Smart vs. Dumb- What a 'Dumb' Argument!

During such a crucial time, that is exam season, the time for university applications to be sent off, it's hard not to doubt yourself and doubt your capabilities. It's pretty understandable. Will you get into the university of your dreams? What if my college application is boring compared to everyone else? What if I'm not smart enough?

What does it mean, to be smart enough, to be intelligent enough? The Oxford Dictionary defines "intelligence" as "The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills." The idea that a person can be either 'smart' or 'dumb' is, in my opinion, ridiculous. The very thought that someone can only be one or the other is, forgive me, moronic. It is vague, subjective, and can be emotionally damaging. Somebody's intelligence is not a black and white concept.

"You're so bright!" - My parents, teachers, friends of my parents constantly telling me, their students, their children at age six or seven that we had so much potential. Nowadays, at the ripe age of eighteen, I can safely say that there has been many a time where I have been questioned about my supposed stupidity by my loving mother and father. So, what changes in those ten years? What has happened for someone's confidence and opinion of you to suddenly just plummet?

I think, as a parent (not that I speak from experience!), you want your child to feel confident going into the world, which is why positive reinforcement is seen as crucial. But don't I need that? I am not asking to be coddled or anything, but to go from being constantly praised to having people being more critical is quite a jump, and it makes you wonder whether at one point in your life, you've just slowed down.

Is it detrimental? I don't think so. Am I pulling a little tantrum because no one is showering me with compliments anymore? Probably. When you're older, you learn that it isn't what others think you that is most important, but rather what you think of yourself, what you think you're worth. And that takes time.

Like I've already said, no one is one or the other. We all make 'smart' decisions at times, 'stupid' decisions at other times. When I sit in my chemistry class, they could be speaking Portuguese for all I know, but I know that it's okay (kind of), as it isn't what I'm good at, and is something I need a lot of guidance in. In contrast, I sit in my history or my English lesson, confident I know what I am talking about. How can I measure how smart I am from that? The most important thing is self-awareness. Not to say that means if you find something difficult, that you should give up! Some people may be better at things than you are, and vice versa!

I'm sitting here, having just read through my college application, skimming over my grades, my extra-curriculars, and it's scary. How can someone judge you from a piece of paper that is probably only looked at for 5 minutes? (I read somewhere that one application takes admission officers 3.5 minutes... *internally screams*) How can the whole essence of who you are be put in a file? As much as I may try, my über charming personality and hilarious wit cannot be seen on paper. And if they don't like me, don't want me at their university, does that mean I'm too 'dumb', not 'smart' enough for them? I don't think so. Maybe I'm just not the right fit. So, do not base your self-worth on what your professor or your parents or your friends say about you. Or whether a university wants to welcome you with open arms or not. It's just not that simple.