Sometimes I surprise even myself

My game was on tonight in class! We were talking about intelligence in our Individual Differences in Cognition class, and I surprised even myself with my keen insight and fluid responses. I do not know where that came from, but I spoke with authority and responded to nearly everyones' presentation with a deeper or alternative explanation for the findings. I spoke clearly and concisely and even used big words (ohhh!). I was amazed as well to find that almost every time I said something, a chorus of "Ahas!" would ensue as lightbulbs went off in peoples' heads. I'm not trying to puff myself up. I'm actually surprised and impressed with myself, having not expected such capacity in my own self.

I think what really happened was a combination of a few factors. For one, I knew almost everyone in the class and I felt very comfortable with them. Secondly, the instructor cultivated a class atmosphere in which everyone was working together to enhance each others' knowledge, rather than competing for attention and "best student" status. And third, my confidence began to soar throughout the class as I experienced success after success. Finally, after spending four-and-a-half years in graduate school (admittedly, different programs from cognitive, neuropsychological, and educational perspectives) I have finally accumulated a knowledge base vast enough to accommodate complex associative networks of information. And I have somehow managed to combine information in a quick and novel way to address questions and findings in class.

Could it be that my disposition and my graduate education have combined to form a better, more intelligent self that does thrive in the academic culture? Or perhaps, in reference to my previous post, I actually need to be in an environment that allows me to shine as a relatively superior student in order to learn in confidence, whereas competitive environments would stifle my abilities and lead to lack of learning due to high anxiety? I think that had I remained in my previous program, I would not have had as many chances to shine, so to speak.

In conclusion, intelligence is relative; I appear to be more intelligent here, whereas I would have appeared "average" in comparison to the group of students in my previous program. (Of course, I have a larger and more diverse background than some students here. I would not imply that intelligence is completely "innate" and people can be ranked in intelligence regardless of their background, but of course everyone confers with that statement nowadays. I'm just covering my backside.)