I spent the day yesterday helping out on the final day of maths camp. It is a ten day camp for 25 of the brightest Year 10s and 11s in the country. The training helps them with competitions like the International Maths Olympiad.
Damjan takes lectures and runs many maths competitions. I often get ‘volunteered’ to help with marking and gofering. Hanging out with hyper, talented, geeky young people is fun, although I spend all my time feeling intellectually inadequate. For example, during one problem session, the teams of juniors solved up to 22 problems. I managed three, and that’s with the help of one of the lecturers.
That’s okay, though. I am quite proud of the small works that I am able to do. I like to think that with (much more) training, I might be good at maths problem solving too. Not necessarily, though. I’ve had many years of music training and I still wouldn’t call myself a musician. I believe my brother, who was far more slack about his music, is more musically gifted than I am.
I have now gathered around myself a group of friends who have had special training in maths, sports and music. They’ve been to camps, international competitions, particpated in musical productions… and they rave about how fantastic it all was. I look back on my high school days and can’t find any equivalent achievement. I didn’t devote myself to a particular goal. Instead, I flitted between public speaking, debating, music and dancing. I didn’t “own” any of these. My achievements and enjoyment of these feel small compared to the highs people experienced from science camps and music concerts. I often think I missed out on life-changing experiences.
Oh, I didn’t fail at being a teenager. I loved high school and I know there are people out there who did far less than I did. Even if I did ‘miss out’, I’m making up for it with the fun I’m having now.
I will content myself with being a Joan of all trades, master of none.
Addendum at 17 December 2004 12:24 AM: Helping out at maths camp was nothing but fun because I got to use a phat camera and gave out junk food and people loved me.
Joan,
don’t despair, I often get that feeling too. As you know, I have a strange tendancy to be involved in, like, a million things at once, and I don’t seem to be outstandingly good at any of them. Look on the bright side, its great for trivia nights, because you’ve got more bases covered. (although, if I remember correctly, we didn’t do too well in the last trivia night when we were on the same team).
Posted by Daniel
I think, Joan, that you have the wrong attitude here.
You shouldn’t admire outstandingly intelligent people and let them make you feel inferior, you should heap them with scorn and ridicule. It will make you feel much better. Try, for example, answering their tales of accomplishment with, “Oh yeah, but how many push-ups can you do?” That will shut them up every time.
Posted by mr joel