Learning Styles (#3)

I have this friend that's a senior in high school and she's been sort of guiding me through the ins and outs of middle school and pretty much life in general. Said friend has also told me that I should really try to focus on how I study most effectively before I get into high school and discover that it's a lot less Hollywood-like and more Freaks and Geeks-ish.
Coincidentally, in Rogate I took a few tests about my own learning syles. My result for the Gregorc test was Abstract Random; supposedly I'm emotional, personal, colorful, imaginative, flexible, have deep feelings, and enjoy discussion. People like this tend to learn well through group discussion, music and media, peer group work, role play, use of fantasy and imagination, themes, arts, humor, and short lectures.
However, I also tied scores with Concrete Random. These people are independent, creative, risk-takers, unusual, experimenters, inventive, problem-solvers, curious, investigative, and intuitive. They learn best through games and stimulation, problem-solving, creating products, independent study, experiments, unusual solutions, options, open-ended work, practical ideas, and few restrictions.
I think that I have many aspects of both Concrete and Abstract Random, and I admire and am drawn to a lot of people with the same characteristics. Steve Jobs, I think, must have been a Concrete Random person, and my favorite writers all seem very Abstract Random; John Green, Watsky, and J.D. Salinger being among my favorites. Though I don't know these people personally, when I read their work and listen to interviews with them, I feel like I'm on the same wavelength-I get them.

The other test I took was the Gardner test which measures your different intelligences. I scored highest for linguistic, musical, and mathematical-logical. Makes sense; I enjoy talking, speeches, writing (linguistics), I play piano, ukulele, violin, and am learning guitar, and I'm good at math though I hate it with a passion. Math comes easily though, because you don't ask why, you just follow rules and formulas, which is why I don't enjoy it. I'm basically a Concrete Sequential's worst nightmare.
 I also scored high for both inter-personal and intra-personal. However, the questions pertaining to these characteristics weren't particularly specific. I am a total introvert. I'm introspective and self-reliant almost to a point where it could come off as self-importance. I've even been told that people are intimidated by me because of the fact that I'm very quiet at school and I'm an intense person. But I think the high inter-personal score comes from the fact that I play off of others emotions, in a slightly manipulative, Slytherin-esque way. I can read people easily, I'm aware of others' emotions, and even when I'm watching a movie, show, or listening to music I like to watch people's reactions to it. ESPECIALLY when it comes to anything involving politics or debates. Know how the other person feels and you can use that to your advantage. ( I feel like I'm giving you guys tips to rule the world.)
As you can see, my test results were pretty accurate. So get out there and get yo'self some self-awareness.

--Brought to you by the internet superhero

What Does it Mean to be Gifted? (#2)

What does it mean when you're put in a gifted class? Going through school you're given this label with many connotations, so what does this title mean?

Myths and Truths:
One of the greatest myths about being gifted is that these students are great at everything they do. I can personally testify for this one and tell you that is entirely wrong. I can't tell you how many times I've been told that I'm perfect at everything-not only is this completely untrue, it places grand expectations on one's shoulders. Personally, I consider my strengths to be writing, critical thinking, and activities where I can totally let my imagination and artistic eye go wild. Now, anyone could tell you I suck at anything that takes athletic ability. Seriously, I feel so sorry for anyone that has ever had gym with me.

Yet another myth is that gifted students will always have good grades. I have personal experience with this one. In many of my subjects I was receiving C's and B's, not because I didn't understand, but because I was bored in class and wasn't applying myself to my work.
I had a neighbor who had to be moved from a school because she wasn't being challenged and engaged in class. "Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings." Gifted students can't do everything on their own and a teacher's help is what they need to reach their full potential.

Truth? Gifted people have incredible intellectual capability, interest, and/or talent in certain areas. In all of my gifted classes I've seen this time and again; someone that could do calculus in their sleep is sitting next to someone that knows public speaking and marketing like no other. There is not one specific image of what a gifted student is. The idea that all gifted students are brainy is a misconception.

Asynchronous development is a common trait of being gifted. For instance, when I was younger I was definitely more intellectually and physically mature than I was emotionally or socially mature. Sadly, not much has changed. "I don't even consider myself a part of society anymore," was basically my mindset. (The Office references, anyone? Michael Scott FTW.)

Ups and Downs:
Being gifted, certain expectations are forced on you. Your own expectations and external expectations will factor in more than you'd think. The novel It's Kind of a Funny Story is a great display of how these expectations can lead to stress. Some people will take these expectations and make the best of it, pushing themselves, while others may crumble under the weight.

Though it may sound vain, typically when you're gifted, you're recognized as unique and different. You get noticed, and that doesn't exactly hurt one's ego. In my eyes, being gifted, you see the world through a different lens than most. Feeling rare is pretty sweet!

However, that same feeling of being different can make you feel isolated. Ever been in a conversation where people need to have a dictionary by their side in order to keep up? That's not all that fun, and feeling like the Hermione Granger isn't always nice. Dumbing yourself down is often what people resign themselves to in order to feel accepted. A bit of a waste of talent.

All in all, being gifted definitely has its perks. We crazy, innovative, and different ones push the world forward. On that note, I'll leave you guys with the beautiful commercial made by Steve Jobs, my hero.
Goodbye, and Don't Forget To Be Awesome.

Greetings (#1)

Salutations, readers. Be prepared because this will be one of those totally narcisstic, self-important internet shenanigans that I seem to make a lot of.
I'm Trinity, known as Trin by sadistic friends and teachers. I'm a nerdfighter, as suggested by the title of this blog. Don't worry, we're not a cult or weird street gang that terrorizes nerds. I mean, get to know any of us and you'll realize we're obviously pro-nerd. My goal in life is to decrease world-suck. In other words, I want to add some awesome to the universe. Music makes me happy, road trips make me happy. Oooohhh, and movie theaters are my haven. Which brings me to my next topic: I'm a cinephile. In my eyes, there is not enough time in the world for me to see all the movies, TV shows, and concerts that I want to. Ever seen Parks and Recreation? Amy Poehler's character "Leslie Knope"? I'm basically the would-be-love child of Leslie and Chandler from Friends. Honestly, I spend way too much time watching TV. But I love film. I even make short films and vlogs on my YouTube channel:here.
Concerts make me happy. I got to see Coldplay this summer and was lucky enough to meet an internet friend of mine at said concert. Spectacular, needless to say. Sarcasm, wit, and people with a clever sense of humor make me happy.
Favorite school subjects, you ask? English, hands down. I had the best English teacher last year: he was liberal, goofy, nerdy, passionate, and made learning feel less like learning and more like fun. I suppose I want to be a writer when I grow up. Actually, scratch that. In some super cool alternate universe, when I grow up I'm a film director. My boyfriend is James Franco, I live on the West Coast in some hipster-y little flat, and I'm just a kick-ass, creative twenty-something. Oh, fantasy.
I suppose that's all I have to say before I bore you with a ridiculously long novel about myself (oops, I've already written one of those). If you really want to learn more about this nerdy, strange, and opinionated person, talk to me. I'm not as scary as I look.
Ciao, kids!