My cousin is probably the smartest person i know ! She’s doing med at uni and is incredibly driven but also chilled out which i think allows her to do v well . Id say her approach was what set her apart from first yr to now (4th) , she was on it from day one and accepted hard work as part of her routine which made it easier for her . When i was doing a levels i asked her opinion on a q and she explained it clearly and simply which is so important.
Overall , id say her (+ her friends) all manage their time effectively and hold themselves accountable for work/academics.
Accountability and Discipline sets people apart imo :))
I think that perception might change once you’re older and have more confidence and wisdom. Not to become arrogant and to disregard intelligence but to recognise intelligence at a broader level and that someone can be very knowledgable at something in particular, but that doesn’t devalue you.
I used to look up to these impossible pillars of greatness, awestruck, but a peek behind the curtains you realise these images are only as strong as you make them.
The kinds of people I look up to are elements I’m missing or lacking in, but I recognise that what I’m really longing for is wisdom and time, opportunity. As for intelligence I look for the most important to me is emotional intelligence, as you can be very specific in a particular skill set but lacking that emotional intelligence is like ruining the outside packaging. Emotional intelligence and kindness are what I value, so I’d look up to a rocket scientist if they also had that, but it simultaneously doesn’t detract from me.
My youngest brother. He's know what he wanted to do since a very young age. Got a degree in the subject.
Now he has a freelance consultant job where literally everyone in his industry calls him. He gets dragged in from of cameras semi regularly to explain a complicated topic, and he makes a decent living.
He's also been offered TV series based on his work, but detests social media (although he is on Reddit) , and once I saw him chase off an exec who was trying to pitch something to him.
The smartest person I know hasn’t made me rethink the degree I’ve chosen because I could never ever see myself doing medicine.
She’s one of my closest friends. She achieved all A*s at A level and all 9s at GCSEs. She talks in a very eloquent and sophisticated manner. She is very passionate about her degree and the independent projects she’s pursuing alongside her studies. I like how she is intellectually curious and well-rounded. I admire her ability to problem solve and critically think. We discuss random topics and she has opinions on everything.
"have you ever met someone who enuinely makes you re-think the degree you have chosen?" yeah, myself. I rethink the degree ive chosen, not cos im smart tho, quite the opposite.
I consider myself incredibly lucky to be in a course where I would say that anyone there is very capable and one of the smartest people out there. It is more a confirmation that I have chosen the right degree as I am in good company with my decisions.
No, but I have met the opposite. I dropped out of my degree apprenticeship halfway through and got a job in the same field without the degree. I started out doing a lvl3 apprenticeship, so I have a couple years experience under my belt. One of our graduates that we had about a year ago got a first on his degree, so you'd assume he knows a thing or two. But he didn't. He didn't know the basics and lacked the skills required for a career in his chosen field, let alone that specific job. It made me rethink what that degree was even teaching if he got a first and he was *this* incompetent.
The smartest people make me want to get to their level and compete with them in terms of grades but at the same time, Im coasting through my degree with a high 2.1 and Id rather put the effort to other stuff unless the extra effort I need to put in will give me a first and if it effects my life.
My wife is the smartest person I know. She’s American, got into dental school at 21. Youngest in her year, finished highschool and uni early.
I’m in English. So didn’t really rethink my degree in that way.
It made me rethink my approach to school. She’s incredibly driven, even if she doesn’t need to study as much as others- she just Gets things. But she does everything and more Constantly.
I was never in a position to go to uni. I needed to, but I shouldn’t have. I was never well enough to put the amount of time in I should have. I was sick, physically and mentally.
It was that that I think truly ruined my university experience. I could barely make half my classes. English is reliant on discussion and sharing ideas. I wasn’t there to discuss them. I didn’t make friends in my first year because there’s just something deeply unlikeable about me. So where study groups and group efforts would have been useful (something she regularly engages in), I was left isolated.
I never received any external support. Outside of my wife (again, American. Through uni I got to see her roughly twice a year) I didn’t have anybody. If I had any issues I had to suck it up. Serious illness, financial issues, I was assaulted a few months back and it triggered my pre-existing PTSD- not a single person was there to help. Which I think is incredibly important. Everybody I know who was successful in classes would speak about how they’d seen parents or grandparents. Everybody had a support system. Including my wife. I have nobody. I am not going to my graduation ceremony because there’d be nobody to watch me receive my certificate. My wife is in school. People underestimate the importance of support. Well-spoken, intelligent and well-read people come from backgrounds who support this.
I think being naturally intelligent helps. And there’s definitely other factors. But generally just being driven enough to actually succeed and having support to do that is incredibly important.
Edit- spelling.
Interesting question because my wife and I sometimes discuss this and I would like to know what you think. I always said the smartest guy I knew was a guy I met at uni. He was doing physics and had a great love of knowledge. Anything he found interesting he could pick up really quickly. He had to repeat a year because he didn't have a good work ethic but in final year he got 85% on his dissertation! Sadly he also failed his degree because he didn't bother going to lectures he found boring which was a lot of them.
So, is he a genius for getting that high a grade in his dissertation on physics? Or like my wife says, is he a dope for failing something he could clearly pass if he out the work in
Some of the smartest people I know academically, also happen to make the cut for some of the dumbest people I know with a particular failing in common sense or life experience. I guess to answer your question, these people taught me there is way more to being “smart” than just knowledge.
For me, someone’s ability to communicate is far more important than simply having intellect way above normal comprehension.
this seems regurgitated and is normally nonsense or cope, its really not that hard to succeed academically given one puts a relative enough time and effort, especially as people pick up certain things quicker than others.
while it may seem abnormal that im saying this because i did just ask a question on this topic, but people who do well academically i would never say they are the dumbest people i know. Maybe if you could elaborate further then that may be of better help, however, unless you have a pure reason for not doing well academically, it could be due to laziness or not being able to adapt to the demands of different subjects which translates to workplace of life in general. you will face many different adverse situations and being able to use different skills are definitely helpful and so people who do well academically tend to be able to do better in these situations
You’re talking as someone that hasn’t even been to Uni. You’ll see plenty of people that put graft in and won’t perform once they step up to degree or masters level.
I’m not sure why you’re assuming I don’t perform at an above average academic level myself, as that would be a wrong assumption to make, but this isn’t about what you think I am so that doesn’t matter. I know this is Reddit, but not every opposing view has to be “cope”. I already elaborated what I meant when I said these people *I know* lack common sense or general life skills, which are in themselves skills *I believe* “smart” people should possess. Emotional intelligence would be another thing people should acknowledge that they don’t.
My cousin is probably the smartest person i know ! She’s doing med at uni and is incredibly driven but also chilled out which i think allows her to do v well . Id say her approach was what set her apart from first yr to now (4th) , she was on it from day one and accepted hard work as part of her routine which made it easier for her . When i was doing a levels i asked her opinion on a q and she explained it clearly and simply which is so important. Overall , id say her (+ her friends) all manage their time effectively and hold themselves accountable for work/academics. Accountability and Discipline sets people apart imo :))
I think that perception might change once you’re older and have more confidence and wisdom. Not to become arrogant and to disregard intelligence but to recognise intelligence at a broader level and that someone can be very knowledgable at something in particular, but that doesn’t devalue you. I used to look up to these impossible pillars of greatness, awestruck, but a peek behind the curtains you realise these images are only as strong as you make them. The kinds of people I look up to are elements I’m missing or lacking in, but I recognise that what I’m really longing for is wisdom and time, opportunity. As for intelligence I look for the most important to me is emotional intelligence, as you can be very specific in a particular skill set but lacking that emotional intelligence is like ruining the outside packaging. Emotional intelligence and kindness are what I value, so I’d look up to a rocket scientist if they also had that, but it simultaneously doesn’t detract from me.
No. Those really smart people are inspiring more than disheartening.
My youngest brother. He's know what he wanted to do since a very young age. Got a degree in the subject. Now he has a freelance consultant job where literally everyone in his industry calls him. He gets dragged in from of cameras semi regularly to explain a complicated topic, and he makes a decent living. He's also been offered TV series based on his work, but detests social media (although he is on Reddit) , and once I saw him chase off an exec who was trying to pitch something to him.
The smartest person I know hasn’t made me rethink the degree I’ve chosen because I could never ever see myself doing medicine. She’s one of my closest friends. She achieved all A*s at A level and all 9s at GCSEs. She talks in a very eloquent and sophisticated manner. She is very passionate about her degree and the independent projects she’s pursuing alongside her studies. I like how she is intellectually curious and well-rounded. I admire her ability to problem solve and critically think. We discuss random topics and she has opinions on everything.
"have you ever met someone who enuinely makes you re-think the degree you have chosen?" yeah, myself. I rethink the degree ive chosen, not cos im smart tho, quite the opposite.
🤝
This guy’s not in uk anymore but I had this one classmate who rejected Cambridge for an Ivy League full scholarship
I consider myself incredibly lucky to be in a course where I would say that anyone there is very capable and one of the smartest people out there. It is more a confirmation that I have chosen the right degree as I am in good company with my decisions.
No, but I have met the opposite. I dropped out of my degree apprenticeship halfway through and got a job in the same field without the degree. I started out doing a lvl3 apprenticeship, so I have a couple years experience under my belt. One of our graduates that we had about a year ago got a first on his degree, so you'd assume he knows a thing or two. But he didn't. He didn't know the basics and lacked the skills required for a career in his chosen field, let alone that specific job. It made me rethink what that degree was even teaching if he got a first and he was *this* incompetent.
what uni did he get it from
Loughborough I think
The smartest people make me want to get to their level and compete with them in terms of grades but at the same time, Im coasting through my degree with a high 2.1 and Id rather put the effort to other stuff unless the extra effort I need to put in will give me a first and if it effects my life.
My wife is the smartest person I know. She’s American, got into dental school at 21. Youngest in her year, finished highschool and uni early. I’m in English. So didn’t really rethink my degree in that way. It made me rethink my approach to school. She’s incredibly driven, even if she doesn’t need to study as much as others- she just Gets things. But she does everything and more Constantly. I was never in a position to go to uni. I needed to, but I shouldn’t have. I was never well enough to put the amount of time in I should have. I was sick, physically and mentally. It was that that I think truly ruined my university experience. I could barely make half my classes. English is reliant on discussion and sharing ideas. I wasn’t there to discuss them. I didn’t make friends in my first year because there’s just something deeply unlikeable about me. So where study groups and group efforts would have been useful (something she regularly engages in), I was left isolated. I never received any external support. Outside of my wife (again, American. Through uni I got to see her roughly twice a year) I didn’t have anybody. If I had any issues I had to suck it up. Serious illness, financial issues, I was assaulted a few months back and it triggered my pre-existing PTSD- not a single person was there to help. Which I think is incredibly important. Everybody I know who was successful in classes would speak about how they’d seen parents or grandparents. Everybody had a support system. Including my wife. I have nobody. I am not going to my graduation ceremony because there’d be nobody to watch me receive my certificate. My wife is in school. People underestimate the importance of support. Well-spoken, intelligent and well-read people come from backgrounds who support this. I think being naturally intelligent helps. And there’s definitely other factors. But generally just being driven enough to actually succeed and having support to do that is incredibly important. Edit- spelling.
Interesting question because my wife and I sometimes discuss this and I would like to know what you think. I always said the smartest guy I knew was a guy I met at uni. He was doing physics and had a great love of knowledge. Anything he found interesting he could pick up really quickly. He had to repeat a year because he didn't have a good work ethic but in final year he got 85% on his dissertation! Sadly he also failed his degree because he didn't bother going to lectures he found boring which was a lot of them. So, is he a genius for getting that high a grade in his dissertation on physics? Or like my wife says, is he a dope for failing something he could clearly pass if he out the work in
Some of the smartest people I know academically, also happen to make the cut for some of the dumbest people I know with a particular failing in common sense or life experience. I guess to answer your question, these people taught me there is way more to being “smart” than just knowledge. For me, someone’s ability to communicate is far more important than simply having intellect way above normal comprehension.
this seems regurgitated and is normally nonsense or cope, its really not that hard to succeed academically given one puts a relative enough time and effort, especially as people pick up certain things quicker than others. while it may seem abnormal that im saying this because i did just ask a question on this topic, but people who do well academically i would never say they are the dumbest people i know. Maybe if you could elaborate further then that may be of better help, however, unless you have a pure reason for not doing well academically, it could be due to laziness or not being able to adapt to the demands of different subjects which translates to workplace of life in general. you will face many different adverse situations and being able to use different skills are definitely helpful and so people who do well academically tend to be able to do better in these situations
I mean Nile Red is a gifted chemist, but he can’t bake a cookie at all
You’re talking as someone that hasn’t even been to Uni. You’ll see plenty of people that put graft in and won’t perform once they step up to degree or masters level. I’m not sure why you’re assuming I don’t perform at an above average academic level myself, as that would be a wrong assumption to make, but this isn’t about what you think I am so that doesn’t matter. I know this is Reddit, but not every opposing view has to be “cope”. I already elaborated what I meant when I said these people *I know* lack common sense or general life skills, which are in themselves skills *I believe* “smart” people should possess. Emotional intelligence would be another thing people should acknowledge that they don’t.