The century of competition requires people to be unique and outstanding. This is the reason children are taught subjects like Moral Science and Leadership. Creativity blooms everywhere and it is important for us to stand out and be noticeable. That is how we can progress. I love being at the centre of attraction, but situations do matter. Nervousness is a common problem in many of us who aren’t used to standing in front of people. I used to wonder earlier when rock stars climbed on stage and began showering their magic that thrilled everyone. But at present, I have become confident of myself, which makes me an extrovert and admired, which makes me stand out.

— Mimansha J

I don’t think it is important to be noticeable. Of course, it’s essential to know the unique quality within you, but it isn’t that important to flaunt it. We should polish the talent God has given us and use it to serve society. If we concentrate more in earning fame rather than in our work, we will turn more materialistic and start behaving selfishly. Similarly, happiness is neutral to whether you are one among the masses or a renowned figure. Rather it comes to those who think happiness as an art-cum-habit. A positive outlook towards life with a desire to serve others will make us happy regardless of anything.

–– Musaka Muraiya

Pressure should be put, particularly on youngsters, if they cannot work without it. Since youth is a period of storm and stress, pressures due to over ambitiousness may lead to negative results. Therefore, instead of just pressurising them to be unique and admirable, it is essential to create an environment so as to make them do their duty honestly as everyone is unique and wants to be admired by others. If this happens, everyone could admired by each other.

— Pradeep Acharya, Koteshwor

Being a part of crowd is more appreciable than being isolated in this age of globalisation. However, it is not as comfortable as we ordinary people would like to think. Though we earn popularity and distinct image in this society, we lose our privacy. Secrecy and privacy are two key needs to make one’s life happy. Hence, for me it is better to be a member of crowd than to stand out in it.

— Suresh Kumar, Naya Baneshwor

Since human life is very precious, you need to make it something really superb. Be the best of whatever you are. Like our famous figures like Devkota and Gautam Buddha, we need to stand out as unique in the crowd to be remembered even after our demise. Getting renowned, being surrounded by fans asking for autograph is really good after all.

— Vivek Pandey

There are not many people who starve for recognition, success and fame. Some are even content at being a nonentity. All other people lie in-between. Such diversity makes this world complete. Had there not been failure, the success of outstanding people wouldn’t have been acknowledged. Contentment is a key to happiness but an obstruction to improvement. We should make the best of the time we have before it slips from our hands. Life is a blessing, a time for accomplishment and exploration. A rational person will never let it go down the drain.

— Rashmi Giri, New Baneshwor

For us youngsters, it’s like the whole world hammering and attempting to shape us the way they desire. It’s not only our family and teachers, but even friends trying to mould us into something what they are or something they couldn’t be. We aren’t free to articulate ourselves and forced to stick to the stereotypes set up by others. Talking about being unique, it’s always common people trying to become illustrious and on the contrary famous people yearning to live the life of a commoner.

— Kirti Karki, Biratnagar

According to me it’s really important to be noticeable. We have to know who we are and should also let others know of it as it’s our identity. Being noticeable doesn’t mean we should try to look stylish, fashionable and beautiful. Instead it’s about the “real me” that lies within each one of us. I want to be one, only one, and just one, because that is what I am.

— Sarita Shrestha

The world today has certainly put a pressure on youngsters to strive to be the best. But the top positions are reserved only for a select few, so we may not necessarily be at the top. Instead, we should work to the best of our ability without being over confident on achieving success. This means we need to be happy at being one of the crowd.

— Shristi Joshi, New Baneshwor

“Life is what you make it.” The pressures, burdens in our life are so obvious but what matters is how we take it. To stand out in the crowd is important but I believe the most important thing would be to stand out and yet be a part of it. I mean these days people tend to lose their individuality in the name of standing out! Instead, people should make use of their being the best. They should try to create smiles in the crowd and be a part of it, because in the end: “Applause dies away/Trophies gather dust/ Winners are soon forgotten.” But what remains is how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone. What matters is not your competence but your character!

— Princi Koirala,

Himalayan White House

Whether s/he is the centre of the world or just one of the crowd, the most important thing is that s/he should be happy with his/her life. I agree that there is pressure to be the best in everything we do in life, especially on the youth, but everyone of us is unique and special in our own way. It is not necessary to be the centre of the world to measure one’s happiness and success in life. I would rather lead an ordinary person’s life than be someone who is always in the limelight, worrying about what the world is going to think if a particular action is taken.

— Rachel Pun

Truly, who doesn’t want to be known in the crowd? The timid ones may be happy to claim they are being “one of the crowd”. But the fact is that we are not satisfied unless we get the attention we deserve. It is also important to gain self-respect and have a prolific life.

— Prakriti Kaini

Rather than longing to stand out in the crowd, we would do better by working united as a group. We should develop a team spirit to accomplish higher goals through united effort. Let’s learn from the Japanese in this regard. Upon being asked of their jobs, they prefer to identify themselves as member of a group or a firm rather than saying “I’m an engineer or a doctor”. Such a sentiment for collective identity facilitates the prosperity of a group, a society, and a nation on the whole. If a person chooses to go out of the crowd and achieves something unique, it is again the crowd that makes one’s achievement sustainable and meaningful.

— Hem Chaulagain, Shanker Dev Campus

It is unfortunate that everyone cannot get name and fame, although they run after it like crazy. Name and fame are only mediums of happiness while the real source of it is satisfaction. A person may be happy even if s/he is well satisfied with his/her failure. In fact, happiness is irrespective of success of failure. So it is not true that being noticeable can give us happiness.

— Kumar Chhantyal

Yes, it is really important to stand out. The modern world has lot of competition and with lack of pressure we can’t look unique or noticeable among the people. Compulsion will encourage us to sharpen our inherent talent. Empty mind doesn’t work while a mind spurred with pressure produces good results.

— Sailaja Duwadi, Chabahil

In my view, it is not a good thing to hold back youngsters by responsibilities. That will obviously lead the way to depression and frustrations as they are always expected to perform their best. Everyone has the right to be happy and live life to fullest, and so do the young people. Look at the Hollywood and Bollywood actors to know more — they are forced to smile senselessly and pretend to happy when they are not.

— Tripti Bajracharya, Satdobato

Being the centre of attraction not only means people notice and admire you, but that you should also respect the crowd’s feeling. They are happy with you and adore you. A crowd loves and becomes happy with those people who are confident, motivated, and self-determined and respectful towards others. Since happiness lies in our inner-soul, we need to search for it there.

— Bhaskar Awasthi,

Butwal

Of course, everyone wants to be recognised. Today’s world is laden with fierce competition. Everyone takes steps to outshine others. Their sole ambition is to gain name and fame and in turn gain a heavy benefit in their respective fields. I feel everyone should attempt their best in their respective fields, which will lead to success and popularity. If there is no pain there is no gain.

— Ranjita Sapkota, Syangja

As a youngster, I tend to believe that it is of prime importance to be able to leave a mark wherever you go, be it at school, college, or social gathering. As the future of a family, society and the country, we are pressurised to be unique and admired, because with it our works are valued. But I strictly believe that youngsters nowadays are trying harmful and wrong means to fame. The fact still remains that youngsters should always endeavour to outperform their compatriots to be counted above the rest.

— Saurav Thapa

You want to be noticed, get noticed. It’s a world of competition and losers stay in the corner, hiding behind people’s backs. It is easier to be among the crowd than being an individual, but when you are in a crowd, you are practically a “nobody”. Yes, we have a lot of pressure to be able to stand out amongst the rest, but the real thing is all you need to do is be yourself! If you have got something, let people be aware of your worth but you also must prove yourself. That’s the best way to stand out.

— Rhea Gurung, Jawalakhel

In this pressure laden world, every youngster is obligated to be unique and be in the limelight. But this has lead most to frustration and harassment. Definitely, it is good to be admirable, but it may be detrimental to the actual dream of a youngster. Fame and prestige should not come at the cost of happiness. Everyone has an in-born quality. History is proof — be it Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi or computer genius Bill Gates — they rose to fame without acting under any pressure. And, it’s not always true that fame brings happiness because privacy also matters a lot. So, I don’t think it’s really necessary to pressurise the youngsters to stand out in the crowd.

— Rina Dachhepati, Bhaktapur

Pressure on youngsters is a major hindrance in their development. Freedom though stated, doesn’t assure freedom from pressure to youngsters. To hold good position in school and society we have to be self-motivated. Everybody has unique characters but it is often not noticed. I love, we love and everybody loves to be centre of attraction. That’s the reason we are pressurised, sometimes by ourselves too. My vision for freedom from any kind of compulsion. What we achieve by working freely produces better results than under pressure.

— Anup Adhikari, Pokhara

This is an age of competition, and to gain victory over others in it, you need to be extraordinary, just being one in the crowd doesn’t help. If one can stand out from the others, opportunities will come knocking on his door.

— Abijit Sharma,

Kathmandu

Many of us try to expose our skills and qualifications to the world. However, skills should be spontaneously judged by others rather than we forcing them to do so. Time will bring in everything. We have to lay emphasis on enhancing our skills, not exposing it.

— Nabin Kandel, TU

Oscar Wilde quoted said he will never be young enough to know everything. And a person, one of the crowd, said, “Life is a choice”. When I contemplate deeply into these two statements, I conclude that life is just a strange illusion. So life is a choice, choose what makes you feel better and follow the same path.

— Bikesh Dongol, KTM

Darwin’s theory of natural selection arises from the survival of the fittest where being the centre of attraction is the primary objective for living.

Crowd represents a bunch of failed people whereas centre of attraction symbolises success.

— Pariwesh Lama

Students sit for exams and only one stands first, not everyone. However, this doesn’t mean we should give up. Instead we should take this as inspiration and challenge and march forward to acquire uniqueness and to stand in a crowd.

— Priya Bandhu

Neupane, Bhairahawa