1# I'd have to agree. Whenever I see guys studying at uni, or I meet men with high IQs like mine I get very excited. Not for any romantic or sexual reasons! I just enjoy having intellectual conversations with people because I believe that it brings out the best in them. This is why I'm saddened to hear boys say," I just want a girlfriend." Don't you want to achieve greatness? Is that ALL you want? Your education is going to provide with the opportunity to go very far in life, don't throw it away! I speak from the heart. I have dedicated my entire life to studying because I've had this dream to study Law at Oxford University for 11 years and now, and I'm nearly there - two years left! And the only reason that my dream is still alive, is because I worked my ass off to gain a perfect ATAR (Australia's ranking system) so that I could study at a prestigious uni that will then, with more work, get me into Oxford (arguably the world's best uni)...
This will give me the opportunity to work with the United Nations! If I get there, I can singularly say that I owe it all to a) my family and b) to studying hard. Don't get me wrong, it's tough but whenever I feel like giving up I tell myself things like (and it's sounds lame) "Sherlock studied at Oxford and he didn't give up!" or I try to envisage the future, and wonder how good it would feel to finally achieve that dream. Boys, if you have an academic dream or any dream at all, whether it's to be an astronaut, a doctor, a teacher or an actor etc studying will greatly help. Similarly, I also want to take the time to direct the same message towards women, girls (especially those of you in high school) please focus on your studies. I may only be 20 years old but I can promise you, the hard work is worth it! High school is tough, but without intelligence...life is tougher. Achieve greatness...
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Mandela
I feel the same way sometimes. I study, pay my own way for school with no financial aid and you would think I would care more. But in reality in these 6 years of school I've seem to not just give a damn lately.
I put next to zero effort forward during school. My reason isn't that I don't care about my future, it's simply that I've never experienced any kind of benefit from doing so. I am not only able to hold intellectual conversations with others, but conversations of such high caliber that most people don't understand a word of what I talk about. My friend and I wrote an entrance paper that got us into a program through NASA to operate a telescope in space, though it wasn't the illustrious Hubble. After viewing their equipment, we realized that their controls were simple Arduino radios set to operate optical and gamma ray sensors. It was so simple that we constructed our own small satellite, and used a couple weather balloons to put it into orbit. We then attended a Nuclear Physics program during the summer. After completing our radiological safety training at Notre Dame University, we spent some time at Hope College and actually ran their particle accelerator.
So when I say I don’t care, and I never study, I am by no means condemning my chances of being successful in the future. I loathe homework with more passion than I’ve ever hated anything before, and so I elect not to do it. You’ll never see me studying, and by all outward appearances, I will seem to be your stereotypical guy who will achieve nothing in life. But what I choose to show to those around me does not, in any way, define my potential or my drive. When asked how I do so well while not trying at all, my simple reply is “I read”. I love to read, and have been doing so since before I can even remember. I’ve read more books than I have met people. It’s amazing, just how far ahead this can put you. The younger you start the better. My reading put me ahead of every English class my school offers, and even got me a 34 on the English portion of the ACT. So no, I don’t appear to care about my responsibilities, but that does not mean anyone should assume anything of the sort.
I disagree with you on some points. Yeah you do seem intelligent because you've been reading for as long as you can remember (so has pretty much everyone in a first world country) and you can hold intellectual convos with other people (I wish I could but everyone in my vicinity is either straight up dumb or smart ass pricks) and I've never met anyone who liked homework but we still do it because it's one obstacle to our potential success. If we choose not to do it than you're slimming your percentage of success. If you think you know everything but there's no proof but the zeros in the grade book to show it then what can ya do
Zeroes on homework and aced tests. Quizzes, no problem. Classwork, sure I'll do it. But when school attempts to follow me home, that's where I draw the line. I just spent seven hours of my day in that place, I'll not waste another minute on it. And it's true that this could very well hurt me, if I was to strive for something beyond great. But I don't need to try any harder to do what I want. I've already been accepted to my school of choice, and will start in their Engineering department next year. If I wanted to be a doctor, yeah I'd need a 4.0 GPA. But I don't need it, so I have no reason to try for it. I guess this is one of those rare cases in which it works out like this, and I am by no means saying nobody should do homework. It's just not for me.
Do you know what the true mark of intelligence is? Knowing that you're not actually all that smart. As Shakespeare once said, "A fool doth think himself wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool."What a humbling sentiment. It's important to remember this, that while you can do good things without trying there are others out there doing GREAT things, through hard work. I've met three solid geniuses (what I can donsider to be a genius) in my life and all of them, ALL OF THEM, worked their asses off. You could go a lot further if you tried...EVERYONE could. Inside every mind is the potential to grow.Without MY hard work I'd be lost. Yes, I am pursuing Law at Oxford University (incredibly prestigous) and yes I may have a very high IQ, perfect grades etc but that means nothing to me in the end (I think I'm quite average) becasue without the hard work, I don't DESERVE any of it. Apathy will only last you so long, my friend. I speak with the benefit of hindsight.
My teachers are all pretty much pissed at me, because I don't try and they know it. I've only met one person I believe to be a genius. He's attended over 13 universities in five countries and has a double doctorate. Even with all this, he chooses to teach high school science because it's what he loves to do. And when considering all those out there doing great things, or even when exploring inwardly into my own mind, I'm reminded of just how small I am. If I tried, if I truly wanted it, I know I could achieve far beyond what I'm going for. But I don't want to spend years upon years in school for something I won't be able to appreciate as much as somebody else might. It's just not something I am interested in. Maybe I'm just being selfish, in choosing not to contribute all that I can to humanity, but that's just how it is. I can go to school for a while, learn to do something I love and enjoy, and then make a good living for the rest of my life while actually enjoying my life.
I know it seems like I was just building myself up at first, but my true goal was to illustrate that one can do well in school without appearing to work at it all the time. The recitation of a few of my accolades served solely to embellish the fact that I, as an individual, do not benefit from studying. My favorite topic of conversation among others is just how little we know. How little I know. There are such inexplicable occurrences happening every minute, and that while we claim to have a full understanding of the entirety of their functions, we simply cannot fathom even a minuscule portion of their intricacies and nuances. I love science, talking about it, and exploring possible solutions we have yet to consider. This is something I enjoy, but I am, as of yet, unable to see any possible career in which I could explore such hypotheticals and satisfy my curiosity on a daily basis.
Just make sure you're making the right decisions while bearing in mind that you are still young. Nothing I say will alter your perception, I think that only experience can achieve that.
I like you baughman. You're independent and you have your own mindset. Even though people disagree with how you roll you still do you. Keep doing what makes you happy for sure
Thanks for that. I must say I like you too, in your ability to accept others for who they are. Btw, my entire personality I show in public is geared towards weeding out those I wouldn't want to be associated with, and finding people like you. For the most part, people see me as an asshole and steer clear. But those actually worth knowing are able to see past my outward facade and are willing to get to know me for who I actually am. Those people are my greatest friends. You remind me of them, in your open mindedness. You, sir/madame, are an awesome human being.
No, not here. I'm talking about real life. The way I act in general makes people think I'm an asshole, and I act that way on purpose. Not saying anything against you in the slightest. I saw your comments up top, and you seem to be a very driven and ambitious person, and that's really great.
I didn't think you were saying anything against me 0_o.
I understand about the ass-hole attitude however, since I'm much the same in real life. Apparently, I have "fuck off" labelled across my face but only because I'm aggressively competitive. I perceive most people as my enemy or rather, as an obstacle to overcome (not proud of it), which has detrimentally impacted my mental health. With that said, I can't really concede that my mentality doesn't work either. After all, it's gotten me into some of the most academically elite places on earth. If I hadn't be so determined to crush my, shall I say "opponents"...well, I wouldn't be standing where I am today.
As you can see, I'm an ass-hole as well. I mean well deep down, but it's difficult to articulate those feelings when I'm dominated by ambition at the same time. Ah well...
Feel free to think less of me.
The day I think less of someone for being honest about who they are is the day I actually become a true asshole myself. My reasons for behaving as such are slightly less noble, however. I grew up in a very mature and respectful house, with ten siblings all taught the same values. I then started school and was confused, cause none of the other kids acted the same way. They were all a bunch of loud, rude little dipshits. My maturity was of such a high level that I simply couldn't stand talking to kids my own age. As I grew older, and kids got stupider rather than more reserved, and so my mindset turned from nonchalance to outright apathy. Some feared me. Apparently, when somebody would dare to attempt to speak with me, I would look completely pissed that they would disturb my day and coldly ignore them. There are those, however, that choose not to judge me based on the experience of others, and it is those people I choose to befriend. So you see, I am in no position to judge your choices
Dude, I hate that. My best friend is the only person I can have a heated debate/intelligent conversation with. And even if you find someone to talk about these things with, if you slightly disagree they immediately disrespect you and hold onto their beliefs no matter what. My friend has changed some of my opinions, and I have changed some of his. At least their is one person to talk to.
Honestly there is nothing I find more attractive than a guy leaning on a desk 6 hours after school ended, working hard to finish his work for our math team or robotics team...it shows dedication and intelligence. It might be kind of cliché, but I honestly find the "dorky and awkward" guys who excel in math and want to be engineers or software designers significantly more attractive than the captain of the football team.
Im in 8th grade, and I don't take it seriously. Is anyone gonna ask for my middle school GPA? No. All my friends think i'm the dumbest of them all because I try to have fun in my advanced placement classes. Everyone pressures me to do well in school because i'm supposed to be a "Smart Kid". I try to brush off my stress from school but my parents and friends make it hard. In truth I brushed off SBAC tests and thought I did average or less. I got more than everyone except my best friend, but I didn't want to brag. Ive lost lots of friends because im not focused and im not always a goody that agrees with teachers. I am told I have no ambition but my ambition is to relax. It sucks.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Mandela
I understand about the ass-hole attitude however, since I'm much the same in real life. Apparently, I have "fuck off" labelled across my face but only because I'm aggressively competitive. I perceive most people as my enemy or rather, as an obstacle to overcome (not proud of it), which has detrimentally impacted my mental health. With that said, I can't really concede that my mentality doesn't work either. After all, it's gotten me into some of the most academically elite places on earth. If I hadn't be so determined to crush my, shall I say "opponents"...well, I wouldn't be standing where I am today.
As you can see, I'm an ass-hole as well. I mean well deep down, but it's difficult to articulate those feelings when I'm dominated by ambition at the same time. Ah well...
Feel free to think less of me.
It hasn't got me anywhere so far...