More often than not, I personally witness society distinguish the intelligence of individuals through their perceptions. They tend to use their own standards to form a judgment of others, without taking into consideration the skills one hiddenly has.

I overhear negative discussion of others GPA, occupations, and career aspirations. How can I ignore the dividing line individuals draw to separate the “geeks and the nerds” from the “dumb jocks,” all while relentlessly calling the political party they don’t follow and may not even know much about, ignorant at best.

However, the dictionary definition of intelligence is “the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations.” (Webster) By no means, do I see a list of criteria to fulfill.

In my opinion, true intelligence derives from the ability to be an infinite learner with a drive to master the skills most important to yourself, while keeping an open mind to embrace new opportunities.

In reality, there are students who are book smart, capable of conquering any academic challenge faced. Within this, there are students who excel in the writing and reading sectors but cannot solve a math problem if their life depended on it. Or how about those who are unbelievably fluent public speakers? They may have trouble taking standardized tests. What about those who fall into the “street smart” category? Capable of transferring their experiences to handling any situation, while the 4.0 prodigy has no clue how to be independent in the real world.

Everyone is different and on their own path. Pulitzer-winning authors, movie makers, and doctors on the road to cure cancer; brilliance is around us everywhere. But life isn't about the capabilities of others; life is about what YOU do with your own intillegence.