My birthday is today, October 23rd, and I’m not thrilled. Most people are bursting at the seams with excitement for me, so can’t I? It’s a simple thing for me: selfishness. It’s the one day of the year that I can celebrate me, myself, and I. It’s really too much for me, and I feel like I don’t deserve it.

I’m the first day of Scorpio, and “being the emo kids that they are, they would probably invite their friends or partner over for watching a horror movie together” (medium.com). This seems like something I would do: chilling with friends and keeping it low-key. Still, even that feels like too much for me. Having a hangout on my birthday means people bringing gifts, no matter how many times I tell them to not give me anything. It really picks at me, that selfish feeling rushing through my blood overwhelming me.

Mrs. Peter, however, loves her birthday. “It’s just exciting to get presents and to get recognized,” she said. Her birthday just passed in September, and she made sure everyone knew. It wasn’t selfish to her though, she knows that she’s important and people should care about her one day a year. “I realized how much control I have of getting everybody else excited for my birthday, so being a teacher, you can get everyone excited.”

Virgos tend to get hyped around their birthdays. Even though their traits lead to humbleness, Mrs. Peter says she knows tons of Virgos who love to celebrate. “Think of it this way: I made it another year,” she said. In her eyes, why shouldn’t you party hard for surviving as long as you have?

I’m still not convinced. Mrs. Peter recognizes her importance and worth and knows she deserves a concentrated bit of appreciation. I know I have worth (everyone does), but I don’t feel the need for even a single gift. Friends just being there for me every other day of the year is enough. Call me hypocrite, but I know I’ll be freaking out way too much whenever anyone else’s birthday rolls around.