Last week I had the opportunity to view Dead Poets Society in the Rose Dining Hall Room. The captivating movie illustrates the internal conflict of the protagonist Neil Perry, torn between his true passion of acting and the desires of his father. While his parents wanted him to pursue a stable and widely-respected career, Mr. Keating encouraged Neil to explore his burgeoning interest in theater. It was disappointing to see how this internal conflict led to Neil taking his own life at the conclusion of the movie.
Even though this movie was released in 1989, the theme of external pressures influencing student decisions is still prevalent today. At Cornell, students are expected to compete with their peers for selective internships in hopes of attaining a lucrative career. However, it is sometimes difficult to discern between genuine passion and pressure placed by those close to you. Similar to Neil, many students at Cornell fear the consequence of failing to meet high expectations. While those close to you want what is best for you, they sometimes distract you from pursuing your true passions.
Another similarity I saw between the Welton boarding school and Cornell is the emphasis on tradition and customs. When the students walked through the hallways, there were always pictures of alumni hanging on the walls. Additionally, tradition was one of Welton’s “four pillars”, and I believe that Cornell has certain unique cultural elements as well. From coined terms like “prelim” to symbols like the McGraw clock tower, most students have embraced the Cornell culture and its rich history.
Watching Dead Poet’s Society made me incredibly glad that I am not in high school anymore. Personally, I feel much freer now that I am in college, having come from a fairly small, not-very-diverse high school. I feel like I have left a good deal of parental and peer pressure and expectations behind.
But, you make an excellent point that college students are also under a great deal of external pressure, especially the pressure to compete for grades and professional opportunities. Sometimes, it feels to me as though my peers are light years ahead of me in terms of their professional aspirations, and I suppose I do feel pressure to “keep up.”
I agree with your point about how Cornell and Welton are both pressure cookers. Everyone at this school wants to succeed, and the pressure to get get good grades so that you can get a great internship or job is high. However, I think much of the pressure comes from the students themselves or the parents, and I think that Cornell itself actually helps to foster individuality. Take club fest for example: you see hundreds of different clubs and can find a club for anything, from a project team to a freestyle rap club. I feel that Cornell, as difficult as it is, works to give students the resources to pursue their own passions instead of a lucrative career.