Kids

10 Odd School Things That Kids Compete With Others For

by Kevyn Gohu
September 5, 2022

There are some kids at school who get extremely competitive about odd things beyond grades.

Grades are one thing to get competitive over at school. But sometimes, kids get competitive over other things, too. More often than not, it’s a battle of flaunting one’s money and status.

1. Brand of School Bags

Back then, nobody cared if the kid was using a Winnie the Pooh bag or a Jansport backpack. But nowadays, some kids are bringing Louis Vuitton or Coco Chanel as school bags!

2. Lunch Boxes

Rubbermaid and Coleman were the most trusted brands long before. But soon, it started evolving into Tiger, Lock & Lock, and other brands. Hydroflask is the new water bottle brand and having one can indicate status, too.

3. Color of Bags

Neon colors or bright colors nowadays often put the kid at the bottom of the social pyramid in school. Demerits come in when the bags still have some sort of cartoon-like My Little Pony or Cocomelon on it. For younger kids, it may not matter but it soon starts when they move up.

4. Brand of Rubber Shoes or Sneakers

Sneakers and rubber shoes are meant to do one thing: make running and movement comfortable. But in schools where uniforms are strictly enforced, the shoes or the kicks the kids wear tell their peers a lot about status. It’s why some kids would rather not reveal what brand their shoes are.

5. Pencil Cases

How does one prove their status and get competitive over pencil cases? The criterion is based on how many compartments the pencil case has and the color. Bright colors get kids moved to the bottom of the pyramid.

6. School Shoes

If there’s a uniform, there are parents who will find something to compete about. Unfortunately, there are shoe brands that don’t cover all sizes. There are kids whose feet are bigger than the traditional sizes 6 to 8. Then, there’s the issue of being flat-footed or having an arch. There are those who need special shoes because of their foot configuration.

7. The Type of Lunch

Some kids would get jealous and competitive with other kids when they’re having hotdogs for lunch while their classmate gets siomai and rice. In certain schools, even the brand of where the food comes from matters!

8. Type of Car the Parents Use

Not much for the younger kids but the older ones do notice these things. Vans, limos, and even certain brands can cause kids to judge their classmates. Some of them use a certain kind of car as a measure if the kid is worth being friends with or not because they have money.

9. Smartphones, Laptops, or Gadgets in General!

From the brand to the number of gadgets, kids can get competitive or judgmental if the brand is a strange brand. This happens most especially when some have more than one phone.

10. Their Parents’ Jobs

There are kids who can tell outrageous lies about what their parents do so long as it allows them to be at the top of the social pyramid. Some will even use these connections as a means to threaten and maintain their “rule” over the student body.

When kids can’t compete with grades, they do so with this.

Kids who find themselves being bullied or insecure about their grades use these as a way to boost their self-esteem. However, this isn’t a behavior that sprouts out of nowhere. A lot of these behaviors are a form of mimicry from their own parents which brands often market to. While sustainability is all the rage, some of these brands still hold their weight in moving their kids up the school’s social pyramid.