This isn’t really OCD related, it’s just giving me some anxiety. It’s not that big a deal and there’s definitely bigger problems out there, but any advice would be appreciated (only if you’ve got time of course!). I’ve been looking at a lot of universities recently. It kind of inspires me to look at the top top top ones and aim to go there. But then I begin to wonder why... I would consider myself intelligent (I feel vain saying that!), but I know I’m being wayyyy too ambitious looking at the Ivy League and Oxbridge. And yet, something in me really really wants to knuckle down and do really well so that I can go to an amazing university. I feel motivated. I live in London. I like the idea of change though, so studying in America sounds appealing. Meeting new people, living somewhere knew, all of that. But then as I was thinking about it all, I suddenly wondered about the boys there. I thought ‘hmm it’d be cool to date an American boy! Plus he might like my accent’. And now I feel 1) narcissistic and 2) absolutely stupid. It just defeats the point. I’m being so naive and dumb. The second thing is, I then began to wonder if I only want to go to a top university to show off about it. And if I’m only going somewhere for the name, and not the actual quality of education, I don’t deserve to go there at all. I don’t like the fact that at times I wish to show off. I always chose to ACT very humble, but within me, I sometimes feel this sense of superiority. Which (of course) I hate. Because at the end of the day, the people that go to top universities DESERVE to. They go because they want to extend their learning. They’re worthy of it. But if I’m just going for stupid childish reasons, what’s the point? I’m clearly not smart enough if I’m thinking in that sense. Boys... showing off... it’s so stupid.