The fall from a 98 to 85 is the kick off to the deadliest villain arc in an overachievers academic streak.

Persuading a genius that an achievement of a peer isn’t a catastrophic earthquake to their personal academic profile is similar to convincing someone that the gunshot wound on their chest won’t kill them – your blandishment will be in vain.

Academic jealousy is a parasite. Alas, is your relationship essential for survival or commensalist?

 A student attempts to convince themselves that they certainly do not envy a peer for their achievement, they are simply taking ‘inspiration’ for their own journey – part of the reason why it is such a fascinating phenomenon — it disguises itself as a popular notion. While the notion could certainly hold to be true, it only remains as such for a limited window.

A vast number of students fall victim to academic jealousy. For some, it was a part of them before they even realised : parental pressure, classroom comparison, and low self esteem, serving as both causes and consequences. These students unwillingly are poised as the test subjects of this system. 

On the contrary, others fall into the spiral later on in their academic journey, oftentimes delusionally describing it as ‘inspiration’ until it becomes increasingly apparent that it has evolved into a disease slowly chipping away at their insides.

The former group is propelled into the system when they may have never wished to be. Their cause and purpose generates a place of insecurity, whether that be a consequence of their own thinking or the infiltrating thoughts of others. For them, it’s quite the opposite of self-discovery, as they never had the liberty of consciously determining whether peer comparison would prove beneficial. It was a fight for blood from the beginning, and they knew no other way to be ambitious.

For the latter, it initially tends to ignite a path of self-discovery. A student dives headfirst into a pool of overachievers and adopts new methods, shortcuts and strategies to improve themselves. They vigilantly analyse their peers, pick upon habits that seem rewarding and attempt to curate their own perfect plan for success, sparing them from personal trial and error —  why bother when they can learn from others’ failures instead?. The reward initially reaped from these strategies of nitpicking is bewitching since academic jealousy advertises itself like a promising investment ; The student marvels at the higher numbers, better letters, and envisions a bright future, adjacent with the toppers they wished to be, completely sold that this path is the one for them. The high blinds them from the rut lying ahead.

Ironically, the ‘patient zeros’ are the subjects of the new enthusiasts’ analysis. They are incognizant that their test subjects are operating on a different wavelength, and that their fire for success burns viciously. After all, they cannot escape something that is engraved into their very living.

The dichotomy of the consequences of academic jealousy is fascinating. It can be a first glimpse into an entire new realm of possibilities, achievement, and reward, and it honestly does fulfill these desires in the short run. 

Unfortunately, irrespective of how and why one adopted this disease, it will lead to a path of self-destruction and burnout. At face value, it may improve your status and performance ;  In the grand scheme of things, it will fail to fill in for your worth, and merely harbour greed, fatigue, and instability. 

Regardless of whether you went down the path to prove your worth to yourself or others, the high is short-lived, the fire will scorch your heels, and the damage done will be all but impossible to reverse as you are in too deep.

 The subconscious or conscious enabling of this behaviour, resulting in buildup of envy will bring cataclysmic repercussions to your life : plummeting self-esteem , a disconnect from  peers,  insolent conduct and blatant disregard for others, and unhealthy learning schemes etched into your memory. Change at this point becomes uncomfortable and difficult, hence perpetuating a cycle.

An overachiever built on this pattern of thought will burn out, as nothing will satisfy their hunger for greatness. This burnout may cost them the reward and satisfaction they were chasing in the first place, leading to further peer comparison and desperate feats to chase a livid fantasy. 

There will come a time when you are hunched over a tower of assignments and projects, haunted by 30 different deadlines, and on the verge of going clinically insane ; maybe, just maybe then, your inner monologue will demand : “how did I end up here?”

Academic Jealousy is not compatible for a mutualist relationship, it is the lover who’s unwilling to change for you, yet you foolishly convince yourself you can change them. It morphs into your very own inner demon that guides you to further ruin. Hell, it could be the 8th deadliest sin. Sooner or later, your dynamic will evolve into an obligate one where it’s essential for survival, in its honest parasitic nature. It will become the air you breathe, bringing the only form of ‘success’ you’ve been privileged to taste. It is upon you to decide whether the benefit reaped is worth the morality and sanity sacrificed.