Founded on the basis of tradition and competition, the original Forty Acres opened its doors in 1883. Ten years later, the school faced off in one of the most distinguished rivalries of college football: the UT vs A&M game.
“I would encourage students to … not think about competition as this thing that is a divisive dynamic,” said Matt Bowers, director of the sport management program within the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education and an associate professor of instruction.
Recently, the Longhorns delivered their strongest performance of the season against their rival, OU. By utilizing the pressure of the competition, the unranked team was able to push themselves to beat the No. 6 ranked team. Students can draw inspiration from Texas’ football playbook and utilize competition to further push themselves.
In some instances, compeition can burn students out due to fear of comparison. But when done correctly, it can propel them to higher levels of cognitive development and career success. Competition increases strategy rather than the amount of effort that students would need to put into a task. It increases cognitive abilities, and therefore, students are able to be more efficient in the way they approach different tasks.
“(If) there can only be one path to ultimate success — one victor — that can have a more corrosive effect in a learning environment,” Bowers said. “It can be healthy and fun and can enhance performance, as long as we are managing it in such a way where it’s a more kind of positive-sum type of competitive environment versus a zero-sum type of competitive environment.”
When students have multiple pathways to success that do not make them feel limited, they are more likely to continue to be motivated and avoid burnout. Competition can feel challenging, but it can serve as motivation when success feels achievable and is not individualized to one student.
A crucial aspect of most occupations is being able to collaborate with others in a team environment. Similarly to how UT football needs to be able to work together and coordinate their plays in order to get a first-down in a game, students need to be able to work with other people in order to get a first-down in their academic and career goals.
“If I know other people are relying on me, … they’re not only holding me accountable to just do the work, but it’s also that I want everyone in the team to do well,” said Laura Choate, lead peer academic coach and outreach and communication specialist for the Sanger Learning Center. “When you feel successful as a group of people, that’s even more, you know, exciting and gives you more pride than if it’s by yourself.”
If students stick to a single-minded outlook, it can limit their opportunities for growth. By working with other people and being placed in circumstances where you are competing with your peers, you can achieve a higher level of success. Being challenged is a necessity in order to truly grow in your academic journey.
Fostering competitive conditions in an academic setting can push students to higher levels of intellectual development. Students can thrive when they are constantly put into environments where they are pushed to compete and work together to be successful in their classes.
Healy is a journalism junior from San Antonio, Texas.