Cusp Signs

By: Lio Salazar, Contributor

Have you ever heard someone refer to themselves as a “cusp sign”? If this is your first time hearing the term, then you’re either not as interested in astrology as I am or you’re born in the middle of a zodiac season. The term ‘cusp’ refers to the period when the sun is in transition between zodiac signs. Aquarius season ends on Feb. 18 (a small “Aweeee” was heard from Bex Nagel), and we’ll be entering Pisces pretty soon (Hannah Wiley is whoop-whooping somewhere). Both energies of Aquarius and Pisces could be considered similar, but both signs have traits that make them their own.

But what does being a cusp sign have to do with Aquarius and Pisces? Being a cusp sign isn’t only limited to those two signs; there are cusp periods for every pair of zodiacs — Aquarius/Pisces, Pisces/Aries, Aries/Taurus, Taurus/Gemini, Gemini/Cancer, Cancer/Leo, Leo/Virgo, Virgo/Libra, Libra/Scorpio, Scorpio/Sagittarius, Sagittarius/Capricorn and Capricorn/Aquarius. I’m hesitant to call those cusp ‘seasons,’ mainly because it’s still debated whether it’s even possible to be a cusp individual. Many people, especially online, view it as “pick me” behavior to say that you’re not one zodiac or another but rather that you have the energy of both. These people will then “cite” how the degree the sun at the time of your birth is indicative of your zodiac, which isn’t entirely false. 

Personally, I think cusps are completely possible, but not to the degree that people think they can be — I don’t think you can be an exact 50-50 of two signs. I think it’s more like seeing the world through the camera of X and putting a Y filter on the lens. I think people are pretty much one sign for their sun, but they can have different variations of cusp energy from the other sign. There’s always going to be one that you are predominantly but never without a little bit of spice from the other.

Now, we are on the cusp of Pisces season, and the lovable water sign is the last of the zodiac wheel. Constantly creating and imagining, Pisces are known to be emotionally aware of everything around them, everywhere around them, all at once (that’s my pop culture reference for the week). This sign is stereotyped as closing themselves off from the world and constantly crying, but trust and believe that in their head, Pisces are dancing around in fields and avoiding the horrors of the world around them (horrors include but are not limited to ABEC 217, BIO 112, DMA 215 or MAT 150).  

Pisces is symbolized by two fish swimming in a circle, and this is meant to represent when Zeus turned Aphrodite and Eros into fish to escape the giant Typhon. Pisces being in tune with their emotions also allows them to be aware of how other people are feeling and what they can do to help them.