Let’s Admit it! Academic success is overvalued

Success cannot be measured in wealth, fame or power but by whether you made a positive difference for others.

As a twenty-year-old student, I have always measured by my grades and order according to others. Until the end of high school, there was no problem with this idea, but there is a big difference as a college student. At this point, I realized that there is no end to this academic competition and also most important realization was there is no product of this competition. Yes, of course, we are having a graduation certificate in the end but so what?? All these thoughts and my step into the research field made me think more. And actually, I wanted to make others be aware of this fact too.

In modern days everything is artificial including success. Its new definition changed its purpose more than it should. In my opinion, being successful is closely related to producing, exploring, and contributing to lives. But look around!! People are now identifying their success with their diplomas. Accomplishments are not the priority. All people must first have some diplomas then they can have a chance to research something but what is the point of research if we will know this much? I think it shouldn't be all the time further investigation on topics that you know. It can be basically a topic of interest without knowledge.

All these problems are not noticeable until looking out from afar with a wider perspective because the academic field has the power of making people obsessed with competition blindly. But in history, most of the scientists that we inspired and exemplified are not even college graduates. But today it is an endless process even after college with Ph.D., post-doctoral training vs. It goes like this until no certain time.

I know that we cannot compare today and the past concerning the change in conditions. Today even the university that you graduated from is a criteria for the recognition of your scientific research. But what I am trying to say is don’t spend your most productive years just only with academic degrees. Because until the point of being recognizable by the academic field you can lose your curiosity and energy. Instead, be prepared until that time with your ideas. The scientific field is complex but the reality is sometimes so simple. One of the inspirations for me to write was a youtube video that I accidentally have a chance to watch. In the video, they simply want to have a house with a swimming pool and they are simply building it. It is that simple. No need to prove anything, no need to have recognition, no need to have permission. As a popular saying tells: JUST DO IT!!

This is the video for those who want to watch:

Thank You for reading my writing.