What are the brightest from your high school class doing?

amother

Pink

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 10:18 pm

We are 27. The smartest girl is single, she is a nurse and continuing studies to become a doctor. The next few smartest girls are all teachers in bais yaakov (these girls are also the more bais yaakovy types). The professionals are all hard working modern yeshivish or modern orthodox girls. These girls didn't work very hard in high school, but maybe their smarts were just disguised by their desire to have fun.

agreer

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 10:23 pm

amother wrote:

mommy3b2c- I'm not sure why you found the post offensive? I'm a SAHM who was looking for some ideas. A different poster also mentioned that she felt her brain turning to mush so I figured some of the other posters who are SAHM's and did well in school would have some ideas? The only thing I can think of is that I wrote intelligent which might insinuate that some are not which is not what I meant. I switched it to intellectual. I am happy to edit my previous post more if that wasn't it.

I agree, especially because I can totally relate.

I reread some of the essays I wrote in high school and college and cannot believe I wrote them.

amother

Green

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 10:26 pm

I was naturally bright AND studied like crazy. I'm a SAHM, though I did grad school first. Several people from my grade who were less motivated or less naturally smart are school principals, seminary teachers, etc. I watched the change in one of them during seminary. One of the brighter/hardworking girls is a teacher and a yoetzet. So we have some of each.

I can relate to my brain feeling like it's atrophying at home. I enjoy doing things that use it, but sometimes it feels like too much effort when it's been awhile.

amother

Navy

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 10:27 pm

I don't get what was offensive about amethyst's post. I'm highly intellectual and I also feel like my brain has turned to mush since having kids. I totally get where she's coming from. That's why I'm so desperate to find a stimulating job. It doesn't mean every smart SAHM feels this way, but it is a fairly common challenge.

gold21

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 10:53 pm

To be honest, I have absolutely no idea who was at the top of my class, but I know one thing for sure- it wasnt me! LOL

I always had my head in the clouds during class and had to later borrow notes from friends to catch up on what I missed. Tongue Out

I had some more academic friends, who are now professionals. Most of my classmates graduated college.

mommy3b2c

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 11:04 pm

amother wrote:

Yes it was the word intelligent that I found offensive. You seemed to be insinuating that it is not the norm for intelligent women to be sahm.

Don't feel obligated to edit your post because of me.

I don't take things too personally.

amother

Smokey

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 11:44 pm

Coed public school. Not selective.

General manager of a Major League Baseball team
Professor of physics at a major research intensive university
A couple of other professors
Several doctors
Other lawyers (one fairly high up in the Feds)
Finance including Goldman Sachs
A fairly highly ranked officer in the JAG corps
... and one really bright guy who dropped out of the Ivy League and last I heard was living off the grid

And me who wound up a SAHM Smile

#2 on that list is one of the smartest people I have ever met. Perfect 100s in high school, a professional quality musician to boot.

amother

Chocolate

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 11:51 pm

Ok, so I can go anonymous and therefore not be embarrassed to say 'hey, that's me'
So, I am a childcare provider. I spend my days changing diapers and playing on the floor with little kids. If I could do it again, I would not have gotten married so young or at least would have used bc for a couple of years while I got a degree in something useful and interesting.. but that's life. And BH I have a large family of wonderful children.
I work in childcare because it helps me to get reduced tuition for my kids at school.

As for the other girls who were top of the class:
One teaches Kodesh/Judaics.
Another is a SAHM
Another works in a biochemistry lab trying to create cures I think for lots of diseases, and loves her job.

amother

Papaya

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 12:38 am

I was among the top as far as intellect/academics. I was slow in getting started, but now have 3 degrees and work as an acute care NP.
Among the other top students in my graduating class you will find a lawyer (last I heard from her), a teacher, and a pharmacist.

I strongly believe that motivation and work ethics play a much stronger role than sheer intellect in long-term success. Which terrifies me, since my kids are really smart... but lazy with little drive (they did not inherit even a smidge of my conscientiousness).

amother

Teal

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 1:14 am

amother wrote:

Hmmm we have a lot in common. I'm also an NP (pediatric) and I worry about my kids because they don't seem to have my drive or ambition.

I haven't kept up with most of my classmates. I know one is an MD, one is a special ed teacher and one is an art therapist. I don't know what anyone else does.

amother

Aquamarine

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 1:54 am

I know this wasn't the question, but I have a friend who never did well in school but always tried and worked really hard. Well, in the work force, that type of driven, never giving up attitude gets you far and she's doing better career wise than any of my other friends, many of who were straight A students. Her work ethic is amazing.

amother

Lime

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 2:16 am

amother wrote:

I strongly believe that motivation and work ethics play a much stronger role than sheer intellect in long-term success. Which terrifies me, since my kids are really smart... but lazy with little drive (they did not inherit even a smidge of my conscientiousness).

amother wrote:

I never once did homework in elementary school - it was so easy (I'm sure I did, occasionally, but not like I ever sat down to do it as part of a routine) and was able to breeze through high school by studying for even hard subjects like math and science the night before.

Now I'm 22 and my work ethic is a disaster. I feel very strongly that it's because I never had the homework routine, since I never had to. I would literally review in the car on the way to school or do my math on the way back. Until today that's how I work - all over the place, procrastinating, always pulling through at the last minute, at my own expense.

And I'll be the first to say that Gardner's intelligences are very true and it's not the book smart people who succeed in life, necessarily.

amother

Taupe

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 4:14 am

OOT BY.
Our 2 valedictorians are SAHM with many children. We have about 5 doctors I believe and a few PhD's from the girls who were more in the middle of the pack.
One girl who was really not that academic in high school went on to law school.

amother

Crimson

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 7:41 am

very yeshivish BY, off the top of my head:

Banking, (renowned) high school teacher, preschool teacher (which is a real shame; she is very chareidi and does not want to get a degree or a job that requires internet, but doesn't really like her job and she is brilliant and talented), artist, CPA, writer, and psychologist.

I was considered one of the brightest in my class. (ETA: I rarely studied.) I'm the head of a marketing department in a tech firm.

We were quite an atypical class for my school, where most girls in other classes are in special ed, OT, teach, etc.

amother

Royalblue

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 8:40 am

amother wrote:

Two of my sisters are like this as well. I wish I had half the tenacity as they do. Even though I am far more intellectally inclined and school was very easy for me.

amother

Gray

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 10:46 am

well, we seem to have quite a few NPs here, including me! I was definitely not on top of my class in high school (in college I was). as a matter of fact, I was the kid that was bullied for various reasons. I graduated many years ago and to this day I'm the only professional in my whole class. go know!