<p>Listening to the things classmates and adults sometimes tell me, it's almost like they want to make sure that I remember that I am not more intelligent than they are and that the only reason I do well in school is because I work harder than they do. Sometimes I bite and ask them how they know I study more than they do, but then they respond sarcastically and tell me that I need to socialize more and have more fun, or maybe they will postulate sometime along the lines of "if you had had a job, like I did, your GPA would have been lower."</p>
<p>The part that I don't get is, if they are confident that they got it all figured out and are doing the right thing, why invest so much time and energy worrying about my grades, the amount of time I might spend studying, whether I have or don't have a job, and the amount of social activities I participate in?</p>
<p>Sure, maybe they honestly believe the things they tell me, and are sincerely trying to help, but it's hard to believe that my well-being is of any concern to them given the abrasiveness and the persistence with which they attack me.</p>
<p>Some schools are incredibly college-oriented and competitive, which would definitely influence the topics of conversation among friends there.</p>
<p>Also, to OP: I think that even if you would like to consider them your friends, they sound extremely envious and annoying. Dunno about you, but I personally don’t like to keep those types around. ;)</p>
<p>About the only thing I would agree with in your post is that I also despise this new attitude in our society that being successful or intelligent is something to be ashamed of. Everyone has to be special in their own way, right?</p>
<p>Well my high school is absolutely super competitive. Not in GPA per se because we don’t really use that system, but, after every single test, everyone goes around saying “what’d you get, what’d you get??” It is extremely annoying. People actually do compare every single grade, how many A’s B’s by midterms,etc. And if you get a higher grade, most people will appear happy for you but secretly hate the fact that someone had beat them. I’m so sick of the intense emphasis on grades of my friends and the people around me as opposed to genuine thirst in learning and intellectualness.</p>
<p>Also, if one chemistry class has a test in period 1, and the other class has it in period 3, the class who did the test first refuses to say anything about it to the other class who hasn’t done it. The teachers advise that class to not say anything and just tell the other class that 'it was extremely hard." Urgh. I hate such cut-throatness.</p>
I think this is a narcissistic way of phrasing the question. They’re probably a little jealous, a little too competitive, but they probably don’t actually want you to feel guilty about doing well in school.</p>
<p>If they do, then obv, they’re jerks and you shouldn’t be friends with them, but I think the above is more accurate.</p>
<p>“I think this is a narcissistic way of phrasing the question.”</p>
<p>There is nothing narcissistic about my question. Besides, a high GPA means nothing in the real world, so there is nothing to be narcissistic about.</p>
<p>Do your best.
I used to get that stuff in school-Now I’m a doctor, and they’re managing fast food restaurants. Sure, some people screw off school and make it big later, but the “stats don’t lie”, people with more education make more money…Tho money doesn’t buy happiness, of course… I also consider telling later classes about your test very short-sighted, as the results may need to be curved, and you will be at the bottom.</p>
<p>Yes, they are your friends. Follow them, to the parties and the shopping malls. Skip class to go to the movies with them. Let them distract you from studying … because they are your friends.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why being called a hard worker is an insult. Very few people are naturally geniuses. The vast majority of people have to work for their grades, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t mean they don’t have social lives, it just means that they study hard.</p>