What it means to be a worthy student

Boiling point: Jaclyn cautions that students may be pushed to lose their sense of purpose and curiosity in chasing future success.

MANY of us in the student fraternity would be familiar with the constant pressure to not only do our best, but also be the best in whichever field we choose to pursue.

While dreaming big is commendable, it comes with a frequently unacknowledged bane: the endless competition and fear of falling behind.

Who scored better results? Who got into the top schools? Who is involved in more clubs or volunteering programmes? Who has more certificates?

It all cumulatively insinuates: Who is more worthy?

We all joke that the “Asian experience” means you’re a worthy child or student only if you become a doctor, lawyer or engineer.

Join all the clubs, piano or violin classes, and the list goes on.

Anything less than an A? Utter disappointment.

Sadly, this manifests into students being boxed into the belief that self-worth and purpose hinge on academic achievement and future prospects.

Repetitive messaging from family, teachers, school and even society as a whole conditions us into believing that getting into a good school or course, or holding a good job is the ultimate determinant of success in life. Newsflash: It’s not.

Whispers of “He could’ve done better”, “What a waste” and “He made the wrong choice” are like omnipresent windstorms on a path for a future that you should get to decide for yourself.

This also reflects the common underlying belief that only the best students get into good schools or hold good jobs in the future: fight to get ahead or remain inferior.

Jokes may be all fun and games, but have we really considered the effects of such beliefs when ingrained in young students?

First, let’s be real. We have an obsession with the supposed status value of examinations and grades.

Many Asians prioritise values of hard work and discipline, and their supposed reflection in examination results.

However, this conditions students into believing that the grade on the report card or a class ranking is the most important thing in their student lives.

And we have seen many times what this belief does to vulnerable, overpressured students.

In addition, there is the notion that the more “difficult” something is, the more it is supposedly worth.

In school, pure science is the “ideal” stream, relegating arts-inclined or non-academic students as inferior.

Examination-based courses like A-Levels and the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) are widely regarded as elite, while diploma or foundation courses are deemed “easy” and looked down upon.

In university, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses are perceived as more difficult compared to other courses and enjoy higher recognition and status.

Just how does one define “difficult”?

Furthermore, does difficulty really prove “smartness”, or is it just feeding into a preconceived ego-based prejudice?

Even beyond academics, students experience pressure in extracurricular ventures all the way into university.

The belief is that a standout track record is guarantee of a scholarship, acceptance into an elite university, or a good job and subsequently, success in life.

There exists a fear of mediocrity, a fear of being just another candidate in the crowd.

We as students are driven by this fear of missing out and lagging behind our peers if we don’t stay competitive enough.

It reaches a point where students are pushed to lose their sense of purpose and curiosity because the need to chase future success takes centre stage.

Extracurriculars become less about self-exploration, and more about joining prestigious clubs, holding leadership positions, gaining recognition and winning competitions.

When participation in any kind of activity is more often motivated by “This will look good on my curriculum vitae and put me ahead” rather than “I can gain knowledge and an enjoyable experience from this”, we have forgotten the true value of learning.

Succumbing to a competitive culture only builds the impostor syndrome, while the pressure to prove self-worth through extrinsic achievements becomes an endless, draining pursuit of a halo-lighted illusion.

While thinking ahead and striving for success is still important, we must not sacrifice our present for our future.

Jaclyn, 20, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. Throughout the year-long programme, participants aged between 14 and 22 from all across the country experience life as journalists, contributing ideas, conducting interviews, and completing writing assignments. They get to earn bylines, attend workshops, and extend their social networks. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats.

1. Get three friends to do this activity with you. As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words. What does being successful in life look like to you? Individually, look in The Star newspaper for a photograph of a person you deem successful. Cut it out and paste it in your Star-NiE scrapbook. Then, create a word cloud filled with adjectives that you can use to describe the person. Two of these words must be sourced from The Star. When you are done, show your work in a Zoom meeting with your friends. What do you think of each other’s choices? Have a discussion on what success means to each of you, and what qualities you need to have in order to attain it.

2. In Jaclyn’s article, she used the phrase “fight to get ahead or remain inferior”. Now, take a look at the photographs that all four of you have chosen for the activity above. Which of these people do you think would be most likely to use the phrase as their motto? Do you think it is a good motto to live by? Why or why not? Discuss among yourselves. Next, think of a motto you would use to motivate yourself as a student. When you are done, share it with your friends.

Since 1997, The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme – with the Education Ministry’s endorsement – has supported English language teaching in primary and secondary schools nationwide. Through Star-NiE’s teacher and student workshops, annual contests and monthly English language resources for classroom use, participants of the programme have reportedly shown marked interest in the language and progress in their proficiency. Starting this month, Star-NiE will continue its role of promoting the use of English language through a weekly activity page in StarEdu. These activities are suitable for use individually and in groups, at home and in the classroom, across varied proficiency levels. Parents and teachers are encouraged to work on the activities with their children and students. In addition, Star-NiE’s BRATs Young Journalist Programme will continue to be a platform for participants to hone and showcase their English language skills, as well as develop their journalistic interests and instincts. Recruitment for the BRATs 2022 programme will start in November. Follow our updates at facebook.com/niebrats. For Star-NiE enquiries, email [e-mail].