I think I'm pretty intelligent––but I can also be a bit absent-minded. The things that slip my mind... you just wouldn't believe.
After Redditor WallsdownWindowsup asked the online community, "When did you realize you're not as intelligent as you thought you were?" people shared their stories.
After reading these, you'll feel suitably humbled.
"I had it very easy..."
First year of uni.
I had it very easy in HS, I was one of the lucky bastards who could ace everything with minimal effort, scored in the 99th percentile in my country's equivalent of the SAT's, etc.
And then that first year of engineering just took a big ol' crap on everything I thought about myself, lol. It was a pretty humbling experience.
"I have trouble..."
I have trouble opening doors that have "pull" written on them.
"Half of the people there..."
I entered university. Half of the people there are smarter and/or had a better education, and the other half is equally smart as you. Really makes you realize how small your world was.
"I can't say..."
When I realize how much there was to learn. There's so much to learn, and not even our greatest geniuses can ever hope to know even a hundredth of it.
That being said, my arrogance and pride in my intelligence is still present, now accompanied by my frustration with how idiotic some people are.
I can't say I was a pessimist before the pandemic, but seeing everything that went down this year? It reminds me of the revelation I had in my teenage years. Being an adult does not lead to maturity or wisdom.
"The shock..."
Trying to live in the real world after growing up very sheltered. The shock is like jumping into a pool of ice water. There are many things I thought I knew how to do that I was actually doing completely wrong. I'm learning though.
"Why is there..."
Learned I spelled "raspberry" wrong all my life.
Why is there a "p" in the spelling and I can't even look at the fruit the same way. It's like it's a whole new food item to me and I can't stop thinking about it.
"I couldn't figure out..."
I'm a software dev, and I thought I was fairly intelligent. I couldn't figure out how to disconnect a U-haul trailer from my truck the other day when dropping it off.
"When I realized..."
When I realized I couldn't just skate through my microbiology final exam. Every other class I'd been able to put in minimum effort and cruise through with B's and C's, and straight A's in my English classes. But I flunked micro, and it really made me realize my whole approach to life was wrong.
"My two previous bosses..."
I recently got a new boss. My two previous bosses came to me for a lot. I was good at my job and felt like a valuable part of the team. My new boss comes to me and gives me tasks I don't understand. I feel like my job has moved beyond me.
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