INTPs and High School

[JR_IsP]

Hello there! Well, do you INTPs were considerated like loners, or nerd, or weird in High School? Why?? That's what I'm wondering. I recently read this essay about why nerds are umpopular, and I'm wondering if this applies to INTPs in general, or it's more like being in the bad place in the bad moment?

Why are we weird? It's because of our deep introversion? Or not having Se impulses to do stupid teen things? Or it's just me?

 

[Rixus]

I was extremely unpopular in High School. Kind of like a male version of Carrie, but without the telekinesis or religious mother. So unpopular, even the nerd group wouldn't have me because it was bad for their reputation. I was picked on so badly I genuinely considered suicide more than once, and at one point got as far as tying a noose to a tree and was about to jump when I changed my mind decided to see it through. Figured what was a few more years compared to several decades. I think rather than that being a product of my introverted nature, it made me the introvert I am now.

Afterwards, I tried for years to fit in as a normal human and be a bit more outgoing and eventually decided I was more comfortable being introverted. "Why?" is a complicated question, but to avoid a long story I was made a target on entering high school by the older students, and everyone else just sort of fell in line and joined in the target to get their rep.

I was admittedly a bit weird and a total nerd, but I hope my experience isn't representative of other INTP's.

 

[Jennywocky]

In middle school I was horribly picked on.

By high school, I just became invisible to anyone outside the music programs. No one cared, no one even paid attention to me. They were in control of all the social cliques and student government, etc., and that occupied their focus.

I had my own little social area in the band and choir programs and did well there and never really went outside of it.

I don't think the "nerd" status is that bad of a thing nowadays, society has loosened up a bit and nerds have functions in a tech society when non-nerds can't figure stuff out.

 

[420MuNkEy]

By High School I'd developed sort of a reputation for only being there because I was legally compelled. I didn't participate in anything the class was doing, and the teachers all became apathetic to this fact after the first month or so of trying to get me to engage. I didn't really talk to anyone outside my circle of friends, all of whom were somewhat outsiders (though less so than myself) and was mostly left alone by everyone else. I was probably seen as a weird druggie burnout, but I really don't know. I know people knew I was a smart fuck, because I'd ace tests without having done any work and regularly showed up to class noticeably intoxicated. Some of my only interactions with the "regular" people were in how they'd express shock at my success on tests and when they'd ask me why I didn't do anything (to which I'd respond "eh, I don't feel like it").

I dropped out as soon as I legally could.

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWmNi_VVVko

 

[JR_IsP]

My own experience was something similar, first they "other people" tried to fit me in, but when they stopped laughing of stupid bad jokes, they were like "wow, this guys is smart", but that didn't make them stop. I really hated groupal works, specially because parasites just tried to be with me because the wanted good grades. When I was new I accepted them because I wanted to fit, but I quickly realized that it was toxic for me.

By the time I was in the last year I was pretty loner, my only friend (an ENTP) was the only guy nice with me, we're both musicians and we share our love for crazy ideas and writing, beyond him, the only social interactions with other were none.

I think rather than that being a product of my introverted nature, it made me the introvert I am now.

Yeah, maybe that was also me, thinking it like that. I was also the younger one by 2 years in the class, so that contributed to be a target for them. Thanks God it ended.

 

[JimJambones]

I had the weird combination of being a nerd and an artists who drew weird things, so I was a little extra weird. I was picked on a little bit, but I used to crush their little heads with my thumb and index finger, making me feel warm and fuzzy inside as their heads turned to mush. I was really quiet and kept to myself mostly.

 

[Nymus Anon]

Strangely, people seem to like me even though I'm weird. Maybe it's because I'm weird, and that I don't really care about much.

 

[Creeping Death]

I was a drug dealer in high school so I was popular regardless of my odd behavior.

 

[Ex-User (12972)]

I'm currently in high school.
In terms of reputation, I'm more of a loner. I'm genuinely quiet and always have a book on the side. I'll alternate between writing poetry, doodling, and researching when there's some class time to spare. I have a few friends here and there, but seldom interact with them outside of school. I'm simply not close enough to them for that, and prefer to devote my time to my independent studies.

On the topic of studies, I'm not terribly proficient in school. I do just enough to get by, but I never truly apply myself. Part of me could care less. I really ought to try harder, but I consistently spot flaws in the school's curriculum and it peeves me off. I feel as though I'm wasting my time. The majority of what I learn is not applicable to my life; in addition, not much of the material taught interests me.

I also have a terrible time relating to my peers. I can't even begin to tell you how many people despise me, simply because I'm one of the few individuals with the audacity to speak up against them.. In all fairness, they get away with a lot of shit. The teachers have gone soft and they fear that the kids will go tattling off to their parents, should they take any disciplinary action. It puts them in a difficult position because they don't want to get landed in trouble. I've been scolded on multiple occasions for pointing out the logical discrepancies in another student's behavior, and even though some of my fellow peers may agree that the student is out of hand, our teachers seldom do anything about it. 'Tis frustrating, to say the least.

 

[JR_IsP]

Well, let me tell you something I learned in High School. Apply yourself. Get good grades. YOU NEED IT. Even if you want to be a writer, or write poetry, you really need it.

When I was in High School I didn't really applied too much (maybe because I have talent for math and physics), but trust me, one you graduate, there's an infinite world of posibilities open to you, you only need good grades. Yeah, I also think that the most subjects wasn't interesting to me.

But apply yourself, study! It will help a lot in ways that you can't imagine. And don't say that you can't study and you need help, because the TiNe combination is the best for studying, you only need to focus. Btw, if you think that's it's too boring (like I thought too many times), we don't need to study in a regular way. Use your TiNe, break everything apart, until the very basis of it, learn about how this connects with other things, learn the 5 questions of it (what, when, where, who and why)... really, it will help you a lot. That's my only advice.

And once you get good grades, you can not only feel like you're better than the others, you'll be better.

 

[0neKiwi]

Currently in high school:
I only ever get interested in something in class when some topic is brought up. Instead of doing classwork though, I usually research other stuff; classwork is annoying and gets in the way of research. "Research" ends when class is over. For some reason, it's hard to get me motivated to research outside of school.

I'm usually a loner, and nobody really notices me- if I had some title, it would probably be "the person that sits at location x." If I ever do talk to people, it's usally about what I missed while researching. I enjoy seeing my GPA above 4.0

(As for the future, it isn't appealing. I'm (extraordinarily) lazy, and would not like to work in an office job or stay on one topic for the rest of my life (8 hrs or more per day). I don't see a reason to keep on living if that's the path I'm traveling.)

 

[Ex-User (12972)]

Currently in high school:
I only ever get interested in something in class when some topic is brought up. Instead of doing classwork though, I usually research other stuff; classwork is annoying and gets in the way of research. "Research" ends when class is over. For some reason, it's hard to get me motivated to research outside of school.

I'm usually a loner, and nobody really notices me- if I had some title, it would probably be "the person that sits at location x." If I ever do talk to people, it's usally about what I missed while researching. I enjoy seeing my GPA above 4.0

(As for the future, it isn't appealing. I'm (extraordinarily) lazy, and would not like to work in an office job or stay on one topic for the rest of my life (8 hrs or more per day). I don't see a reason to keep on living if that's the path I'm traveling.)

I can relate to the research aspect.
I value it a great deal more than my own school work.
Hmm. Of course, it frustrates my family.
What do you research?

I could never live like that.
I distract myself by researching and regurgitating the knowledge I've gained into essays and the such. That's how I feel I can contribute to society.
By theorizing and hopefully opening the minds of others in the process.

 

[420MuNkEy]

[LATEX][/LATEX]

Well, let me tell you something I learned in High School. Apply yourself. Get good grades. YOU NEED IT. Even if you want to be a writer, or write poetry, you really need it.

I couldn't disagree more. It seems this is getting less and less true now as well. Everyone is expected to have both high school and college, so having either is worthless. What's more important is aptitude, which is not demonstrated by a piece of paper.

Yeah, some employers won't let you get your foot in the door without it, but this is an obsolete way of thinking that's starting to go away, and quickly. It's becoming rather obvious to those interested in hiring useful talent that selecting for formal educational credentials doesn't actually weed out the useless people.

 

[JR_IsP]

[LATEX][/LATEX]I couldn't disagree more. It seems this is getting less and less true now as well. Everyone is expected to have both high school and college, so having either is worthless. What's more important is aptitude, which is not demonstrated by a piece of paper.

Yeah, some employers won't let you get your foot in the door without it, but this is an obsolete way of thinking that's starting to go away, and quickly. It's becoming rather obvious to those interested in hiring useful talent that selecting for formal educational credentials doesn't actually weed out the useless people.

Look, we're living in a eduacion/work system that was created during the industrial revolution, schools weren't for learning, at all, only for teaching how to accept authority without asking. Be quiet, ask nothing, don't think, and you'll be rewarded. Same at work, because in the XIX century most jobs were manual, having a title wasn't that important (not even reading), and both systems are obsolete now, the problem is, that nobody will change the system, because they don't really care, they're happy with the unthinking majority. Now, yes, in some places this is changing, but in the most places (specially outside the US), excepting to suceed without a university title is hard, or maybe impossible.

The world now is changing from manual jobs to digital ones, and you need a good handle of technology and advanced coding learnings to suceed in that area. And til a new eduaction system is made, or a new job hiring technique rises, you're going to need college titles... and you need good grades for them.

Well, unless you don't want to make some money and work for minimus wages for the rest of your life.

 

[420MuNkEy]

The world now is changing from manual jobs to digital ones, and you need a good handle of technology and advanced coding learnings to suceed in that area. And til a new eduaction system is made, or a new job hiring technique rises, you're going to need college titles... and you need good grades for them.

I am a programmer. This is an industry in which formal degrees matter the least currently, and it's rapidly progressing in that direction. I don't think you know what you're talking about.

 

[Architect]

I couldn't disagree more. It seems this is getting less and less true now as well. Everyone is expected to have both high school and college, so having either is worthless. What's more important is aptitude, which is not demonstrated by a piece of paper.

Not quite. Nobody cares about aptitude, what we really want is performance, which is why job listings have a long list of desired experience. The view of college hires is that for at least the first six months you're paying their student loans (direct quote I've heard many times, and I'd put it at a year). Fresh meat with a degree is a useless body that has the potential (we hope) to become a performer.

No college degree? Don't care about you, unless you're already a demonstrated performer, which is not typical. A degree says the person knows some stuff they'll need, and was able to get a degree. Not having a degree means you don't even rate that much. Around my day job it takes a PhD to get any respect.

In some parts of IT (code monkey) no degree and ability to sling Java or PHP might be enough, but the good jobs require the best credentials you can get and then some.

I am a programmer. This is an industry in which formal degrees matter the least currently, and it's rapidly progressing in that direction. I don't think you know what you're talking about.

Not sure where you're coming from either. Engineering is become more specialized, not less. When I got a CS undergrad some decades ago, a few courses in Data Structures, Graphics Programming and Programming Languages (oh and Operating Systems) was enough. Now that's barely getting your feet wet.

 

[420MuNkEy]

Apparently we're living in completely different realities or you're just super hell bent on getting the absolute most boring corporate jobs available.

Aptitude testing is extremely common in my experience (think FizzBuzz) and it's a hell of a lot more useful than just assuming they know what they're doing. FizzBuzz isn't actually all that common anymore (except with the aforementioned corporate dinosaurs), but rather just some other problem they have you solve as a test of your ability.

 

[tcblackwell]

I'm also currently in highschool. I can definitely relate to what some others on this thread have said about quietly going through school, always with a book or research on hand. I do well in all of my classes, though I don't really see the point of doing more than I have to in order to recieve an A. I only want good grades so that it can be easier to get a job that I might want. I only do particularly well in classes like the AP history strand, where you are already expected to already know the facts prior to class time because these classes are mainly about analysis and connecting ideas. I would normally enjoy math, but the current math department at my school has made the curriculum appeal to feelers by skipping parts that are necessary for a logical conclusion, leaving holes in the material, and only pointing out things that are already obvious. I usually end up going home and teaching myself the material. As far as the social aspect goes, most of my friends are in band (I play trumpet, even though it's not necessarily an introvert's instrument) because of how much time we spend around each other during band trips and events. Other than that, I have a few friends outside of band that I see during classes and lunch, but I mainly stick to myself.

I go to a large public highschool (around 2000 students), and I've noticed that it's really easy to lose one's individuality and assimilate with the rest of the crowd, especially in the Southern Unitem States, where you aren't "cool" if you prefer reading, writing, music, and pretty much any solitary pursuit over sports, having "balls," and doing stupid things at "lit" (I hate it when people say that) parties (there are some redeeming things about the south however, such as pleasant scenery and undeveloped land to explore, as well as an interesting folk culture). I prefer to observe the crowd from a distance, so hopefully I haven't lost any of my own personality.

In conclusion, even though highschool can particularly suck to an intp, it usually ends up building the character of this eccentric personality type. There's a lot to learn and observe, and this seems like the best time for intp's to start learning about themselves as individuals. All I can really say to my fellow counterparts who are currently in highschool like me, is to get through it. It may be a struggle, but it's a necessary struggle.

 

[Architect]

I was voted the most popular and Mr Congeniality, girls fell over themselves just to lick my boots.

No not popular, what did you expect? I was respected though for whatever reason. I did hear an interesting story relating to the fact that I blossomed late Sophomore year. Sometime after I was giving a concert with the hot Bio teacher and all the cheerleaders sitting in the bleachers. Apparently one of them remarked "what happened to Archie? He's looking pretty good these days". Whereupon the Bio teacher told them that I was the one to go after, not the popular losers they were presently dating. She said something like I was the one most likely to be well off, the most emotionally stable, etc. The 'best catch' basically.

One of the cheerleaders told me the story and my response was "OK what are you waiting for?". Well she continued to date the guy who was being a jerk to her. Anyhow, I never went to a HS reunion, but I heard later that the cheerleader always asked after me. Last I heard she was a single aerobics instructor.

 

[JR_IsP]

Well, that's deep. I can easily relate myself to your post, I just started university, but I'd like to point out a few things.

First of all, and above the others, I totally agree with this.

In conclusion, even though highschool can particularly suck to an intp, it usually ends up building the character of this eccentric personality type.

Yeah, I mean, I may be young, but I think the steel for the armor we'll use during our adult life is forged during high school. Being an INTP teenager is not easy. Especially if you're raised in an extroverted place, such as the southern US, or my case, Venezuela.

High schools in Venezuela have a very low academic level (often because of the populist government politics, they prefer to graduate more students than graduate nice ones), and as most of us, I felt like two or three steps ahead of the others, and at first (when we were all kids and it was all peace and love) it was nice, but when the puberty started to do its job... well... it was a mess. Suddenly, the same kids who I liked started to like parties, drinking alcohol and having irrational pseudo-romantics relationships while I was more into reading, or playing music (I'm a musician too), or writing historical fiction.

And after that, I stopped being treated like a cool guy who liked to help each other with their homeworks to a loner nerd anybody liked. And yes, it hurt.

So, after a few years of talking to no one and asking me why can't I be like them? I decided that I didn't really wanted to be like them. That happened like one year ago, or so.

It was kinda cool, because being an outsider allows you to see how they live. And when I stopped paying attention to them, they stopped paying attention to me. Being invisible is like the INTP dream. I really liked that period, it was like I was on school alone, self-teaching me and preparing for studying physics now.

Highschool may be the worst place on Earth for INTPs, but for all the INTPs out there, remember guys... what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Good luck for all.

 

[QuickTwist]

I listened to people talk during lunch, but only until I finished my food. Then I just stood in the hallway waiting to be released so I could go to class. I didn't really have friends in HS. I new some guys from church who tolerated me, but thought I was weird af. That is how popular I was.

 

[TAC]

During high school, I had a lot of friends/acquaintances due to the wide range of activities I was involved in (sports, pre-engineering courses/clubs, ski club), but I would say I generally played the part as a fly on the wall. I didn't really have a group of friends; it was more like I shared enough in common with 1-2 people in every friend group. All of my friend relationships were on an individual level which worked and still does work for me.
I definitely went out of my way to pick up and try as many activities as possible and forced myself to be an extrovert. Being away from my home situation was the priority in those times so I adapted to survive you could say.

 

[girlnextgrave]

In high school (I graduate in one month, thank goodness) I didn't apply myself enough. My study habits were/are terrible, yet I'm the kid who never does their homework and somehow manages to get A's consistently. I figure that will change when I enter college, because I really need to pick up the slack or I'll fall behind. As for the social aspect, I have a lot of acquaintances but I don't consider any of them friends. I usually go through periods of being social followed by periods of withdrawal and as a result, people don't reach out to me much. I don't mind though.

 

[TAC]

Dont overestimate college Grave. Sometimes you will need to do hw to appease professors in the early cookie cutter classes (sometimes you will even enjoy it, but if you pursue knowledge on your own time in your subject, your knowledge base will serve you well). Once you actually start taking the 4-5 classes that you went there for, the classes tend to become project based where you work on shit you want to work on and are occasionally tested on the things you learn throughout. I dual majored in physics and finance and didn't break much of a sweat save one semester. I also took an extra semester, but I finished out with a 3.9 in my majors (3.4 when considering liberal arts core required by my university). I was never a studying type, but you will learn that you will need too study the professors more than the course work as you will get insights. They're egos tend to dictate how they test/grade (not always the case, but you will understand when you see it)

 

[JR_IsP]

Just a simple question: How much college in the US are like abroad Universities? (I mean, I've tried to understand the US way, but... well, it's different)

Here we go a Preschool (literal translation) when we are like 2 or 3. It's 3 years.
Then we go the Basic School (again, literal translation), 6 more years.
Then we go to High School, 5 years.
And then we can go to Universities, mine for example, has a Physics program for 5 years.

I heard that in the US colleges are kinda like universities, but they aren't the same.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Just a simple question: How much college in the US are like abroad Universities? (I mean, I've tried to understand the US way, but... well, it's different)

Here we go a Preschool (literal translation) when we are like 2 or 3. It's 3 years.
Then we go the Basic School (again, literal translation), 6 more years.
Then we go to High School, 5 years.
And then we can go to Universities, mine for example, has a Physics program for 5 years.

I heard that in the US colleges are kinda like universities, but they aren't the same.

Are they really different? I haven't heard that, we do prefer saying "college" instead though. The most I could say is that some colleges here are for-profit and controversially accredited and some may be technical/workforce focused than research/academia focused(e.g. CSU system vs UC system in California).