As a student, there are dreams galore and ambitions unlimited. There is a desire to be successful and famous. Consequently, there is a strong perception in the student community that an academically competitive atmosphere is the catalyst for this ultimate achievement. There are extreme opinions on this school of thought. However, as a student, I tend to more than agree with it.
Academics provide a relevant and useful foundation to the students for the pursuit of learning activities. They orient the student’s mindset rationally. The student gets a better understanding of the world around him/her and tries to apply this logic in the conceptual comprehension of other events as well. Academics hold the key to inculcating virtues of responsibility and integrity. Both these factors become significant decisive forces in shaping a student’s future. A sense of competition in the academic atmosphere triggers growth by way of better performance and results.
An academically competitive atmosphere creates space for critical inquiry and debate. In their endeavor to shine and outshine, students widen their horizons to ideate and deliver better. This is a very favorable trend to encourage social interaction and development. In their effort to compete and do well, the students communicate with their peers to have a broader view on every issue. The students constantly try to excel, which makes them realize the value of hard work and perseverance.
The competitive environment fosters a sense of keen involvement in all the tasks a student undertakes. It creates benchmarks that help in upgrading the quality standards of the education system, its perpetrators as well as its recipients. This further stimulates a consistent ambiance of momentum and action. There is no room for inertia that puts them in the requisite mode in the era of cutthroat competition and corporate warfare.
An academically competitive atmosphere is very vibrant and motivating for the students. The desire to excel and pursue higher learning activities spurs an amazing sense of high self-esteem and confidence among them. Competition is a factor in education. On a global scale, national education systems intending to bring out the best in the next generation encourage competition among students by scholarships. The scholarship system is a very significant method to enable students from different strata of society to pursue their academic means and achieve success.
An atmosphere of academic competitiveness is also conducive to the development of new skills and abilities. There is a continuous motivation to diversify and improve. As a small example, when a student is rewarded for pursuing academics with jest and fervor, there are others who develop the drive to get more serious about their studies and career. This commitment incites the stimulus for continuous work on various frontiers and develops intellectual ability.
Despite these merits, an academically competitive atmosphere should be evaluated periodically so that real benefits do not get lost. There should be efforts for both preventive and corrective actions in case it starts becoming cumbersome and complicated in its effects on students. However, one major highlight of a competitive environment is that it breeds excellence. The feeling of competition often converts even the so-called mediocre into a go-getter. The best part is that go-getters carry this streak forward as they shape their careers and lives.
In the words of the American athlete Lou Brock, ‘Competition is what keeps me playing the psychological warfare of matching skill against skill and wit against wit.’
References
Competition – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Web.