We, as humans, are always taught that being at the top hierarchy is the best. Being at the top of the food chain, being the strongest and most suited for survival, being number one of your class in schooling, and even being at the top of a cheerleader’s pyramid means that you are the best. We grow up in a world that strives for excellence, which is favorable in certain situations, until that all goes to our heads. People go to great lengths to get to the top, which may lead to criminal behavior or mental instability.

I remember seeing this throughout my life growing up. In elementary and middle school there were special classes for students that were mentally gifted. They would have to take a test that exemplifies their mental strengths, and then if they passed, they would be placed in these advanced classes. These students were completely isolated from us (apparently) average kids. Teachers and parents told these students their whole lives that they were the best and smarter than all of the rest of the kids, so they began to believe it. They treated the regular kids poorly, and told them that they were dumb. This really bothered me because I knew I was just as intelligent as these students, but I didn’t want to have to take a test to prove that; I enjoyed being on the same level as everyone else.

This was a problem even entering high school; everyone was concerned about being the first spot in our class rankings, which is thought to mean that you are the smartest. A certain group of students spent the entirety of senior year taking as many AP classes as they could, and studying into late hours of the night trying to make the best grades as possible because they wanted to get into the best colleges. Not coincidentally were these the students that were in the advanced classes when they were younger.

I did not escape the pecking order once in college as I hoped. I met many people who chose majors just because they thought they were supposed to choose one that represented their intelligence level, or one that paid well. Many college students pick majors because they think they are supposed to study that, not because they are passionate about it. Since grades determine obtaining a degree or not, students use prescription drugs to help them stay awake to finish papers or study for finals. Being the best in their studies isn’t the only thing that college students are concerned with though. In Greek life and other social groups, being the best sorority or fraternity is a priority, and they will go near and far to maintain their status.

People spend too much time trying to be the best at everything instead of being content with just being average sometimes. They forget what truly matters, which is happiness. It doesn’t matter if your career choice doesn’t pay well, if your sorority doesn’t win Derby Days every year, or you aren’t the star athlete on your sports team, as long as you are doing what you love then that’s all that matters. Being the best isn’t always the… best. Stress over being in the top tier isn’t worth it; no one is going to remember your exquisite GPA when you graduate.