The Elephant in the Room: Success is a social construct

Sometimes I feel like this column consists of me having an existential crisis for everyone to read about on Thursdays. I kind of shout my tidbits of information into the void and hope that they stick with someone, so here is my weekly shout into the void.

At times when I am sad with all my books spread around me haphazardly, I think about what is actually chaining me to the table that I’ve been stuck at for the past six hours. If I’ve learned anything at all from my hours of sociology classes, it’s that everything, and I mean everything, is a social construct. Why I spent the whole day in a cubicle rather than taking advantage of the sunny day at Tufts University is simply a social construct. I know I am not alone in thinking that life would be easier if I just gave it all up and made ends meet as a ski liftee at a mountain in Colorado or a bartender at a little beach shack in Hawaii. If my goal in life were simply to be happy, I would spend my time drinking tea, petting dogs and listening to music. If I were to be completely happy, I would rid myself of the pressures of exams and responsibilities weighing on me in an instant. However, there exists a certain level of expected fulfillment that comes along with being a member of the select group that attends an elite university.

The concept of success is a big topic to take a definitive stance on in only 540 words. If in a perfect world everyone is happy and successful, why is it that we so often sacrifice our happiness for the achievements that society holds in high regard?

Tufts has set high standards for themselves their whole lives. It’s how we got into this school in the first place, and it’s the reason that we manically search for internships and networking opportunities. The way I see it, that panicky “I’m not doing enough” feeling is not going to stop when we get through our four years here. I don’t expect it to because it happens to be part of who I am, but I am genuinely okay with it. Rationally, I know that if I don’t have a summer internship in the next month or so, it won’t be the downfall of my budding career. I know that as a fact, but I still can’t seem to believe it because when it comes to success, rationality is often pushed to the side.

I won’t be hypocritical and say that I am going to renounce society and drop out of school to drink tea in the name of my own personal happiness. Rather, I can make decisions that help me foster my interests and be more engaged with those around me. Ever the optimist, I find myself increasingly able to do this in addition to keeping my eyes on the horizon with regards to my personal expectations for myself. It becomes a matter of taking that ambition, putting it in perspective and saying to yourself that you are, in fact, doing enough.