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The Battle Between You & Everyone Else

Nowadays, competition is everywhere. Colleges compete to grab as many worthy students as possible and students are thrown into the mix to deem themselves even more worthy of their respective university or college.

More specifically, there is competition in joining student organizations, student leadership positions, and applying for career opportunities like internships. You’re battling thousands of others for a place in the real world to secure reputation, ranking, or financial stability.

An overwhelming weight is pressed onto our shoulders as students to perform better than the rest, which causes us to feel immense pressure and anxiety. This breaking of the mentality disrupts crucial patterns in our lifestyles, such as sleeping habits, spending habits, interactions with friends, and our ability to learn.

As a junior in university, I am constantly pummeled with pressure. My peers tell me I must apply to the largest businesses in the city and have numerous internships on my resume. I must work for these specific companies to gain that six-figure salary. I found myself listening and following in their footsteps only to feel even more stressed and worried about my future. I was doing things I personally did not like to do and had no interest in.

I came to the realization that I was going at a pace unfit for me, and that my goals in life were completely different than the others. So, I asked myself: why am I focusing so much on what everyone else is saying and doing? Everyone has their own life plan. We’re blinded by the lives of others, and we’re so involved in the lives of others that we end up forgetting about ourselves and what truly matters to us. I know the difficulty of doing what you genuinely want without having people judge your actions. Despite this, as long as you put the effort in and work to the best of your ability at your own pace, you will be just as successful as everyone else.

The competitiveness in our society is intimidating and makes us feel as if we have to do things we don’t want to do. Even comparing yourself to the people around you will only make you feel even more pressured and stressed, so focus on yourself and go at your own pace. It’s your future and your success not your peers’ or anyone else’s.