Last week, our 2011 commencement speaker, New York Times op-ed columnist David Brooks, published an article in The New York Times titled, "Nice Guys Finish First." In his article, Brooks encouraged readers to "establish a reputation of niceness" in the face of competition. The following week, a headline appeared in The New York Times bearing a warning stating "Many College Graduates Find a Tough Job Market." This headline only serves to make Brooks' point more important for graduating seniors moving forward and for underclassmen facing the competition inherent to their undergraduate careers.

When I was a first-year beginning at Brandeis, perhaps the most surprising realization was that I was no longer a big fish. Suddenly, I did not stand out from my peers because I was bright and motivated; everyone around me was equally, if not more, accomplished and well-rounded than I was.

While I was thrilled to be surrounded by interesting and passionate peers, no longer being the go-to girl for responsibilities and awards was a bit of a letdown. Now halfway through my undergraduate career, I have acclimated to the competitive environment of Brandeis and have even begun to thrive off of the constant pressure to improve.

However, I can only imagine that once I graduate, it will require me to adjust to a whole new form of competition in a world where I will not always get the job or acceptance that I want, or even that which I deserve.

As graduating seniors begin to search for jobs, many will likely be discouraged as they join the growing population of graduates who are wonderfully qualified for employment but are passed over for jobs due to the tough market.

However, it is important to remember that the way they can continue to shine is by being genuine-a virtue that has hopefully been instilled by their undergraduate experience at Brandeis. Upon rejection, it may at first seem obvious that a person must "step up his game" in order to compete with those who appear to be succeeding. However, this is not-or at least I hope it is not-the way to achieve a goal. Sincerity and contribution must play some role in success.

Luckily, recent work has revealed a glimmer of hope for those who would like to get ahead sans ruthless competition. In his book that will be published next year, Jonathan Haidt, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia, argues that natural selection does not always mandate that the strongest individual survives.

Rather, natural selection may suggest that the most cohesive and internally altruistic group has the greatest opportunity to pass on its genes. So to all of those who pause to bare their teeth when faced with the fierce postcollege competition, remember that it will be your morality and not your bite that will propel you to your destination.

This mindset will also benefit current undergraduates as they make the most of the remainder of their time at Brandeis. Brooks' message resonates particularly strongly now, after the stress of finals finally begins to subside.

Think of the times when, cramming in the library the night before an exam that will make or break your A-/A for a class, you reluctantly agreed to review topics you thought you had completely covered with friends who were less confident on the material. Usually in these situations, a tricky question is posed by a friend, which prompts another tricky question, thereby revealing the holes in your knowledge that will inevitably appear on the next morning's exam.

When competing against those equally or more qualified, keep in mind that your ability to be genuine and relate to other people-a quality hopefully instilled in you during your time spent at Brandeis spent studying for exams, volunteering or serving in a leadership position-will often be the key to allowing you to stand out from the rest of the pool of competent competitors.