Last Wednesday, I sat down in the cafeteria after a lengthy math class, eager to grab lunch and decompress with friends. A group of kids were hunched over a phone, scrolling through a senior student’s classes on Saturn who had just been admitted into a top 10 school.
Phrases like, “they’re only in three APs,” “They must have had really good extracurriculars,” and “I don’t get how they got in but my friend didn’t” clashed in my ears. I, too, have been a part of these same “discussions.” I don’t know, maybe it’s human nature, but I do wonder if we can be better.
In recent weeks, many of the seniors that applied to dream schools on an ED and EA basis had to confront long anticipated news- the good, the bad and the disappointing– and so the talk surrounding college admissions decisions, of course, reared its ugly head. These conversations are nothing short of intense, competitive, and certainly not very healthy for any of us.
Nobody truly knows exactly what drives admissions decisions today and, let’s be honest, none of us in the senior class are unbiased or objective in our analysis of the decisions. Making subjective and hurtful assumptions about the competitiveness of a person’s profile only adds to the stress surrounding senior year.
It feels as though there’s hardly any room left for us to simply be happy for one another, with the constant temptation to check the Saturn app and form conspiracy theories about other students’ success.
There’s no grand solution to solve this issue. It’s inevitable for Westport to remain a very intense community surrounding academics, sports and future plans. However, there may be a small step we can take to change this toxic dynamic.
The next time you hear about a classmate’s college acceptance, and the feeling of envy inches up your spine, build a new habit. Instead of racing off to speculate about their Saturn, head over to the person, give them a huge hug and fist bump, and see what it feels like to share their monumental happiness.
If we start redirecting our energy around college decisions towards uplifting one another and offering support, we will form a more accepting and supportive environment surrounding this pressure-filled time. The next time you learn of a college acceptance, my self-imposed request is that we choose to go out of our way to celebrate with them—we’ll make their day, and that positive energy will come back to you.
