We all want more in life. We all want the best cars, houses, clothing, and jobs. Some of us value these items so much that it’s hard to imagine life without them.
Certain items are status symbols, and they’re usually reserved for the mega-rich. For example, many celebrities wear luxury brands as if they’re everyday items and show off their fast cars like they’re affordable. But to us, these items already seem to be prestigious.
However, prestige isn’t just about clothing and lifestyle choices. The concept of prestige is present in our everyday lives.
If you applied to college, you likely chose a few schools for their prestige. Sure, you also applied to safety schools, but the schools that excited you the most about college life may have been the prestigious schools with low admission rates.
That attitude likely carried over to when you began applying to jobs. You may have applied to whatever you could find but only truly wanted to work for the most well-known, reputable companies.
But should you base important life decisions on prestige?
When I was younger, I prioritized status in decision-making. I received a few university acceptances, but I chose to attend the most prestigious school. Unfortunately, though, my dream of attending a high-status university was too good to be true.
In my first year of university, I faced trauma and mental health challenges, which ultimately affected my academic performance. I found it difficult to concentrate on my studies, but despite my school’s prestige, I couldn’t find a strong support network there. The environment became too toxic for me to handle, so I felt that I had no chance to thrive at that school.
As I began looking for internships, I realized that the prestigious positions at in-demand companies often have the worst work-life balance. Some of these companies exploit their interns or force them to juggle multiple roles and navigate company politics in order to perform well. Even in the positions that seemingly pay well, prestigious companies demand too much of their interns and refuse to compensate them fairly for their work.
But what happens when you decide to give up prestige?
After transferring to a less prestigious university, I watched my mental health improve. I joined extracurricular activities and found a sense of community. I felt that people were more welcoming and understanding, which helped my grades improve.
I now know that “prestigious” doesn’t always mean “better.”
Prestige is more so about the outer appearance: It is more so about the positive connotation of the certain word. However, it isn’t deeper than the surface. Underneath the surface, there are perhaps tons of dark secrets which do not carry the weight of the name. So, is it worth going through all of the hardships just for the name? Because after all, an image is just only an image.
Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash
