I am sure everyone reading this article has overheard or partaken in conversations such as “Where did you work last summer?”, “Did they offer you full-time? How much did they pay?”, “I worked at so and so and got paid x amount, it was great!” Now I understand on some level that this is just normal small talk, but I also can’t help to think about the other side conversations I hear every now and then. The conversations where people talk about someone getting a job that isn’t as qualified, or that their parents pulled some strings. The people who got a job somewhere, but are not making nearly as much as the other person. These are the conversations that usually irritate me.
On one hand, being at Williams has pushed me in so many ways to work harder and excel in the classroom. Being surrounded by like-minded people is awesome, and it seems every time I leave the campus and talk to non-Williams people, I get reminded of how special Williams people are. The competitiveness in the classroom is what makes Williams… well Williams in my opinion. It forces us to do our best, open our minds, and to push one another intellectually, but in a friendly manner of course.
However, as I am moving up through the Williams ranks, I am noticing some of the toxicity Williams competitiveness brings. The pretending to be happy for someone, and then proceeding to talk behind that person’s back about jobs. The people who continually ask about your job search while they are searching as well. Just to see and make sure that someone else also does not have a job other than them. Until they get a job, and then they no longer keep checking in on your status. Hmm, I wonder why? The list goes on.
At the end of the day, we all have to understand that we go to one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Not to mention a vast majority of the student body excels in extracurricular activities as well. No matter how amazing you think your resume is, just know that our whole school is filled with just as talented, if not more talented, and qualified candidates for any job out there. I know that nowhere and nobody is perfect, but if we could be more positive than negative it’s a step in the right direction. So, next time just be genuinely happy for whoever gets whatever job or gets into this or that grad school/med school, you name it. Control what you can control and worry about yourself.