Chapter 1: A Colorful Calendar Experience

Calendars take on a unique vibrancy when viewed through the lens of synesthesia. As a child, I eagerly anticipated sixth grade, especially because my teacher, Mrs. Pollack, assigned monthly calendar projects that blended mathematics with art. Each month allowed me to craft a calendar adorned with colors and drawings that reflected the essence of that time.

While many students themed their calendars around holidays like Christmas or Valentine's Day, I had another layer to consider. The colors of the months and days needed to resonate perfectly; otherwise, it felt incomplete.

This leads me to the days I cherish the most—Wednesdays and Saturdays. For me, Wednesdays shine in a bright, sunny yellow, more luminous than any other day. Saturdays, on the other hand, are a refreshing green that invigorates me, urging me to embrace the outdoors.

If this seems peculiar, I understand. What I'm describing is a form of synesthesia—an intriguing condition affecting nearly 4% of the population, where sensory perceptions intertwine, leading to unique experiences of vision, sound, emotions, and taste. In this case, time becomes a canvas painted with colors, as many synesthetes associate specific hues with days and months. According to Sean Day’s research on the 73 varieties of synesthesia, approximately 22% of synesthetes experience this phenomenon.

Here's how I visualize the days of the week:

Wednesdays and Saturdays truly stand out as the brightest days in my week. As for the months, March is always a vibrant green for me, while September invokes a deep blue. Each month feels enveloped in a colored aura, which can be pink, orange, or blue, depending on the time of year.

Chapter 2: Understanding Synesthesia

What does it mean when I say Wednesday is yellow? Many people may not be familiar with synesthesia, even those who experience it daily. For numerous synesthetes, the realization that their perception is unique often comes only after being introduced to the term.

I discovered my own form of synesthesia, known as grapheme-color synesthesia, around twenty years ago. This condition allows me to perceive letters and numbers as inherently colored. For instance, I see the letter A as red, N as bright green, and the number four as a vivid magenta. Likewise, I assumed everyone perceived June as bright blue and Mondays as fiery orange-red.

The Journey of Discovery

In 2006, I was fortunate to encounter David Eagleman’s Synesthesia Battery Test, which was available online until late 2020. This quiz helped individuals determine their types of synesthesia. Until I took the test, I had no inkling that my colored perceptions of days and months were anything out of the ordinary. The results revealed that I possessed multiple forms of synesthesia.

The test prompted me to identify colors linked to various days, letters, numbers, and months, then visualized my answers along with a score reflecting consistency and response time. Here’s an example of my results from the Weekday Color Picker Test:

Is Wednesday a color for you?

Now that the Synesthesia Battery Test is no longer accessible, determining your type of synesthesia is slightly more challenging but still feasible.

I recommend beginning with some straightforward questions:

• Days of the week: What color represents Monday? What about Saturday?
• Months of the year: How do you perceive October? What about March?
• Letters of the alphabet: What color embodies B? A? E?
• Numbers: How do you visualize 1? 5?

Document your responses; this is crucial. If you can't instantly recall them, it might indicate you don't have synesthesia.

Set your answers aside for a few days without revisiting them. Then, answer the questions again and compare your results. If you're truly synesthetic, your associations should be automatic and consistent, without conscious effort.

For instance, while I may not favor purple, I can't help but see J as purple. Likewise, the colors assigned to days and months exist independently of my preferences.

Reflect and Share Your Colors

If you find clarity in your answers, consider sharing them in the comments. Each synesthete has a unique experience, and I would love to see the diverse perceptions we hold.

So, dear readers, what color defines your Wednesday?