It is hard to believe I am already almost halfway done with my junior year. When they say that college flies by, they really aren’t kidding. I’m at the point in my college career that I have to start thinking about what is next, which is a scary thought. For me, that comes with a lot of comparison.
“Why don’t I know exactly what I want to do?”
“Am I behind in life?”
Now I know a lot of these thoughts are irrational because the vast majority of people don’t know what they want to do until much later in life, but when I hear my friends who have a set plan, I can’t help but thinking these things.
My plan for next semester is to do a full-time internship. The internship search has been very stressful because of how hard it is to find exactly what I am looking for. I see some people who are easily making connections and getting an internship, but for me, it seems like none of the internships I apply for are going to pan out. Now, this is a situation where I know I can’t fall into the comparison game because of how different everyone’s situation is. Some people have more connections to their desired industry, and some don’t.
The threat of comparison is everywhere. With social media being such a big part of everyday life, comparison is worse than ever. Seeing someone post that they had the most fun weekend, when you stayed in, or that they had this eventful summer, when you stayed home and worked can make you question yourself. I know I have to remind myself that I need to just do what’s best for me, and not what I think looks best for others.
With social media, is also the comparison of our bodies and appearance. Seeing influencers, and even just people we may know that we follow, can cause us to think that our bodies or appearance aren’t good enough. So many people choose influencers to model themselves after when they often present unrealistic body standards that are unattainable. This can cause so many issues such as self-esteem issues, eating disorders, and other mental health issues.
The struggle of comparison is something that is always going to be present, no matter the situation. It is just the way that someone responds to it. I know for me, I struggle with this a lot, but I often have to remind myself that everyone else is probably doing the same thing, which means I am not alone in the comparison game.