By Courtney Prais ‘19
Opinion Editor
Typically, I was the type of student in high school to start an assignment weeks in advance: as soon as the instructions were in my hands, I was ready to begin drafting and planning my response. Now a senior in college, I dread the moment an assignment is placed in my hands. I dread the anticipation of impending deadlines, knowing that although by the end of a long, busy day I would much rather go to sleep at a reasonable time or curl up with a book I am not forced to read as dictated by the English department, I will have to carve out time to tackle a daunting task deeply connected to the overall well-being of my academic career.
Sure, this sounds a bit whiny. I have a bit of homework—so what? Yet, when the pressure of perfectionism sets in and suddenly just “a bit of homework” turns into a competition between myself and, well, myself, that is when I feel most defeated, anxious, and depressed over starting and completing my schoolwork.
In January, the American Psychological Association reported that today’s college students indicate higher levels of perfectionism than earlier generations. Researchers collected data from more than 40,000 American, Canadian, and British college students. They measured three types of perfectionism: creating a self-inflicted irrational desire to be perfect, perceiving excessive expectations from others, and placing unrealistic standards on others. Recently, the Chicago Tribune revisited the research in light of some colleges, like Northwestern University, addressing the topic through formal campus events. In a society caught up with the glitz and glamour of fame, fortune, and the ever-present pursuit for success, the need for conversations regarding these standards and college kids seems relevant now more than ever.
Speaking from personal experience with the ailment, perfectionism is consuming and exhausting. It often causes me to push aside assignments as the pressure and anxiety increases. This procrastination is usually coupled with a fear of failure; I already have my standards set so high it is almost guaranteed I will fail by my own conventions before I have even attempted the task. The onset of my perfectionism is mostly self-inflicted, but I also have a tendency to compare my work to that of others.
For all that I do, there is always someone—a friend or peer—doing what appears to be 10 times the work… or, it becomes a matter of comparing my progress to the successes of others. My B might look good, but my friend’s A looks great. Instead of merely recognizing my faults and promising to grow from those mistakes, I often spend the next few hours—even days—agonizing over my lack of mastery.
Social media only extends the issue, as people love to publicly post about their big achievements and triumphs. Constant exposure to others’ achievements may overshadow your own progress or cause feelings of inadequacy to surface. On the one hand, the drive to earn money, get an education, and maintain a good job is a positive stressor; yet, when this drive turns to obsession and expectations beyond obtainable means, students need to take a step back and assess the types of goal they are setting for themselves, as well as the causes for any unnecessary pressures in their life.
It might benefit Lake Forest College to borrow from other colleges and provide a platform for this topic to educate students on how to avoid the pitfalls of perfectionism. The College exists as both an extremely reputable, rigorous college, and a school situated within a wealthy, upper-class community. These factors have an impact on us as students, whether we are aware of it or not. Living and operating within this culture is bound to have its effects, some of them not always positive. The more we discuss the pressures faced by students, including those subliminal pressures, and acknowledge the effect they have on students’ mental health, the better equipped students can be for managing the chaos that is college life.
Moving forward, take time to consider the role perfectionism plays in your life and explore the steps you can take to help reduce its influence, including visiting the Health and Wellness Center on campus. Remember, the most you can do is try your best, and if you have done your best, you have done more than enough.
Courtney Prais can be reached at praisc@mx.lakeforest.edu.
