Do you feel depressed? Suicidal? Lonely? Angry? Compulsive? Do you take time in finishing your work, even if it was technically finished hours ago? Do you punish yourself for not getting a 15 out of 15 in every Required Discussion Board(RDB)? Do you care about what other people think about your work? If you said yes to any or all of these, then you might have a serious case of Perfect.
Most of my colleagues wrote about interconnectedness in human beings. Although I find that important, I instead wrote about the Plan II disorder known as perfectionism. It’s a detrimental congenital disease that 99.99% of Plan II students presently have; it is, after all, how we all got in to Plan II to begin with.
Perfectionism: “the persistence of will in obtaining the optimal present and future quality of spiritual, mental, physical, and material being.”[1] Why is it so wrong to be a perfectionist? Why do perfectionists not “realize that they are hurting themselves by their own actions” (161)?
As
aforementioned, perfectionism is a disease that plagues every Plan II
student. It is quite evident in the various ways we presented our Road
Map projects. Is it that bad, though? I don’t think so. Perfectionism
is only deleterious when it takes hold of our lives, much like
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCDs). If it begins to take a hold of your life, then maybe it’s time to seek help (UT offers mental health counseling).
Why is this disease so prevalent in Plan II students? Each Plan II student is gifted with a deep right-brain connection that allows them access to insurmountable creative energy. Because of this energy, we are able to receive worldly education and become masters of liberal arts education. We are able to become doctors, lawyers, researchers, linguists, and professors. We are able to run for governor or become the founders of a multi-billion dollar used car sales company or donate millions of dollars for study abroad programs. We are able to not only regurgitate scientific information but also think on our feet. Perfectionism, along with creativity, pushes us to accomplish monumental tasks and become great people.
How
do we become proper perfectionists? Easy. Think positively. Instead of
negatively reprimanding ourselves each time we make a mistake (i.e.,
hitting one’s head against the wall), simply take note of the mistake
and try not to do it again the next time around. Making mistakes is
okay; to err is human, after all! "Reality: Perfectionists often have problems with procrastination, missed deadlines, and low productivity"
(162). I find this statement false. Although I'm turning this
assignment in a little after the deadline, it's safe to say that most
Plan II students are at the top of their game, thereby qualifying them
not as typical perfectionists, but as Plan II perfectionists. The
article lists 5 coping strategies; but, the aspect that stands out the
most is being "realistic about what you can do" (163). It's called
common sense, something most book-smart kids lack. Set attainable goals
and standards.
Now, the question is: Why bring up perfectionism? The answer to this is unity, the main focus of the RDB. What unites us as Plan II students? Perfectionism. We may come from different backgrounds, diverse races, varying religions, and unusual histories; but one thing we have in common is the strive for perfection. Perfectionism incites competition; competition, camaraderie. This camaraderie links each of us together in one big family called Plan II.
So, make mistakes! We're only human after all.
[1] “Perfectionism.” Wikipedia
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