Me v. Me: Comparing Chapters

As a Career Peer, I spend a lot of my time talking to students about their goals, their doubts, and their endless search for direction in a world that feels like it’s speeding by. A piece of advice I end up repeating a little too often is: “Don’t compare your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 20.” And at a place like UNC, where cutthroat ambition is basically in the air we breathe, this is easier said than done.

We’re surrounded by impressive students who seem to have it all: killer portfolios, dream internships, and job offers at top companies. I’d be lying if I said it isn’t hard to look around and not feel a pang of comparison. Being “great” often doesn’t feel like it’s good enough. At a school where excellence feels like the baseline, it’s easy to feel like what we’re doing isn’t enough, like no matter how much effort we put in, we’ll still be behind.

But here’s the thing—when we stop looking at everyone else and take a closer look at ourselves, we realize that in reality, we’re all in the same boat. We’re all trying to land that next internship, all trying to find our way into the right job. And, believe it or not, those Chapter 20 people—the ones who seem like they’re doing it all and seem totally invincible—they’re asking themselves the same questions we are: “Is it enough?”

What I’ve learned is that instead of letting comparison cloud progress, we have to keep our focus on our own journey. As long as you know where you’re headed and stay determined to get there, things will fall into place. I remind myself every day that my path may look different, maybe even slower or more winding, but it’s exactly where I’m meant to be. Every step forward counts, and in time, that’s more than enough!

Sincerely, a senior who’s finally done looking out the window and is grateful to be looking in the mirror.