Smart kids more likely to develop alcohol problems later on

[Stargate Nerd]

I'm not surprised.

As the saying goes; the smarter you are, the more you realize you're surrounded by absolute idiots.

Exactly, realizing how effed up this world is can make you crazy.

[RedImperator]

Well this makes sense. Grad students are almost uniformly drunk bastards, myself included. For us, studying is a social activity which includes drinking. Reading group happens at the local pub on 1 dollar well nights.

I drank more in 10 months of grad school than I did in four years of undergrad. We had a gathering of social studies and English student-teachers on Thursday nights at a local bar, and in about three hours we'd annihilate at least a pitcher of beer each. Plus we'd do shots. If it wasn't for public transportation, I'd have never gotten home those nights.

I was also smoking a pack a day, something I'd never done before or since. On bad days, I'd go out for a cigarette, smoke my first down to the filter, and then decide I wanted more, so I'd chain up a second one, which I've also never done before or since (I can barely smoke half a cigarette these days).

[Alyrium Denryle]

Well this makes sense. Grad students are almost uniformly drunk bastards, myself included. For us, studying is a social activity which includes drinking. Reading group happens at the local pub on 1 dollar well nights.

I drank more in 10 months of grad school than I did in four years of undergrad. We had a gathering of social studies and English student-teachers on Thursday nights at a local bar, and in about three hours we'd annihilate at least a pitcher of beer each. Plus we'd do shots. If it wasn't for public transportation, I'd have never gotten home those nights.

I was also smoking a pack a day, something I'd never done before or since. On bad days, I'd go out for a cigarette, smoke my first down to the filter, and then decide I wanted more, so I'd chain up a second one, which I've also never done before or since (I can barely smoke half a cigarette these days).

I have yet to take up smoking (it has been tempting... probably more from most of my friends here being smokers as well as my entire immediate family, than any actual desire to obtain nicotine) but I have consumed more booze here, time averaged, than I did time averaged in a fraternity for two years. The frequency at which I drink has sky-rocketed that by the end of my first year I will have easily surpassed all four years of undergraduate work.

[Schuyler Colfax]

Blah blah blah blah blah blah

Okay, you're coming off as braggy at something people wouldn't even brag about. Stop, just stop.

[J]

I knew there was a logical explanation for this...

[Schuyler Colfax]

I knew there was a logical explanation for this...

You're single right?

[Mr. Coffee]

Jesus fucking Christ... Ok, you're back to being Colefail again.

[The Dark]

Blah blah blah blah blah blah

Okay, you're coming off as braggy at something people wouldn't even brag about. Stop, just stop.

Actually, he's right as far as the educational program goes. Chitty is one county north of me, and I was in the Central Florida Gifted Program (as well as Orange County's old AIM Program, which was a step above Gifted). When I was in it, Gifted was worthwhile in elementary school, because it was more advanced, and it was one day per week. In middle school, it was less worthwhile, since it was just a geography/history/political science course, and it was 1/6 of each day. In high school, it was an utter waste, since the only Gifted courses were freshman and sophomore English. AP courses were far more worthwhile, as well as dual-enrollment. I left the AIM course because the kids were even more antisocial than I am, and there was an excessive focus on particular types of intelligence while neglecting others (my math abilities were never challenged there).

Considering you're from Florida that's like saying I'm the smartest one in the bottom of my class.

Yeah, we just have the top trial law college in the country, the 34th best business school in the nation, the 8th best Materials Engineering school, the 7th best Agricultural Engineering program, the 10th best Quantitative Analysis program, and 13 Tier 1 colleges and universities. All this, despite education having not been a focus until the 1980s, old people refusing to pay school taxes, and 23.1% of the population doesn't routinely speak English.

[RedImperator]

Blah blah blah blah blah blah

Okay, you're coming off as braggy at something people wouldn't even brag about. Stop, just stop.

As much as a slapfight between you two would amuse me, quit spamming up N&P with dumb bullshit. That goes for everyone.

[phongn]

Actually, he's right as far as the educational program goes. Chitty is one county north of me, and I was in the Central Florida Gifted Program (as well as Orange County's old AIM Program, which was a step above Gifted). When I was in it, Gifted was worthwhile in elementary school, because it was more advanced, and it was one day per week. In middle school, it was less worthwhile, since it was just a geography/history/political science course, and it was 1/6 of each day. In high school, it was an utter waste, since the only Gifted courses were freshman and sophomore English. AP courses were far more worthwhile, as well as dual-enrollment. I left the AIM course because the kids were even more antisocial than I am, and there was an excessive focus on particular types of intelligence while neglecting others (my math abilities were never challenged there).

Pinellas County ran (runs?) a similar program for elementary schoolers, but afterwards they had accelerated math + more intensive science (MEGSSS/IMAST) and then a few different options in high school. I think they were worth it in my case.

As far as student intelligence, well, I've known plenty of people all across the spectrum.

[Saxtonite]

Another anecdotal point was supplied by my girlfriend, who, while spending time in the mental ward, was told by a nurse how most of their patients were well above average intelligence. Her acerbic comment was, "you people think too much."

so the saying "There is a fine line between genius and madness" has a lot more proof and whatnot then.

So are people depressed over that "they being surrounded by complete idiots"? Also for those who say that. Can you provide examples about most people around you being "Stupid" and whatnot, details please? (asking everyone in this thread)

[Eleas]

Another anecdotal point was supplied by my girlfriend, who, while spending time in the mental ward, was told by a nurse how most of their patients were well above average intelligence. Her acerbic comment was, "you people think too much."

so the saying "There is a fine line between genius and madness" has a lot more proof and whatnot then.

Merely being intelligent is not the same thing as being a genius, and to "prove" a chestnut like that comes as close to complete pointlessness as anything I've seen in a good long while.

So are people depressed over that "they being surrounded by complete idiots"? Also for those who say that. Can you provide examples about most people around you being "Stupid" and whatnot, details please? (asking everyone in this thread)

...what the hell? Where did this question even come from? Closest point of relevance is chitterling's ramblings, and frankly, I doubt he's the go-to source on the travails of being smarter than his peers. The subject matter had nothing to do with adolescent whining on how "NOBODY UNDERSTANDS MY BRILLIANCE!1!" and all to do with how high-performing brains work.

If I sound annoyed, it's because for most of my life, I've had serious problems controlling my own brain (depression, ADHD, etc). I'm not claiming genius, although my intelligence is above the average; however, I've encountered people lamenting the stupidity of others as opposed to their own cleverness before, and guess what? The intelligence they so worshipped in themselves was generally absent, and always dwarfed by arrogance inversely proportional to their social ability.

EDIT: clarified a few things.