INTP's Under 18

[Sanctum]

How has being an INTP affected your school and Social experiences thus far. My experience being INTP only started getting good (I'm 16). During middle school I was "weird" mainly because in addition to being INTP i was also an African American INTP who when to a predominantly African American school; therefore, my actions or lack thereof was sought as unorthodox in the social setting i was in. Once i started High School i felt a communal sense of respect for me and my personality, perhaps because there is more tolerance in high school due to the many different people you will find idk. How about you guys, also has finding out your MBTI help you in any way or did it not have much of an effect on you.

 

[Mello]

When I found out I was an INTP. I knew I couldn't be touched. My giant head of knowledge crushed my foes tiny brains. I crushed their egos. I murdered their egos. I raped their egos.

Um, I don't know. Things made more sense and things made less sense.

 

[tepellian]

Hmm..

I was not aware of the "INTP" designation at that point. Being how I am, however (INTP or whatever, I am quite introverted), effected a relative lack of social life for me. I didn't want more than a few friends, and I was practically oblivious to most of the people around me and their lives; the most I did with others of my own volition was meet up with a small table-top RP group once a month.

I would sometimes go when I got invited to things, which happened sporadically, and I would get dragged along with my parents to a party once in awhile. Sometimes I got dragged into giving explanations for/perspectives on things, or ideas I had come up with, otherwise I was always just in a corner somewhere.

Alone, I read books, messed around in the computer lab, pursued my own interests. I went to a few science clubs after school - not for the socializing, but for what I could learn. I might even just wander aimlessly or sit outside while everybody else was in classes, just to be left alone.

In the eyes of others, I was probably always that weird one they avoided for being a social pariah. I was in the advanced classes and all that, which was probably another social strike. I guess I sometimes ended up hanging out with a few others who were the same way.

That suited me just fine, though.

Edit: Forgot the rest of the question. The effect "INTP" (in other words, finding this designation for myself) has had on me is a bit of research I've put in to understand the system underlying, and some reflection on how accurate it is, when it is accurate, what its proper domain is, etc. It gives me a semi-useful system I can use to analyze and consider the people around me, and my relation to them, though I'm not convinced it is flexible or diverse enough to cover the full range of human complexity.

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

Um, I don't know. Things made more sense and things made less sense.

This.

Also:

I don't know. I used to try hard to be social and friendly and whatnot (I still am a fairly sociable person anyway). But about a year ago I stopped caring as much. I still have friends and I still hang out with them and I can laugh and yell and do all of the "normal" things that "normal" people do. However, I put considerably less effort into maintaining my human relationships than I did even, say, a year ago. I don't make the first contact with people about hanging out unless I really want to (which only really happens when I'm sick of being at home/around my parents). On the whole I'd say I'm happy. I have friends that I can have fun with. I have plenty of free time to do as I wish. And I have just enough of an intellect to get through High School with a minimal amount of effort. The only real source of friction that comes from my "INTPness" is with my parents. They're always going on about how I spend too much time on my computer and how I should hang out with friends more and blah blah blah. In fact, my friends (the ones I generally like) are the ones that introduced me to MBTI and on the whole are a generally accepting and diverse group of friends so when I say I'm not going to a social event or whatever, they're totally understanding of that.

As to whether or not finding out my type has helped in any way, I'd say that it did somewhat. Before I found out, I tried my best to be social. I had friends and whatnot but I was still a weird guy and I didn't have any really good friends or anything. Now that I get that I'm not the best at playing the social game, I actually feel like I have good friends that understand me and I don't really give a damn about anyone else.

Not to say I just don't give a shit about anyone other than my friends. I'm still polite and I can put on a smile when it's necessary. I just don't reach out as much.

 

[Beholder]

When I found out I was an INTP. I knew I couldn't be touched. My giant head of knowledge crushed my foes tiny brains. I crushed their egos. I murdered their egos. I raped their egos.

I like you.

 

[Mello]

I like you.

I don't like pedophiles.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I found out about MBTI around the time I was peaking on astrology and other spiritual/personality theories. I might have been under 18, I can't remember, but I was in highschool nonetheless. It put some things into perspective and gave me a sense of understanding of people, but mostly myself, which is important because at that time I was really lost on a personal level. Not that I'm not lost now, but now I know a bit of what's out there and I've developed tools to help along on the journey to wherever I'm going in this world.

 

[Beholder]

I only discovered MBTI a few months ago (I'm 21), I think if I had known about it growing up it would have helped a lot. Or it might have just made me more comfortable with being alone, and I wouldn't have had any friends or social skills.

 

[P.H.]

I didn't know I was INTP during high school. At first I got bullied because I was an easy target. I didn't like the stuff other classmates liked (shopping, shoplifting even, passing out by holding your breath in a certain way, popular tv shows, impressing others, what other people do, stupid teenage stuff like that) (I was really into astronomy and math) so I didn't really have anything to connect with them and I guess they thought I was weird. Some people liked me for doing my own thing but most of the time it just woke the bullies up.

When we grew older the bullying stopped and I found my place in class. I still wasn't popular but at least people respected me and I had a small group of friends. I also remember being quite unhappy, unemotional. I approached everything in a purely logical way and didn't give much about my own or other people's feelings. I also didn't like the education system. It was all about reproduction and there was no room for playfull learning. The what if's, what about's and other ways of solving problems.

Near the end I tried harder because I wanted to prove everyone who said I couldn't do it wrong. During high school I got repeatedly told I couldn't do those subjects, couldn't do that level, etc. Very frustrating. I passed my exams brilliantly and the teachers were surprised. Some older friends couldn't believe it and even laughed when I told them I scored an average of 8/10.
I also got a little popular near the end because it was now "cool" to have your own opinion.

So that was high school in a nut shell.

As to how it would've effected me if I'd know I was INTP, I think so. I was very uncertain about myself and sometimes genuinly thought I was weird. If everyone thought so, I must be, right?
I have more insight now in how I work. Before, it was a massive black box and I didn't understand anything about myself. Figuring out I was INTP made me feel a little calmer on the inside and consequently grow and actively develop as a person. I'm slowly getting a grip on my emotions and I now focus on things I'm good at, in stead of the things people thought I should be.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

Two words, Hannibal Lecture. Taking apart belief systems is fairly easy when the other person is in their teens.

 

[Smithers10030]

I discovered I was INTP just last year. Right now, I'm 13. I've easily earned a place in my classroom with my logic and creativity (they always ask me to draw stuff for them). As I am typing this, I am listening to George Carlin. I am seriously doubting my religion. (Christianity VS. Carlinism).

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

How has being an INTP affected your school and Social experiences thus far.

I didn't find out about the MBTI until I was in college, but I was lucky to get there. My school district was a victim of the brain drain following the collapse of the steel and coal industries in southwest PA. Basically, I grew up (actually moved there at age 8) in a place where all of the smart/rich/middle class had left and only the poor, with all of their sociological stereotypes, remained. To summarize this in a single sentence: according to the CDC, 98.9% of the population has consumed an alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days.

Throughout middle school I was bullied pretty severely because I was the exact opposite of the bulk of the student body: introverted and smart. I was expelled and sent to a Catholic high school, where I was subsequently expelled again, readmitted, and graduated with a whopping ~1.7 GPA.

In short, my teen years sucked, you should never make terroristic threats regardless of the extent of your knowledge of chemistry, and college kicks ass.



As far as the MBTI goes, it's helped me understand myself a little better, but more importantly, it helps me understand other people.

 

[Mello]

How has being an INTP affected your school and Social experiences thus far. My experience being INTP only started getting good (I'm 16). During middle school I was "weird" mainly because in addition to being INTP i was also an African American INTP who when to a predominantly African American school; therefore, my actions or lack thereof was sought as unorthodox in the social setting i was in. Once i started High School i felt a communal sense of respect for me and my personality, perhaps because there is more tolerance in high school due to the many different people you will find idk. How about you guys, also has finding out your MBTI help you in any way or did it not have much of an effect on you.

You're acting like being INTP is a diagnosis for a disease and the characteristics of the personality are the symptoms.

You're human. So are ESFJs even if you don't understand them. (I'm making assumptions, but I think they're most likely true.)

There's nothing 'wrong' or 'right' with any of these personalities. You display characteristics of all the types. (Again, making assumptions.)

(INTPs are the best, by the way. They truely are. Who cares about ESFJs? PFFFT. ENTJs? hahahahahaha ENFPs? They act like they're everyone's friends! [They are.] {No, they're not})

 

[NO_ARM_NINJA]

Most of my life I've skated through the school system, maintaining perfect test scores and doing just enough homework to pass, my parents and my teachers never really understood it, I always got that "youre so smart, just apply yourself" talk, and I hated it. I'm in my junior year now, and I have finally found a challenge in my math class, but its difficult to tell if im actually being challenged or if my teacher just sucks, either way it's something different at least. Last year my school began implementing a system where grades were based solely on tests, so my grades have vastly improved. most of the time I can find myself getting the highest grade in the class on something and feeling completely indifferent about it, because it honestly gets old after 11 years, and its really annoying when teachers draw attention to it, It makes me feel like an outcast.

As for discovering my MBTI type, after reading a bunch of different descriptions after a test told me I was INTP (never had anther result, but lets not get into the "YOU ARENT AN INTP!" argument that seems to come up in every thread everywhere...) and i decided that the type really made sense of my life, my laziness, my intellect, my dislike of attention. After finding my type i just felt like I belonged somewhere, even if that somewhere was barely a sliver of the population.
I also noticed that after discovering my type I began to exhibit the qualities of it more strongly, i dont know if this is because i felt more comfortable with them or because i found it as an ideal type for me and wanted to make myself the absolute epitome of an INTP. but its just a thought

 

[Awaken]

Like NO_ARM_NINJA, I pretty much skated through school all of my life. It was never a huge deal to me. I recall one day in sophomore year of High School, my teachers wanted me to take a test to be placed into the harder math classes. I remember being very confused about why I was being singled out for such an action. I dont think I ever really considered myself smart because although I did well numerically in school, I was more interested in answering the questions of my own internal dialogue. Come senior year, I am told I am at the top 10 percent of my school and I should apply to XYZ schools. It really was no big deal to me and I was confused by how much attention/influence people were beginning to have in my future. However, I went through the motions and attended a good college.

Like you, I am also African American. I went through the same downplay of intelligence prevalent in lower socioeconomic African American groups. College is when everything got interesting. For me, College was great. Not only was I surrounded by many intelligent and driven African Americans, but also an abundance of ridiculously smart yet eccentric people. It was during this time that I noticed a shift in my peer group. This shift was away from fitting in and more towards embracing ones personal identity.

I do not think that I am as socially awkward as some on this site simply for the fact that I was, unbeknownst to me, fairly popular in High School. This allowed me to escape the ridicule of being smart by my peers. Although everyone pretty much knew me, I still only interacted with a very select group of people, broadened slightly by being involved in sports.

As with education, college also had a huge impact on my life socially. Being in such close proximity with so many intelligent people inevitably forced me to work on my social skills. I am not saying that I was a social butterfly by common standards, but all things being relative, I probably was in comparison to my previous years.

I do not take too much stock in the MBTI system, however, I have found it fairly interesting. It was a breath of fresh air to finally meet a group of people who shared many of my own particular eccentricities. Whereas I thought I was fairly alone and odd before discovering MBTI in regards to my own consciousness, behavior pattern, and thought processes, MBTI has been a good vessel in helping me realize that there are others out there as well. It has also given structure to the dichotomy of different functions and given me much food for thought on how to better balance out any functions that may become too extreme/imbalanced.

 

[EditorOne]

This was my experience precisely. Different country, surely a different decade, but parallel in every respect. Thank you PH. :

"I didn't know I was INTP during high school. At first I got bullied because I was an easy target. I didn't like the stuff other classmates liked (shopping, shoplifting even, passing out by holding your breath in a certain way, popular tv shows, impressing others, what other people do, stupid teenage stuff like that) (I was really into astronomy and math) so I didn't really have anything to connect with them and I guess they thought I was weird. Some people liked me for doing my own thing but most of the time it just woke the bullies up.

When we grew older the bullying stopped and I found my place in class. I still wasn't popular but at least people respected me and I had a small group of friends. I also remember being quite unhappy, unemotional. I approached everything in a purely logical way and didn't give much about my own or other people's feelings. I also didn't like the education system. It was all about reproduction and there was no room for playfull learning. The what if's, what about's and other ways of solving problems.

Near the end I tried harder because I wanted to prove everyone who said I couldn't do it wrong. During high school I got repeatedly told I couldn't do those subjects, couldn't do that level, etc. Very frustrating. I passed my exams brilliantly and the teachers were surprised. Some older friends couldn't believe it and even laughed when I told them I scored an average of 8/10.
I also got a little popular near the end because it was now "cool" to have your own opinion.

So that was high school in a nut shell.

As to how it would've effected me if I'd know I was INTP, I think so. I was very uncertain about myself and sometimes genuinly thought I was weird. If everyone thought so, I must be, right?
I have more insight now in how I work. Before, it was a massive black box and I didn't understand anything about myself. Figuring out I was INTP made me feel a little calmer on the inside and consequently grow and actively develop as a person. I'm slowly getting a grip on my emotions and I now focus on things I'm good at, in stead of the things people thought I should be."

 

[Sanctum]

You're acting like being INTP is a diagnosis for a disease and the characteristics of the personality are the symptoms.

You're human. So are ESFJs even if you don't understand them. (I'm making assumptions, but I think they're most likely true.)

There's nothing 'wrong' or 'right' with any of these personalities. You display characteristics of all the types. (Again, making assumptions.)

(INTPs are the best, by the way. They truely are. Who cares about ESFJs? PFFFT. ENTJs? hahahahahaha ENFPs? They act like they're everyone's friends! [They are.] {No, they're not})

lol now that i look back at it, it does sound like its a disease, in my mind I hold INTP to a higher standard than the rest of the personality things so when i refer to it ,due to its rarity and low concentration, it sounds like a disease lol idk

 

[physchem]

I'm 17 now, still in high school, and I've never felt like an INTP, except when the parties, and my nearest friends came along... I am always sitting in some corner at all parties, I just can't dance. And I am frequently asked some questions like how could I just sit there and do nothing, or am I thinking about maths, or stuff like that.
But nothing was ever said in a way that would hurt me, I've never been bullied, and I try to keep myself as friendly as I possibly can.

Recently I started getting interested and annoyed with the politics in the world as well as my country. I am going to study Natural Sciences, but I can't help thinking about how much damage was don with lousy politics.

 

[Synthetix]

I didn't find out about the MBTI until after high school. If I knew I was INTP a few years ago then I think I would've got thru high school more sure of myself.

 

[Lydia]

As far as I remember when I was 14, I had taken the test getting 'ENFP'. Even being pressurized by a few members of my house to be a 'Feeling', 'Chatty' and 'Understanding' individual. It had somewhat affected me, in school I had felt that I am [unique/clever = Intuitive], yet [colorful = Feeling and Extraverted.] Thus, having gone through a tormentful condition in my head. Situations just got worse, so I relied on my extravertedness to help me cope in situations. Yes, school life was awful.

But now finding out I am INTP and supposingly being a college student, it would not change me nor define me as a person. It is just a book with definitions is all. Apparently having some traits from these roots makes me feel just normal and the vibe I could 'possibly' be giving to be monotone.

 

[AkaruiRain]

Socially awkward to the max.. Crazy ideas that got me the trust of some classmates.

Overall, people don't know what to think of me.


Felt really good when I got an A on my english paper, while the valedictorian got a B or B+. Hell yeah.

 

[Wormwood]

I usually just sat in class and read the text book while everyone else asked stupid questions. I would write essay after essay in English about the blatant flaws of the system, until I finally just said "Fuck it," and took a test to get out of High school. I'm going to college in the fall.

As far as the social aspect of it was concerned, I had about 3 friends who I'd joke around with, and that's it. I don't particularly miss it.

Probably doesn't answer the question, since it's been months since I left, and only about a month since I've known that I'm an INTP.

 

[shrub77]

Currently a freshman,
Frustrated with all the pointless work we get, its obnoxious, found out i was INTP last month, always been socially awkward, Use prefect grammer (except on teh interwebz :P)
Correct my teachers to the point i get kicked out. I also corrected her on the content she was teaching us, often. Very small social group. Mostly spend time in the library or arguing with the administration about the pointless crap the shove down our throats.

People think I'm crazy becuase of my ideas to control population or the national debt.

I mean..who wouldn't buy a crotch watch! or a bulletproof condom...

 

[Roran]

I'm currently a sophomore in high school. I don't really have any friends, because I don't really talk to anyone, which is because I cannot tolerate regular people's bullshit (or so I tell myself). I do my classwork, and read (3-4 200-500 page books every 5 day week) to keep from going out of my skull with boredom and saying all the things I keep to myself (for their benefit, you understand). In short, it is fucking horrible.

 

[shrub77]

I'm currently a sophomore in high school. I don't really have any friends, because I don't really talk to anyone, which is because I cannot tolerate regular people's bullshit (or so I tell myself). I do my classwork, and read (3-4 200-500 page books every 5 day week) to keep from going out of my skull with boredom and saying all the things I keep to myself (for their benefit, you understand). In short, it is fucking horrible.

Lots of books, what do you read? Haven't read in a while, can't find anything good, finished my physics book last week

 

[BridgeOfSighs]

I'm currently a sophomore in high school. I don't really have any friends, because I don't really talk to anyone, which is because I cannot tolerate regular people's bullshit (or so I tell myself). I do my classwork, and read (3-4 200-500 page books every 5 day week) to keep from going out of my skull with boredom and saying all the things I keep to myself (for their benefit, you understand). In short, it is fucking horrible.

This kind of reminds me what I was like in high school...and I'm not sure I was an INTP.
Luckily, I didn't become completely batshit insane.
Unluckily, I went to a college that was just like my high school. Only it was worse because I had to follow rules in my own apartment when my parents rarely placed restrictions on anything.

It'll be over soon enough.

 

[Roran]

I re-read the same 50~ books over and over again because I don't really have the time (or the inclination, really) to try and find something tolerable at my local library. These include Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials (the whole trilogy in one book, currently in my backpack), the Hunger Games series, various dystopian future books (can't really describe them in another way) which includes books like Neuromancer and Brainjack, and also the Mortal Instruments series (think Twilight, but less shitty in every way possible, and about demon hunters, not vampires). All of the books I read for fun are fiction, by the way.

Also, with some luck, I'll be going to a residential STEM-based high school next year. It's not a guarantee just yet, but I think my odds are good.

 

[shrub77]

Have you read hitchhikers guide? Good sci fi book with a lot of funny paradoxicals. Gave me a headache, and quite a few laughs

 

[Roran]

Nope. But I might now, because I'm tired of seeing references to it on TvTropes and not knowing them.

 

[Nauiz]

Hmm....well, I'm in my senior year; knowing my personality type is kind of null and void at this point since I started doing online school after sophomore year, so I could escape the restrictions of the public school system and get a job.

However, looking back it does explain a lot,....my inability to apply myself despite obvious intelligence, my social anxiety, etc., possibly even my ADD (there's another thread on here that talks about the correlation....statistics seem to coincide the two anyways).

However, it doesn't bother me much now, since the few people I really liked at the High School, I see now. I just don't have to see everyone else, and I have plenty of time to self educate myself on the things I really find interesting.
I do worry though....whether being alone with the internet like this, and people who understand and love for my eccentric personality, is kind of spoiling me. Maybe I'll enter that big 'ol world and realize the little social tolerance I used to have has been completely depleted, and that bureaucracy is even more suffocating and miserable.

Either way, when I started looking into INTP, it made sense, and it all applied, but it wasn't anything I hadn't come to understand about myself....just a category.

Weirdly though...the first time I took the test in my Freshman year. I was an INFP.....I suppose it felt right at the time, but INTP is definitely what I am now. I'm not sure why I switched from strongly Fe to strongly Te....but I have some theories. Mainly involving a heavy sense of denial, that I had to be kind of shocked out of.

 

[Wasp]

I'm currently a sophomore in high school. I don't really have any friends, because I don't really talk to anyone, which is because I cannot tolerate regular people's bullshit (or so I tell myself). I do my classwork, and read (3-4 200-500 page books every 5 day week) to keep from going out of my skull with boredom and saying all the things I keep to myself (for their benefit, you understand). In short, it is fucking horrible.

Basically my situation right now except with mild Aspergers and an ESFJ mother.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

No longer under 18.

 

[Lobstrich]

When I found out I was an INTP. I knew I couldn't be touched. My giant head of knowledge crushed my foes tiny brains. I crushed their egos. I murdered their egos. I raped their egos.

Quote of the week! Month maybe.