say the following with a heavy heart: this exam season we are screwed. Jupiter, our ruling planet, spends the entirety of April in Gemini, our zodiac polarity. This means that for the month of April, asking great questions will be easy, but answering them? Not so much. Sadly, the education system is designed to test students’ knowledge and doesn’t care much about their level of curiosity. Depressing, I know.
You’re also far more likely to procrastinate on big deadlines, specifically through socializing when you should be studying. Your inclination toward big-picture thinking, combined with this desire to chat incessantly, may turn you into an unbearable human being. When you ask the Page Break barista if oat milk is emblematic of late-stage capitalism, that’s not passionate debate; it’s far above their minimum-wage pay grade, sir.
On April 2, your difficulties reaching the ideal state of knowledge will begin to have a major influence on your general mood. Instead of your normally optimistic and confident self, you may feel confused and overwhelmed, like you’re being pulled in a million directions. As you struggle to connect what you’ve learned, frustration may arise from unrealized expectations of growth. The best thing to do is remind yourself that learning is a process — a never ending one. If you can’t understand something now, that doesn’t mean you never will.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)
With your ruling planet, Saturn, currently in the throes of the dreamy and escapist Pisces, you may find yourself approaching the end of the term with less discipline than you’d prefer. However, on April 4, your lack of rigidity may be able to bring about a more sustainable approach to progress. Whether you want to or not, you will come to realize that you actually can’t run on empty — unless you want to end up like my car broken down in smoke on the Trans Canada highway after I melted a hole in the engine. Find practical ways to integrate self-compassion into your daily routine.
On April 5, there will be a natural flow between the nostalgia you’re experiencing and the intuitive escapism you feel restricted by. During any other time of the year, this combination would be lovely, but as the school term comes to a close, you may find doom-scrolling is cutting into your study time. My advice? Set timers on your phone and reward yourself for every hour of ‘the grind’ with 30 minutes curating your dream European vacation on Pinterest.
On April 25, the planet of love will have a strong influence over the planet of responsibility and fear. Your relationship with your academic work may feel more personal during this transit. You might find yourself questioning whether your courses align with your passions and long-term aspirations. It’s important to evaluate your relationship with school and make sure this isn’t just some expensive fling. Find a flower and pluck its petals while you play the game of “they love me/they love me not” — in this case “they” refers to your communications degree.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 19)
Aquarius is ruled by Uranus (yes, we’re all giggling), which is currently positioned in Taurus. This placement has remained since 2018, meaning you’ve likely become well-adjusted to the bull sign vibes. Still, despite the lack of change from the planet of change, many cosmic transits will influence your end of term.
April 4, for example, will be a big day. You may find yourself with an opportunity that allows your moody ambitiousness to co-operate with a more indulgent and materialistic idea of personal progress. Be on the lookout for a surprising paid internship or a sale on noise-cancelling headphones. More importantly, there will be an opportunity for you to combine your innovative ideas with a grounded practicality. This may feel like the perfect chance to rethink the ways you manage your time. If you’ve been relying on meticulous study routines but find yourself stuck in a cycle of endless rereading, this is your sign to shake things up.
This period might manifest in you developing the “shot glass study method,” or as I like to call it, the ultimate system of operant conditioning. What you put in the shot glass is entirely up to you, and different liquids can be used for different occasions. Maybe you take one shot of juice for every correct answer and one shot of hot sauce for every question you get wrong. It sounds weird now, but you’ll think differently when you’re somehow both hydrated and slightly scarred.
Pisces (Feb. 20 – March 20)
Your ruling planet, Neptune, is one of the slowest planets to move through the astrological signs, second only to Pluto — which is barely a real planet anyway. For the past 14 years, Neptune has been stationed in Pisces, which probably felt awesome. But that has all come to an end, as Neptune entered Aries on March 30, signalling the beginning of a new era influenced by urgency and action!
On April 17, what you’ve studied will shape your daydreams. This might help you connect seemingly unrelated ideas to create unique solutions to problems. Could I use Fick’s Law of Diffusion to improve my coffee extraction speed? Why, yes you can. Worst case? Your sleep paralysis demon takes the form of your German idealism seminar and you spend nights tossing and turning as Hegelian dialectics haunt you. The self is the relation’s relating itself to itself in the relation? Scarier than a Jordan Peele script.
On April 19, there will be an effortless balance between your ambitious imagination and the proud way you assert yourself. This will be the perfect opportunity to express your passions with both clarity and charisma, making it easier to inspire others. Don’t wait for good fortune to fall into your lap — choose to make things happen. You’ve got a fully developed frontal lobe, so pitch that research idea to your professor and manifest an internship.
Featured graphic by Alisha Velji and Alexa MacKie/the Charlatan.
