Blinded in pursuit of a resume

By Cheryl Chiu

When I was a little girl, summers were always something I longingly looked forward to during the year. Summer was a time to relax, jump in the pool and hang out with friends.

As I got older, however, more and more of my friends went off to gifted students programs, private tutoring lessons or prestigious musical conservatories. None of them were interested in sitting with me in the backyard, reading books and discussing such generalities as life and love. I suppose "speculating about the human condition" is not something that can be put on a resume.

And with that word, I believe we come to the heart of adolescent existence, especially in the Silicon Valley. Our resumes and applications are those pieces of paper or Word documents that constantly lurk in the back of our minds, waiting to be filled with ever-more-impressive accomplishments.

They push people to join clubs they would not otherwise have joined, apply for leadership roles they never really wanted and take classes they may not really be interested in. The goal? To secure a spot in the graduate school of one's choice, then the company of one's choice and, ultimately, achieve financial security and buy a nice house and maybe iPods for the kids.

As one of my professors this quarter so aptly put it, "We live in a world of achievement." Our sense of self-worth seems to stem from how much we can fit into our resumes, while ever decreasing the font and margin sizes.

One would think I would have gotten used to this competitive atmosphere by now. I grew up in Silicon Valley, attended one of the best private high schools in the region and now attend a well-known private university. The truth is, I don't think I ever can or ever will get use to it, mostly because I don't want to.

We live in a world that is so fast-paced and quick-turning that nobody feels like they have the time to sit down and take in some well-needed breaths. I've noticed the students here are always rushing around, making multiple obligations, whipping out little Santa Clara planners and hastily jotting down the next assignment or appointment.

But allow me to return to my years of stolen summers. Ever since high school, but especially in college, summertime is no longer time for a vacation, relaxation or soaking up some good old sunshine. It's a time to do something "productive" in order have one more experience to cram into one's resume.

I hear that employers and graduate school admissions officers often favor this sort of superhuman, robot-like behavior, where students work all year 'round juggling schoolwork, jobs, clubs, internships and maybe even a social life now and then. If this is true, I guess I may not be the ideal candidate for employment or graduate school.

I still live most of my days as an average human being--a college kid confused about what she wants to do in life with plenty of flaws and occasional lapses in judgment.

But, if you're one of those people who zip around campus with that look of determination and Red Bull-induced energy, maybe stop once in a while, just for a couple of seconds, to observe the curvature of a rose petal (there are so many roses; it's too convenient) or look at the clouds in the sky and see if you can still see some of the shapes you did when you were young.

It'll help all of us to stay warm and human, to remember that achievements are important. But we also need to feed our souls once in awhile.

Cheryl Chiu is a sophomore psychology major.