Hi CC,
So, I’ve been in a few groups just filled with people said to be smart or gifted. However, I find that-- a lot of times-- I feel like I don’t belong. Sure, I get good grades, but I still don’t feel smart. I find that we all-- in this group-- have ranked some people as really smart, even as geniuses. I feel like no matter how hard I work on just studying for school-- I won’t get to that point. I like challenging myself, but I haven’t really found any creative ways of doing so (some of these kids make mazes and logic-based quizzes for each other-- things like that, and I really like solving them when I get a chance, but I have no way of entertaining myself with these sorts of problem-solving activities otherwise-- online riddles don’t exactly do the trick). I’m tired of being perceived as below everyone in the group because I’m slower-paced, and because I’m not a “genius”.
I’ve heard all of that stuff about geniuses being “born that way” or being able to think about the world in different ways, and enjoying challenges. The thing is, I do enjoy challenging myself, but I don’t know how…
I guess I’m addressing a variety of issues here, aren’t I? Here are my questions:
How can I find new ways to challenge myself?
What makes me and others like me different from these “geniuses”?
How can I improve to get to a “genius” or at least a “higher- level thinking” status?
How can I get my mind to work faster so I’m not slow-paced, and I don’t seem like I am having trouble?
Feel free to answer any questions individually, or all of them. Thanks so much. I would also love to hear of anyone that is having a similar experience.
They like to think that they’re above other people, that’s what makes them different. Are they above anyone else? I guess that’s just a matter of opinion. This isn’t solely your problem; this is something that’s a problem at every high school. This is actually just something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently.
An academic hierarchy forms and people rank themselves and others as various levels of intelligence, based usually on GPA (and for being “geniuses”, you’d think they would realize basing intelligence on a person’s GPA is very flawed). No, not everyone is a special snowflake and we shouldn’t act like everyone is as smart as everyone else, but I think that a lot of times, people are looked down upon for not being as smart as others, when in reality, the person is just as intelligent as the others.
I see this happen everyday at my school; there’s peer pressure among all of the students who take AP classes to get as close to perfect GPAs as possible, and when someone doesn’t get a perfect GPA, they’re looked down upon. It doesn’t mean the person isn’t smart; the people with perfect GPAs are just egotistical and enjoy feeling superior.
Don’t get down on yourself because others don’t perceive you as a genius–it says a lot more about them than it does about you.
Honestly, most of that stuff is just BS people like to tell themselves to make them feel special. I mean, clearly, anyone who’s intelligent can have interesting discussions and think about things at a higher level than people who aren’t intelligent, but I don’t think many people who are so-called geniuses in high school are like the next Einstein or Freud.
I know this all sounds cliche, but it’s really the truth… In 20 years I’m sure you’ll look back and realize how petty these people were being for looking down on you.
I’ve always hated the type of people who do those ‘logic puzzles’ or create weird obstacles for themselves in public; it’s always been a pet peeve of mine. It’s so obvious that they are their way of pushing an image of themselves that is brainy and quirky. I wouldn’t take any stock of people like that; focus on pursuing something that interests you, and while you are out accomplishing things, you can watch with disdain as these fools play around with Sudoku puzzles.
Well there are always puzzlehunt puzzles, such as the MIT Mystery Hunt or the Microsoft Puzzle Hunt. These are typically not your average Sudoku/crossword type puzzles.
If you are feeling extremely adventurous, you could also do some research on Cicada 3301.
Thanks so much, everyone so far, for commenting!
@foolish I do like these obstacles and logic puzzles (whether I’m in front of a others or not) but your definitely right about the person that does this. He does it mainly to show off.
@MITer94 Thank you! I have been looking for specific suggestions on things like these for a long time. I haven’t tried any of those things yet, but I’m really looking forward to it!
Sorry about this guys. They’re just trying to wiggle themselves out of the shadow of my magnificence.
Do you want me to crush them?
/sarcasm
Anyways, keep in mind that doing something over and over makes you better at it. They’ve been working on logic puzzles, so they get better at logic puzzles. Not necessarily smarter, per say, but better at doing a task.
@hungryteenager
Lol…
I’m not really slow at the puzzles-- I’m slow in math, the subject we all have together; but your advice still applies to my situation, and I appreciate it.
@logicfun MIT Mystery Hunt has an archive of past hunts (this year’s hunt can be found at http://web.mit.edu/puzzle/www/2015/intro.html). Almost all can be done at home. Not sure about the others.
you dont have to like games like that to be smart. everything takes an effort, they all study too just like you it doesnt matter if you taker a longer time.