Entitlement at school

By: Anonymous

Diversity is highly valued here at UWC. People here come from different parts of the world and have different cultural backgrounds and perspectives. Yet that which binds us together may also prove to be our downfall.

To be entitled means to believe yourself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. This could not be a more accurate descriptor of students at our school. From high schoolers complaining about not getting the internship they wanted to junior schoolers throwing a fit because their normal handball court was taken, the sentiment of “I deserve” seems to be the general trend.

This sense of entitlement entirely stems from the competitive nature of our school. It is an amazing school that provides us with amazing opportunities, but this also means we carry the burden of high expectations.

Now, I do believe healthy competition is something to be acknowledged and embraced. It can be a great motivator, and learning to cope positively with it an invaluable life skill. The problem arises when we try to repress this competitiveness. After all, we are students, many of whom want the same thing: to get into a good university. To do that, we need the good grades, the SAT scores, the internships, the teacher recommendations, the 42 predictive, and so much more. No matter how supportive teachers or counsellors are, the burden of high expectations prevents us from tolerating anything less than perfection from ourselves.

This is valid, to an extent. If we are given amazing opportunities to thrive, we ought to make full use of them. But we should understand that this will only translate into high performance and ‘doing well’ if we put in the effort. I have seen cases where students who did not study for a test grew upset because they wanted a 7 and could not understand why their teacher would not give them the benefit of the doubt. In cases like these, we need to learn to deal with rejection in a manner that doesn't involve resenting those who succeed. We can deny it all we like, but it’s true: here at UWCSEA, you are resented for your successes and mocked for your failures.

Now, don't get me wrong: my intention here is not to separate myself from other students. There have been many instances where I found myself thinking I ‘deserved’ something - a good grade, a spot in a UN night dance, a better role in a school production. The idea of someone else being picked over you can be frustrating. And while there is nothing wrong with thinking you deserve things if you have worked hard for them, the problem arises when we fail to recognize that other people may simply have worked harder or your efforts were not enough.

At the end of the day, we may well deserve the 7 and the internship. But it is about time we recognize the need to work for it, as well as to celebrate our and others' successes. Until then, our reputation of entitlement will forever precede us.