Woes of Comparison

COLLEGE LIFE, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WILL ALWAYS BE ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL YEARS OF OUR LIVES. THE ESCALATING CHANGES FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE MIGHT BE A BIT OF A SHOCK FOR SOME PEOPLE. THE REALIZATION THAT EVERYTHING IS A CHALLENGE CAN BE THE REASON OF OUR LOW SELF-ESTEEM. THOUGHTS SUCH AS, “AKALA KO MAGALING NA AKO…MARUNONG LANG PALA” CAN BE DEMORALIZING, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO? IT’S THE REALITY. ONE THING THAT IS ALWAYS CONSISTENT: COMPETITION.

Competition is present in school, especially inside the four walls of the classroom, between social groups or  between co-workers silently comparing themselves to one another, trying to find out who is better. According to social comparison theory, we learn about our own attitudes and abilities by comparing ourselves with other people. We usually seek to compare ourselves to people who we think are similar to us. In most social norms, there are some who compare themselves to other people who they think are better than them (e.g. role models). This comparison could be used as a personal motivation to strive more and be inspired to do greater things.

On the other hand, there are people who act in the opposite direction. Some people compare themselves to   people who they think are worse than them; in social psychology this is called the “downward social comparison,,” and one of the reasons why a lot of people are acting this way is mainly to enhance their self-esteem.

Economically speaking, everyone is a social climber. Nobody wants to be in the same position they were in the past; it is our natural instinct to improve ourselves and not be stagnant our whole lives. All of us want to be the protagonist who will have a significant character development. There are times when we are fed up with all the competition or  exhausted by the  standards we  have set for ourselves, resulting to serious emotional breakdowns. In times like these, we should always remember to take a deep breath and give ourselves a pat in the back.

Learning does not stop even after you graduate. It is a life-long process and will end only the day you die. There will be times when we think  we did better than other people. It is indeed all right  to praise ourselves for a job well done,  but at the same time we should stay humble and  not being all over the place. Be lowkey and let people wonder.