The Competitive One-Up Friend

And then there’s the Competitive One, who turns everything into the Oppression

Olympics. You say you got four hours of sleep? They got two and “still came to school.”

You say your schedule is busy? Theirs is insane, actually, because they’re

doing sports, clubs, homework, and somehow still have time to remind

you they’re busier than you. You’re stressed? Well, they’re stressed

and sick and somehow still functioning better than you, so clearly you’re not allowed to complain.

They don’t listen to your problems—they wait for their turn to one-up them. Conversations with

them feel like a scoreboard you never agreed to play on. And if you ever say “okay but this