Kicking the Comparison Bug
By: Cara Steves
May 5, 2024
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Comparison, especially in college, seems unavoidable. It seems like there are infinite ways to compete with others – for friends, grades, or attention (from esteemed professors or frat boys). When you add internships, jobs, or other professional opportunities to the mix, it has the power to bring out a competitive beast in all of us, forcing us to compare our own accomplishments to those of others.
There’s no feeling quite as anxiety-inducing as watching your classmates post about their shiny summer internship months in advance, feeling like you must be doing something wrong to be so behind the curve. There’s a reason they say comparison is the thief of joy. Luckily, you can kick the comparison bug by implementing a healthy dose of self-love into your daily routine.
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Doing the Work
In the process of job hunting, self-care is one of the most proactive steps you can take to aiding the comparison bug. Self-care is often characterized in the media by doing a face mask or taking a hot bubble bath and expecting all of life’s problems to dissipate. However, there’s a little more to self-care than people may think. In reality, self-care entails taking a realistic approach and putting concerted effort to bettering oneself.
This may include setting difficult boundaries with yourself, like taking mandated breaks from LinkedIn, or allotting a certain amount of time for job applications each day. Or, it could include becoming cognizant of negative thought or self-talk patterns and holding yourself accountable for participating in these harmful behaviors. There are many ways to improve mindfulness of these behaviors, like journaling, keeping thought logs, or just slowing down.
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What Happened to Hobbies?
Another way to stop comparison in its tracks is finding what makes you not just a unique candidate, but a unique person. It is important to have interests and hobbies outside of the classroom. It not only builds personal character, but also serves as a stress reliever that can help pull you out of the stressful rut of job searching.
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You shouldn’t feel confined to cultivating both a professional identity and a personal identity. Your hobbies and interests should serve as fuel to your professional endeavors. Being well-rounded outside of academics and career will only benefit you, professionally and personally.
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It Takes a Village
Often, students feel they have to suffer alone and navigate the uncharted waters of job applications and internships alone. An important aspect of halting comparison is seeking guidance from trusted sources. Especially in college, there are a plethora of resources to utilize to ensure you are on the right track in your search. Talking to career or academic advisors, parents, friends, mentors, or professors can help provide alternate perspectives that can help snap you out of your spiral. You might learn something new about yourself, and at the very least you’ll feel a little lighter.
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Start Small
Finally, setting goals and designing an individual timeline is the best way to ensure you are following your own journey and not succumbing to pressure from others. You’ll want to start with creating smaller, actionable goals to keep you on track, like revising your LinkedIn profile or reaching out to a set amount of contacts each day. You will believe you are making progress if you are checking an item off of a list.
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At the end of the day, a summer internship or a job does not signify your self-worth. It is equally important to focus on being a well-rounded person who is able to take the proper steps to care for yourself and grow instead of kicking yourself every time a new LinkedIn notification pops up. Everyone is on their own unique path when it comes to the world of professional development. Go create your own!
