By: Noelle Friedberg
Opinion Editor
As we start another semester, let us consider the wise words of Theodore Roosevelt: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
If you listen to the conversations of people of all ages, you will most likely hear the comparison of themselves to others. Women your mother’s age tend to wish they had the skin of so-and-so. Your dad could wish he had the car his boss drives. The little girl down the street might wish she was as “popular” as the other girls.
So many of us are constantly comparing ourselves to others; why do we even bother? It’s something that only leaves us feeling dissatisfied. That is why overcoming this habit is something many of us need to master now, while we’re still young.
Social media can make comparing ourselves with others more tempting now than ever. Our news feeds are filled with so many happy couples, beautiful faces and exciting adventures; however, what is often the problem with comparing your life to someone else’s based off of what they post online is this: most people only share their best moments. I witnessed a perfect example of the flaw in this tendency a couple of weeks ago when I heard a dad say, “People I’m friends with on Facebook always tell me I have the happiest son in the world. But they only think that because I don’t post pictures of him when he’s crying.”
It can also be extremely tempting to compare ourselves to our classmates. The guy who sits in front of you got a higher score on the test he didn’t even study for, while you studied for hours and you failed it. Or that girl’s parents pay for her education while you have to work two part-time jobs just to support yourself. But here’s the thing, comparing ourselves to others doesn’t “fix” any of the problems we face or see in our own lives. It only brings us down. Break out of the destructive cycle of constantly comparing by thinking instead of how you can work harder to do better next time, or by developing an attitude of gratitude.
Instead of envying the lives and possessions of others, choose to be satisfied with your own circumstances. It is a much more rewarding way to live, if you ask me. You might be surprised by how much better you feel when you break out of the small but dangerous habit of comparing yourself to others.