"I really wish I was as *insert positive adjective* as you..." Gee thanks...

[The Wooster]

Like every wanker with a sub-par education and too much spare time I've convinced myself I'm one of those talented people. Cynicism aside I honestly think it's true, my potential is limitless and I don't think there's anything I couldn't be good at (except possibly giving birth, but you never know).

Anyway Erana, applying yourself is important, very important, learning a good work ethic and, this is important, not vastly overestimating your intelligence is absolutely vital if you plan to avoid becoming a crack whore. Look at me. I'm a fucking genius. I wash dishes for a living.

 

[Lukeje]

I was dishes for a living.

You were dishes?!

 

[The Wooster]

I was dishes for a living.

You were dishes?!

See what I mean? That's what happens if you don't study. Dudes with dog avatars make fun of your typos. Also you turn into crockery.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

Moved to off topic

 

[Silver]

So, I got one of those comments again today.
I'm sorry, but what am I supposed to say to that? I mean, I apply myself in school. How the Hell does that prove or disprove anything about actual ability or intelligence? I mean, are they trying to make me feel bad, or are they making excuses for their own shortcomings?
It can't be a genuine compliment, can it?
There are two different types of gifted: the talented people and the people with outstanding drive and diligence. If they aren't naturally talented, they can work hard. And from what I've seen, the naturally talented often don't learn to apply themselves, making them fall behind those with extraordinary perseverance, in whatever activity these people are doing.

And considering the people at the Escapist, I bet yall've also gotten these sorts of comments. What do you do about it?

Yep, I fall into the "naturally talented" category, which really turns out to be a disadvantage. As in, I have no work ethic, and I don't think I've ever studied for a test. Right now, as a matter of fact, I'm on the Escapist in order to procrastinate.

Ditto. Stupid french quiz tomorrow.

Yeah. I had that catch up with me. I blame my school. They never thought me how to study properly, because I never needed to. I could show up to a test without knowing what it was about and still ace it. When that school let me off, and I took some more advanced courses it didn't really work out too well. I didn't understand everything automatically, and had to study. That didn't work out.

Quite annoying.

And yes, I've gotten such "compliments" quite a lot. I find it extremely annoying. I usually respond with something like "yes, I get that a lot" or "it's only natural", but it still feels weird.

 

[Danglybits]

My good friend and one time roommate is both naturally gifted and incredibly dilligent. It drives me nuts because I'm naturally talented (in some things) but I am terminally lazy and have no work ethic; I actually used to but some where along the road I lost it. ADD doesn't help either. My friend is in med school now and I'm so very proud of her but dammit stop making me look bad.

But while she's too goddamn smart in some areas she has no common sense or a basic reasoning ability. Meaning that she doesn't always get if things make sense before she says them. Once we were watching the Venture Bros. and there was a part where the robot had a new horn and when he came to rescue someone she turned to me and asked, "Do their ambulances really play "La Cucaracha?" I just said, yes, they do.

 

[Unholykrumpet]

...Wanna know how to ruin a boys life? Compliment his intellect. Tell him he can do anything. This works especially well if elementary school teachers, family friends, church friends, sunday school teachers, librarians, and the random coworker of a parent all say the same thing. Saying "I'm thinking you're going to do something great, like cure cancer. You never give up on anything" also does the trick.

I learned to read before I was old enough to go to preschool, due to both my parents being teachers. Up until 9th grade, every year my principal or teacher would ask me to move up a grade. But here's the kicker, just because you start off light years ahead of the other kids...doesn't mean you're going to stay that way. "I'm smart, I don't need to study" becomes a common thought process. Soon you're like "meh, low A on this test...but I didn't study and these kids wasted their lives to get two more points than me." Soon, the acceptance of a low A became a high B, accepting a high B became a middle B. Just an average student then. And through it all, you're still being told that you'll cure cancer or do something miraculous.

Moral of the story, frequently telling someone that you have high expectations of them and that they are meant to do something awesome in this world, even if its just a compliment or a morale booster, will lead to some intense problems later in life when you're just one of thousands of students at your school doing your premed major.

 

[Erana]

I was dishes for a living.

You were dishes?!

See what I mean? That's what happens if you don't study. Dudes with dog avatars make fun of your typos. Also you turn into crockery.

Don't worry, I just got another, spiffy scholarship today! =D
/bragging

But while she's too goddamn smart in some areas she has no common sense or a basic reasoning ability. Meaning that she doesn't always get if things make sense before she says them. Once we were watching the Venture Bros. and there was a part where the robot had a new horn and when he came to rescue someone she turned to me and asked, "Do their ambulances really play "La Cucaracha?" I just said, yes, they do.

I was watching Buffy for the first time a few days ago, and apparently I was asking questions just about that silly.
Yay, lack of life experience and naivete!

Ugh... "Cyberpagans..." *head explodes*

 

[Umwerfer]

Not a prodigy. Not a hard worker. Still called geek/nerd/smart, apparently because I "speak funny". Still, not sure if its a compliment when they are refering to the amount of times they say huh/what during a conversation xD

 

[Starnerf]

I always got good grades until my senior year of high school, when I started taking college level courses. It took me about 3 years (1 high school, 2 college) of bad grades before I convinced myself I needed to start studying. My GPA is currently a 2.8 with one year left to make it respectable.

I consider myself a dilettante, in that I like to do a lot of different things but don't really want to practice at any of them and actually become good.

 

[SecretTacoNinja]

Say "thanks but, I know!"

You'll either come off as up your ass or they'll laugh. Works for me.

This actually irritates me a lot. I keep getting told by this chick at college that I have really nice nails (which I do) and I'm really good at drawing (which I am). I never know how to respond so I try to just look embarrassed.

 

[Gxas]

I don't get those comments. I silently give them to my friends. I have low self-esteem...

 

[NeonZombie]

Im an average student, always have been always will be -sigh- I think im way to lazy to apply myself in anything mostly i just don't care about half the subjects i have to do

 

[Caliostro]

I once got an "Effort" and a "Citizenship" award. It basically means I'm nice, and I tried.

Gee, thanks Principal Davies.
... you prick.

I once got a 'Good Reading' award from an English class...in Grade 11...wow...standards are horribly low now in the education system.

Part of the "everyone is special" bullshit.

 

[Rock Avich]

I once got an "Effort" and a "Citizenship" award. It basically means I'm nice, and I tried.

Gee, thanks Principal Davies.
... you prick.

I once got a 'Good Reading' award from an English class...in Grade 11...wow...standards are horribly low now in the education system.

Part of the "everyone is special" bullshit.

Everyone IS special. Except Goths and Emos.

Those guys are NOT special.

 

[Caliostro]

I once got an "Effort" and a "Citizenship" award. It basically means I'm nice, and I tried.

Gee, thanks Principal Davies.
... you prick.

I once got a 'Good Reading' award from an English class...in Grade 11...wow...standards are horribly low now in the education system.

Part of the "everyone is special" bullshit.

Everyone IS special. Except Goths and Emos.

Those guys are NOT special.

No, the average person is NOT special. If everyone was special, nobody would be special, they'd all be average. That's what the word average [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/average] means.