As Personal As It Gets

Saturday gone. Not last week’s Saturday – the previous one. Went to the Royal Holloway open day. Listened earnestly to the English talk. Had confidence crushed in one cruel blow.

Competition for places in the course I sorely want to do, at my first choice university, is staggering. A total of 20 slots are available, and anywhere from 200-500 applications are anticipated. I have my work cut out. Especially since my personal statement still needs modifying somewhat.

Do I believe I’m good enough to earn one of those places? At this present moment in time, not by a long shot. I’d liken my chances of success to a resurgence of the British economy within the next couple of hours.

We frequently hear those in positions of respectability raving about the uniqueness of human beings; how great it is that everyone is so very different. Then why is it the case that we all end up wanting to do the same thing? Why are the same courses being applied for, year, after year, after year? Is there a fundamental flaw in the human psyche that we must now copy what every else does in life; we’ve tacked on to the winning formulae? Or are teenagers no longer driven by self-motivation but by heavy coercion from their parents?

I see no real problem in the former (though it drifts into a grey area when it’s all about success with the applicant, with no time for enjoyment). To proclaim truth in the latter publicly is not wrong per se, but to lambast this ideology, when a figure of authority, is a faux pas. Ergo, criticism of such a belief is greatly restrained, meaning everyone wants to go to either Oxford or Cambridge, to study medicine or dentistry. I have no real quarrels with people that conform to the stereotype of a person not in control of their own life path as long as it's precisely what they want to do. I bid those people the best of luck in their endeavours, as they will be the ones that merit admission. Alex turned away from medicine, and towards chemistry, after viewing the treatment of patients by doctors, on a work experience placement. Yasmin said "no" in relation to an application for Oxford, because she had her doubts about it. I commend them both; it takes great courage to do this sort of thing. Pursuance of a place in any similar course at one of those two universities, based solely on the reasoning that “it’s the only way you can get anywhere in life” and because they are too proud (perhaps cowardly) to think otherwise, is sickening.

Worse still, these are the people that try to rope others into coming along with them, and copying them step for step, as they can't cope with the thought of absolute independence. I had a statistics lesson last week in which I heard the following words spoken:

“You got 6 A-stars at GCSE? Why didn’t you apply for Medicine at Oxbridge?”

I kid you not; it made my very blood boil. It’s an explicit revelation of the mind processes of far too many young people nowadays. They don’t stop to think that medicine isn’t for them. They don’t consider any other universities worthy of their acknowledgement. They neglect background research into life in and around Cambridge or Oxford. And they refuse to believe that any social skills are required whatsoever.

I’m not applying for medicine at Oxbridge because 1) medicine isn’t for me, and 2) (wrongly, I assume here) the lifestyles at Cambridge and Oxford will not be to my liking. Furthermore, the exact course I want to do is available to me at Royal Holloway. I’ve seen Royal Holloway, and I love it. No question about it; I can see myself studying at that university. Plus, it’s close to London, so I could travel into the city centre fairly easily if needs be. English and Creative Writing is what I want to do. Evidently, so do a lot of other people (and the whole rant about Oxbridge doctors and dentists could be applied to a number of these too). What annoys me most about the situation is that I could be rejected in favour of someone who may seem like a better candidate, and may be slightly more adroit in his or her abilities, but ultimately does not want to put the effort in that I know I will if I were accepted.

Sitting back, and griping about it, however, is of no use *shuts up, and resumes amending personal statement*.