Do you score EQ?
They say intelligence is important, but what about your Emotional Quotient (or EQ)? This little number is big news, so take our quiz to find out if you’ve got it – or could do with more of it.
1. You get into a huge fight with a friend. He/she says some really mean stuff to you. How do you deal?
a) You storm off and slam the door behind you.
b) You wind up in a full-blown screaming match!
c) You tell them how their comments are making you feel.
2. The school’s gossip clique has spread some nasties about you around town. None of the stuff is true, of course. How do you deal with the self-defaming?
a) You spread a few rumours yourself… sneaky, sneaky.
b) You are ready to go Kill Bill on them!
c) You confront the clique and stand your ground, telling them the gossip had better stop.
3. Your boss tears you to pieces in a meeting. How blind! Your reaction is to:
a) Tell them after the meeting that they were wrong. How can they embarrass you like that in front of everyone?
b) Burst out into tears OR fight back at them.
c) Take it and promise you’ll do better.
4. Your crush can see you’re in a foul mood. When they ask you what’s up, you:
a) Act all moody, telling them it’s nothing.
b) Tell them what’s bugging you.
c) Battle to explain or express your feelings.
5. Your friend’s habits are bugging you to death! What do you do about it?
a) Give them a taste of their own medicine, with a few annoying habits of your own.
b) Scream at them. That’ll make them snap out of it.
c) Find a way to tell them what’s bugging you in a totally chill way.
6. Confession time. In the past, you have been told you:
a) Have the tendency to get wrapped up in your emotions.
b) Can be a bit of a drama queen or king.2
c) Are great under pressure.1
7. What do you think about criticism?
a) It doesn’t get to you – it’s nothing big, only one person’s opinion.
b) If it’s from someone you care about, it can hurt for a while.
c) It sucks and makes you feel miff for days.
8. Someone just won’t listen to your views! You:
a) Block your ears and sing, “LALALALALA, I can’t hear you!”
b) Wait for them to finish talking and then calmly tell them your opinion.
c) Raise your voice to be heard.
Your score:
1. a2 b3 c1
2. a2 b3 c1
3. a2 b3 c1
4. a2 b1 c3
5. a2 b3 c1
6. a3 b2 c1
7. a1 b2 c3
8. a2 b1 c3
Results:
8-11
You’ve got the smarts
You know how to deal with pressure-filled situations and try not to let your feelings get in the way and mess up situations. This is great coz it means you keep a cool head and figure things out in a calm, rational way. You know yourself well and are in tune with your feelings, which is a very good skill to have in life. Just make sure you don’t keep your feelings locked up too much – find ways to release them every now and then, like by talking about them with a friend or turning them into something artistic.
12-15
And the drama king/queen award goes to…
I know it’s not always easy to bottle up those crazy emotions – sometimes they just pop up outta nowhere! This does have the downside of making you deal with things in a childish way. For instance, if someone’s not listening to you and you block your ears, or if you resort to being such a drama queen or king that you’d be great in Hollywood. Try gain some perspective on the situation – it’s all part of being more mature. Besides, losing it isn’t gonna help matters much!
16-24
Focus on you
Criticism is part of life and knowing how to deal with it means you don’t let it screw up with your plans. I know it’s not always easy but be true to yourself and refuse to let others determine what you’re all about. So take a moment to figure yourself out and get more in tune with who you are. This is an important part of life - it’ll keep you on track and help you work through those minefield situations without them becoming huge dramas!