College Success Tip # 57 - Don't Dumb Yourself Down!
Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
Daniel 6:3
Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men,
Colossians 3:23
Don’t dumb yourself down to impress anyone or to make people feel good about themselves. Many higher education students don’t understand the value of consistency and working hard.
But there are a select few of college students who will aim towards the target of their academic and God-honoring targets not worrying or focusing on how others feel as it relates to them working hard to obtain their goals. In doing this those students excel in many areas of their personal and academic lives. A person can dumb themselves in several ways and I encourage Higher education students to shine even when peer attacks ensue from classmates, friends and even from colleagues.
There will be times when you can’t let people know what you have going on but I am encouraging students not to take on the acts, behaviors, attitudes or causes of classmates to please them for inclusion and acceptance all whilst one is failing and spiraling down an academic pit of destruction.
It happens all too much and so frequently where a student is in a college class and a scenario like the following occurs:
A higher education student is enrolled in class and someone they are interested in personally, a peer, a group of people who are a part of a college club or organization is in the class and they over hear individuals say something to their peers referring to the class or the teacher stating negative things like “this class is boring” “whoever is studying in this class has no life” “The teacher is so dumb” “This professor is a dimwit, they have no life.” “Oh they only reason any one could pass this class is because they are geeks and I can’t stand stuck up geeks”. Now for someone who is easily persuaded and has low self-esteem those comments have now taken root. For the weak minded or a people pleasing person they now will aim to make it their goal not be seen as “geeky” “loser” “nerd” “someone with no life” so they Dumb themselves down to appease someone who they probably never will see again after the semester comes to an end.
If you are bold let them call you a “geek”, while you pass the class and move on to bigger and better things. Sometimes the person is insecure themselves or they are stuntin and frontin not being honest about their motives.
And it will be disheartening to find out that one dumbed themselves down and the very person who was talking loud and reckless in class about other student’s dedication and success in the course received an A+ while others were feeding into their lies, manipulative tricks and traps.
It happens and It’s sad to say that people do this and they find joy doing it, and when they are confronted by the very people who they had this stronghold over about making an A+ (because it takes effort, dedication, sacrifice and commitment to do well in any course) the attacker will say something like “ I never told you to not do your work” “I never said that I wasn’t a nerd” “Who are you, why does my opinion matter to you so much.” “I was just joking.” ”I was only playing.” “You are grown, right, I never told you to fail the class.”
That is a clear wake up call for one not to dumb themselves down. It happens amongst so called friends, peers, colleagues, etc. It’s not for you to determine why the person did it, it is a preventive warning for one to always aim towards the target of success in all areas and aspects of their lives despite what others say and do to derail them.
So don’t dumb yourself down. Smarten up! Keep shining and don’t dumb yourself down for anyone! Remember in order to excel you have to shine in front of haters. Don’t focus on their actions, comments or behavior focus on how the LORD will promote you as you, (as I say all the time) Aim towards the target!
Peace & God Bless,
Aiming Towards the Target,
Dr. Bryant
