<p>I have always been one of the smartest kids in my class since elementary school. Always on the top of everything. But I am now in my junior year and I feel so intellectually inferior to the rest of the people in my class. I take AP Chemistry which is by far the most difficult class in my school and only the best of the best take it (In my public ghetto school, not CC members). I feel like I forget formulas and information faster or can’t figure things out as fast as my peers. I am taking pre-calc, and I have so much trouble with proofs (simple algebra) while others easily surpass me. I just feel like things are surpassing me faster than I can catch up! Anyone else experience something like this?</p>
<p>How is “I have so much trouble with proofs (simple algebra) while others easily surpass me” different from “I have so much trouble with proofs (simple algebra)”?</p>
<p>Never deny yourself the time to process something in the mental background. Sure, you might find yourself in a class that presents new material faster than you can comfortably process it. That’s the fault of the imposed schedule, not your fault. I’m talking about how you judge yourself. If you’re making any kind of progress whatsoever, that’s a good thing. Slow progress can actually be a sign of intelligence. When you learn the fundamentals of math and chemistry, you go through so many paradigm shifts that it should cause cognitive dissonance that slows you down.</p>
<p>Niels Bohr said those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum theory cannot possibly have understood it. I say this applies to any paradigm shift, e.g. when you learn in mathematics that what you used to think was a valid proof is actually flawed. And when intelligent people are shocked by something, they don’t rapidly memorize formulas. They take their sweet time to adopt new thought patterns not only as they sit in front of a book, but also as they go about their day.</p>
<p>It’s common to hit the wall at University but usually through sheer determination those who want to can do well in H.S. Considering this, how is your nutrition? Are you eating a good breakfast and staying away from sugar? Also are you getting a good dinner and sleeping soundly at night?</p>
<p>Thank you Halogen. I often find myself not understanding a thing when the material is first presented, I just memorize it for the test, but usually after 2 months later when I review it, I slowly start connecting dots. Its like I need a break from when I initially experience it, to the time where it solidifies in my head. I just need to get some sleep.</p>
<p>Honestly, I feel exactly the same way. I used to feel really smart when I was younger, and I feel like I hit my prime in about 8th grade. Since then, I’ve felt dumb pretty much all the time. I’m kind of hoping I just feel this way because school got a lot harder starting in 9th grade… if not… I’ve just gotten dumber.</p>
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<p>Congratulations on finding out what learning is like. Welcome to life, it takes a while to process new stuff. Strictly memorizing stuff is a good recipe for failure though.</p>
<p>And also you still might want to get more sleep though. It’s really hard to process information when you’re tired.</p>