Dear Students: Handling Pressure from Peers

There will be pressure from every angle to stay updated and not lose out during this pandemic as students. Majority of these will even come from your peers. I understand perfectly what it must feel like.

 

You probably have seen several updated certificates and skills acquisition accrued by your peers even virtually. Then, you begin to wonder how to explain your own supposed inactions.

 

You want to fault yourself for battling with the basic needs of life when your peers are bagging certificates and other awards. Someone would even ask, do those people have two heads? While you think of the answer, let me proceed.

 

Perhaps you should! Talk some sense to yourself for being backward when your peers are upgrading themselves. Blame yourself for not being able to afford data and participate in the virtual Learning.

 

Scold yourself for not having opportunities as your peers would have. Compare your life with what you see on social media. How did it go? Has your scolding or comparison done you any good? Has it changed the status quo? I thought as much. Lol

 

Don’t get me wrong! I’m not saying you should not stay updated this period. All I’m trying to say is, don’t get too anxious about what you cannot do so much that you ignore the little ones you can do.

 

You’ve got text books with you, even if you don’t have, borrow. You’ve got siblings and, or niblings around you. Ocasionally, you have access to Internet. Let those ocasional times you have access to Internet be for research of the things you couldn’t get explanations to.

 

If you’re not fortunate to be able to access the skills that can give certificate, how about you do planning? Those dreams you’ve always had, how about you start a draft of what it would eventually look like? This is not the time to stop dreaming because you’re locked down.

 

Self pity will not get you anywhere. Don’t place yourself on the same pace with your peers when it comes to achievements. What is important is that you don’t stay idle. Do your bits, grow within your ability. Of course, don’t limit yourself, but don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself as well.

 

No one is a judge of your time. You own your time and you’re responsible for how you use it. Would you rather use it judiciously one step at at time? Or get worked up over the time you couldn’t catch up? This phase too will end, but will your dream also end? Or will it be a great time to execute if not already executed? Think about it!

 

It is not about who gets the crown first, it’s about who maintains it well after wearing it. Don’t sweat over what you don’t have control over. But you can be spurred over how you maximise your time with the resources in your immediate environment.

 

Till I check up on you again, please stay safe and stay alive. Living in itself is a major task people fail at. If you’re fortunate to still be alive, then you’re doing well. Be grateful for the gift of life and stop agitating over what could be better.