# Can we get an underachievers role-call? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 15, 2000, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-an-underachievers-role-call/25680 "2000-07-15T16:31:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-an-underachievers-role-call/25680/21 "2000-07-17T10:10:03Z")
cruised quite happily on a b average. the a people had way to much pressure on them. b’s are invisible. i found a way to enjoy music without the pressures of performing. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-an-underachievers-role-call/25680/22 "2000-07-17T10:20:18Z")
Well, maybe not a prodigy, but with a child’s IQ of 136 my dear parents had such high hopes for me… Well, I gradgimated high school with my standard ADD C average, but never made it to college. I hope to be MCSE certified soon, but I feel creeping procrastination! Bah! 😃 -Sam ---
**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-an-underachievers-role-call/25680/23 "2000-07-17T14:31:10Z")
I suppose I qualify as well. On traditional scales of measuring intelligence, I score well. (I.Q. somewhere around 135-140.) I did well on standardized tests as a child. But I avoided success (grades, etc.) in an almost deliberate way. I’ve always understood that my shyness had a lot to do with it-being afraid of failure and the accompanying embarassment. As an adult, I also understand that growing up with an angry, depressive mother and an abusive, alcoholic father taught me the value of keeping myself unnoticed. So, I glided through school, getting good (but never spectacular) grades. B plus average in high school. Graduated college _cum laude_. As I sit here thinking about this, I realize it has affected other aspects of my life as well. I played the flute in school. When I got to the point where I could play anything I was given for the school band, and had outgrown my student flute, I quit taking lessons. I refused to enter competitions. I enjoy swimming, and joined the swim team for one year. I loved going to practices, but the meets terrified me, so I quit. I am fairly handy at various crafts and have actually been commissioned for several projects. Yet, looking back, I always undervalue my work. For instance, I made a wedding dress for which I charged $300, ($150 for materials, $150 for labor.) After the wedding, the bride took it to a resale shop, where it was sold, used, for $300. My current interest is tie-dyeing. I have had countless people stop me (or people wearing clothes I’ve made) to ask me where I bought my shirt. People keep telling me I should go into business. One friend even designed a logo for me. But even without the constaints of my current situation, (basically, 4 children, ages 2 through 11) my immediate reaction is to deny that I could ever do such a thing. (It’s just a hobby! No one would want to buy my stuff.) I am trying, as I get older, to get beyond the barriers of inherent shyness and a learned lack of self-confidence. It’s tough, though. ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2000, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-an-underachievers-role-call/25680/24 "2000-07-17T15:19:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tatertot \* > \*\*Thanks everybody for your kind words. It really was a blessing in disguise because I never would have found out how much I enjoy working with children if my life had gone as previously planned. And not to brag, but I must say that I do have an aptitude for that kind of work. > > **SoMoMom** , it’s so sweet of you to lump me in with the gifted people, but really I’m not. I was just a really hard worker and very acheivement oreinted, so it was a hard blow when I found myself unable to keep up. Took away a huge chunk of self confidence that has taken me almost a decade to recover. > \*\* Tracy–you are absolutely great with kids. In corresponding with you, and reading your posts to the board I’m convinced of that–it’s not necessary to see you interact with them in person. In your response to SoMoMom, I think you’re being a bit harsh on yourself–you’ve GOT to be pretty gifted to get straight As in all honors courses. Though it is my belief that the students who do rely more on hard work than “brilliance” (lack of a better term for knowing how to take tests and get the most out of a little study) tend to find it an uphill battle when they move on from high school to college, though. I was one of these kids who could get decent grades whilst barely studying. Poor work habits made me the underachiever I am today. ☹ \*\* > [@](#): > > And **DRY** , one weekend is not “quite some time”! > \*\* In being deprived of your wonderful correspondence, it sure is! You’re a really very special correspondent of mine–I hope that little issue you wrote me about was resolved (I was really worried and am still curious as to what happened–I won’t find out until tomorrow, though, as I’m taking the day off). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-get-an-underachievers-role-call/25680.md?page=1)