You’re sitting in class, chatting with the person sitting beside you before the lecture begins. Conversation turns to weekend adventures, and your seatmate regales you with tales of their hiking escapades, lengthy camping trips, and dangerous ski runs. As they talk, they absentmindedly play with the zipper on their Patagonia vest. Â
When it’s your turn to share, you recall your weekend spent with your friends or assignments, maybe including a leisurely stroll on a local trail or a snowman building session outside your apartment. Which, of course, cannot begin to measure up to your seatmates’ outdoor accomplishments. God forbid you mention that your allergies have kept you inside, or, most blasphemously, that you don’t even go skiing.Â
For the millionth time, something becomes abundantly clear: the outdoors are competitve, and you are losing. Â
Montana State University is located in one of the country’s most beautiful locations, and most of its students are dedicated to enjoying Gallatin Valley’s stunning mountains and sloping plains. I applaud everyone that prioritizes getting outside to enjoy our magnificent home as much as possible, but I often wonder why this love of the outdoors becomes so competitive.Â
An article from Psychology Today suggests that much of this competitiveness is linked to environmental circumstances. Dr. Stephanie A. Sarkis writes, “. . . a high-stakes job or an elite sports team can amplify a person’s competitiveness” (Sarkis, 2024). Although occupation or athletics may not apply to this situation, I think that similarities can be drawn between these demanding, achievement-based environments and an MSU student’s insatiable need to prove the extent of their outdoorsiness. Montana’s often severe and dangerous landscapes create high-stakes conditions, fueling the fire of competition in those who engage with them.Â
Additionally, I’ve noticed that many of MSU’s most daring students see this fearlessness as a central part of their identity. Even when they’re not racing down a mountain or backpacking to extreme heights, adventurous students tend to bring their daring qualities into casual conversation. Their brave identity paired with the intense nature of the area can culminate into a chronic competitiveness, an attempt to recreate the vigor of outdoor adrenaline in conversation.Â
I have found that the product of being on the losing end of this rivalry is embarrassment. When people feel that they cannot keep up with their peers, they are likely to stop putting effort into these contentious pastimes. I have met students that have given up skiing due to their comparatively underdeveloped skills, decline to describe themselves as “outdoorsy”, and otherwise retreat from Montana’s beautiful landscapes. So that we can all enjoy the valley, I suggest that we simply relinquish our judgement and participate in outdoorsy activities on our own accord.Â
The Psychology of Competitiveness. (2024). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/202408/the-psychology-of-competitiveness?msockid=095867ca33c46b463334731e32e96ab1Â
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