$ocial $tatu$

Whether we want to admit it or not, all of us want to fit in to some extent. Especially in high school, when our levels of self-consciousness most likely reach their peak, standing out could be a nightmare. So we follow what everybody else is doing. Think about what is trending right now. Lululemon, HydroFlasks, the famously overpriced Urban Outfitters, Polaroid cameras, Uggs, etc., and these are just the basics. If we follow our impulses to keep up with all of these to "fit in," well...Karen's shirt in the picture above explains social status well: Bling Bling.

But who cares about popularity anyways, right? It's just 4 years of feeling a little like an outcast, wishing you had the courage to walk down the halls confidently. These were my thoughts before I knew that popularity has a long-term effect on people. 

It all starts with the obvious: confidence. Having your peers admire and respect you makes you feel worthy, like what you are doing matters. This confidence then builds up enough for these popular kids to take risks, especially because teens are prone to do so. When they get the result that they want, which is more "fame," this further boosts their ego. The cycle continues on.

All the confidence they built from this cycle is exactly the reason why, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, people who were popular in high school earn 2% higher wages than those who were not. In my theory, people who were popular in high school may be able to take more risks. They can more efficiently judge whether they should take the risk or not because they are used to calculating the likelihood they will successfully pull it off, the magnitude of the effect of the success, and what they would lose if they fail. This may lead to more frequent promotions and overall recognition. 

If we loop this back around to high school, where we established in the beginning that keeping up with trends require a lot. of money, we can make the connection that the rich stay rich. People with money have flashy items that earn at least some recognition at school, which can make them popular. These kids gain confidence throughout high school, which leads to a more successful career.

This doesn't necessarily mean that only popular kids will succeed. The quiet kid sitting next to you in Calculus might be in the process of building her own company that may become the next Apple. We never know. But once again, doing that kind of stuff requires money, too, right?


Sources:
https://www.inc.com/maeghan-ouimet/high-school-popularity-affects-adult-income.html