Academia is competitive. But you don’t have to be. As a more introverted person, I initially found it difficult to navigate through a competitive environment in which getting good grades was a popular goal and comparing yourself to others was a norm. Here are some of my thoughts on how to make your way through competitive programs. Note that I won’t be talking about anything along the lines of how to boost your CV or how to get good reference letters, as there are things that are more essential and more important than those.
Help other people! In a competitive environment, it’s easy for people to be overwhelmed or get so immersed in their own work that they forget about the people around them. Alternatively, some people may think that if they help other people, they will lose their advantage. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, which means that we all have the ability to help people and we all would need help from others at some point in time. Helping people does not mean setting yourself back. For example, explaining a concept to a peer can further your own understanding. That being said, don’t overstep boundaries when trying to help others. For example, letting other people plagiarize your work or helping others cheat on an exam will get you in trouble academically. Unfortunately, sometimes people make up compelling excuses and it can be hard to say no, but it’s far more important to maintain your academic integrity. Letting others copy your work isn’t really helping them either. However, you don’t have to completely turn those people away. Instead of sending your entire lab report to them as they may have requested, you can offer to go over the lab with them and clarify any concepts they didn’t understand.
Be kind to people, and people will be kind to you back. Even if you think that there’s “nothing to be gained” immediately, don’t ignore others when they ask you for help because kindness can go a long way. Don’t try to put people down because your success does not have to depend on the failure of others. You don’t have to win all the time, and there are always more opportunities down the road.
Don’t be bogged down by setbacks – be flexible. Setbacks are only temporary, and there are many different paths you can take to get to the same place. Use your setbacks as opportunities for you to learn about where you need to improve or what you truly want. Academia is a marathon and not a sprint. Expect setbacks but have faith in yourself that you can overcome them all.
Don’t let your marks define you. Sometimes you might get a few low grades even though you’ve tried your hardest. I have definitely had that happen to me as well. My biology mark was actually my lowest one in first year, but here I’m pursuing my passion in biological research and medicine. Though GPA is important for your career (especially at the start), it doesn’t necessarily define what you should pursue or give up. Studying something because you are passionate about it rather than studying purely for grades might actually make the process more enjoyable.
Don’t let people tell you how things are going to be. It seems a bit hypocritical that I’m sharing with you all this advice and at the same time tell you to not listen to people. What I’m trying to say is that you should go into things (whether it’s a course, a program, etc.) with a fresh mind free of judgement, and see things for yourself. For example, just because some of your peers may fear organic chemistry or tell you how difficult it is, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to be difficult for you.
Mistreatment is NOT okay. Unfortunately, undergraduates are on the lower end of the power differential, which makes them the most prone to mistreatment. Mistreatment can be obvious, such as physical assault. It can also be subtle, such as assigning you an inappropriate amount of work, demanding you to do work outside of work hours or do unsafe work, taking your work for their own credit, or giving you sarcastic feedback. If you are a hardworking person, you might be so used to saying yes to everything that you don’t realize when someone is taking advantage of you. Even though you are at the lower end of the hierarchy, it is important to practice personal boundaries from early on. Sometimes there can be a cost to walking away from the person who takes advantage of you – it might be a paper, a job, etc., and these circumstances can be extremely complex and difficult to deal with. In any case, please prioritize your own safety and wellness! This is a topic that is under addressed, especially in undergrad, but it’s super important!! If there’s one thing you will take away from this article, let this be it.
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