Nerd.
Geek.
Teacher’s Pet.
Tryhard.
I’m not sure that each of these words are still used (I haven’t heard geek in forever, I just realized). The only word that I have heard for sure is tryhard. And that’s what I and many others have been called for trying hard (see?) in school.
For some unknown reason, some students disapprove of other students being successful or trying in a class/activity. Honestly, I’m not offended by petty insults such as ‘tryhard’ (not really an insult), but there is one thing that I don’t understand.
Why would someone put another person down for being successful?
It’s mind boggling.
It was a cardio day, and my class was required to run 13 laps around the track before the period was over. The majority of the class decided to walk the track instead of run. Not power walk, but casual, not even giving a rat’s rump about it, which is fine if they don’t want one of the easiest grades a person could get that day.
A few other students and I decided that it was an easy A and wanted to get it over with, so we decided that we would jog. Plus I have been using P.E. as a launching point for improving my overall physical health (I’m not exactly the healthiest person in school).
Of course, some of the people who were walking were calling us “tryhards”, which isn’t offensive at all to me, and some were clearly joking around.
But then there were a few kids who were intentionally walking in our paths/bumping into us. Repeatedly. One guy even made fun of the way I was jogging, because apparently I jog funny.
I understand that P.E. isn’t really the best example of being put down for success.
Honestly, the situation was so stupid that I didn’t pay much mind to it, but this kind of situation could be applied to any kind of classroom.
Is a person really good at chemistry? Well, that person is a nerd. Is a person a math whiz? Well, that person is a geek. Is a person a history buff? Let’s cut him or her down with words and shoves.
Why? High school is meant to teach people and train the students for life after school. Why can’t a person be successful? What is wrong with that?
Here’s what’s wrong with that: nothing.
Just because students want to do well in school doesn’t mean that they should be put down for it. Just because classmates are trying to improve their physical fitness or trying to pass a difficult course doesn’t suddenly allow people to make fun of them or physically push them around.
People can say that they’re “just joking around” or that “they mean nothing by it,” but what they don’t realize is that words are powerful.
As a matter of fact, words are so powerful that they can cause others to lash out in anger. Words can even push a person to suicide. It’s a perfect example of how powerful the spoken word could actually be.
Words are one thing, but actually getting physical with someone who tries in school? What is this, a testosterone-fueled rodeo? Does being smart or wanting to succeed suddenly not apart school anymore?
It sounds like a stereotype from some ‘70s sitcom about jocks vs. geeks or something of the like, and I’d figure that high schoolers in the 21st century are above that.
But maybe I’m giving high schoolers too much credit. People have always judged others over the smallest things. People have always mocked others to feel a sense of power. And people will always put those like me down for trying to succeed.
It will, unfortunately, continue.
By: Alex Ostrowski