<p>I got my first (and only) B+ ever in Calculus.
I don’t have any mathematical talent, but, too be fair, I didn’t put much effort into it either.</p>
<p>i think that counts as talent. or a easy teacher.</p>
<p>It takes at least a little talent to do well in anything. Professional athletes, artists, physicists, whatever- they were all born talented. It just takes a lot of effort to develop their talents to the fullest. Talent alone isn’t everything- you have to work at it too.</p>
<p>yes but being a pro athlete and coasting through a subject in school are on two different scales.</p>
<p>talent. i’m a mediocre runner, but i’m not gonna turn into a world-class marathoner through effort alone. gotta get some steroids too.</p>
<p>effort counts as well tho’. i know these may seem really hackneyed, but last year’s PSAT = 192 - off of ability alone. this year, 232 - ability + effort (forced and hated every minute of it, but effort nonetheless:))</p>
<p>no offense, but a person who’s not all there upstairs will probably not become a valedictorian, no matter how much he works at it</p>
<p>Raw talent is a lump of clay. It takes time, skill, effort, and patience to shape it into a usable vessel.</p>
<p>The idea that we are born with inherent talents and skills is kind of depressing. The fact that I will never be able to succeed as an artist, musician, athlete, scientist, etc. because I wasn’t born with certain physical characteristics or genetic tendencies is…unfortunate.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think that there is a lot more to effort than the American educational system gives credit for. I believe, to some extent, talent can be developed rather than simply inherited through birth. If not, I’m screwed.</p>
<p>What do people like me, born talentless, end up doing? Are we shunned by society, whence we become angry dictators that carve angry paths of destruction across Asia with our cruel military regimes?</p>
<p>you do that as a hobby but depending on what your working at you can develop talent through effort. but certain things like being a master at chess or inventor do require some sort of talent, effort alone will not get you there. and i wonder that too wink, though i havent scratched off scientist.</p>
<p>Again, there are a lot of different abilities that go into completing any task well- school, athletics, creative stuff. So much of schoolwork is based on your ability to write and communicate effectively and well. Someone who can write really well can often do better in some classes like English or maybe social studies than those who know the material better but write like a seven year-old. Obviously this doesn’t apply to Calculus, but it does to a lot of things. There are other considerations- ability to deal with stress and time constraints, good interpersonal skills, etc, that really affect how successful you are at something. It takes more than talent and effort, it’s all this plus probably a little bit of luck.</p>
<p>Of course, military coup managers require a very specialized set of skills- the ability to know to never, ever, not-even-if-you-get-really-really-bored-with-the-single-front-divide-your-troops-and-start-a-double-fronted-war. Communication skills aren’t so important. Your nukes should do the talking for you.</p>
<p>Ugh, talk about effective communication. All my sentences are rambling and unclear. I’m so ashamed!</p>
<p>lmao. i think we are ultimately gonna take over a country. i the superbowl is sooo boring. but a dbq essay frame is even more boring : (
i have a wonderful procrastinatoin skill!</p>
<p>Superbowl = excuse for making chocolate fondue. Chocolate and kiwis are made for each other. Maybe. I liked them, my mom: not so keen on it.</p>
<p>I think it would be interesting. That should be our next debate when we’re all here and concentrating! What’s the best way to take over a country?</p>
<p>kiwis burn my mouth but i love them. that’s my love hate relationship with nature.</p>
<p>If only there was enough time in the world to keep with with my work /and/ my procrastination!</p>
<p>Oooh…I love kiwi. I love almost any fruit, except mangoes and papaya.</p>
<p>hmm i find the time. though i dont sleep like i used to. but i think it is worth it.
ive blurred the line of insomnia and my body’s expectation of procrastination.</p>
<p>how dare you not like mangoes!!!</p>
<p>they are sooo good.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten papaya. I’ve had a mango lassi, but probably not a mango in the flesh. Fruit is wonderful. I live in a fruit area, and we have the best apples and peaches and cherries and strawberries in the world, swear to god. Not to mention grapes! Pretty much, fresh fruits and veggies are amazing, stale supermarket stuff is basically inedible.</p>
<p>i envy your fruit filled location.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>not apples, Washington has the best apples. (it’s even our state fruit). i guess NYC is known as the “big apple” tho’</p>
<p>
depends on the country</p>
<p>Oh, I don’t exactly function at all if I get too little sleep. My sleep schedule is not very nice to me. If I screw it up on the weekends, I pay for it during the week. I have a really hard time getting to sleep sometimes, and then a harder time getting up. Not very fun. :(</p>
<p>You must be joking. NYS apples beat up Washington apples at least seventeen times before breakfast!</p>
<p>Mangoes…they’re weird and slimy. My parents force me to eat mango and put it in everything. <em>shudders</em></p>
<p>My favorites are nectarines, pineapple, kiwi, oranges…
I’ve recently REALLY started liking grapefruit though.</p>