Compliments and Validation

I received one of the greatest compliments yesterday, and here's how it went.

My friend Charlie and I were discussing the differences between American and British universities. I told him how it was still so surreal for me being here. Uni of Warwick is #4 in England. He, along with almost everyone here, applied and interviewed at Oxford and Cambridge... those are the kind of students I've been surrounded by for the past 8 weeks! Comparatively, I basically spent a semester in Princeton, for crying out loud - the people who didn't get into Harvard and Yale.

I said to him, "It's still weird to think about being here, because there was no way in hell I'd be able to get into this school if I applied!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, my school is what, number #44 in America? I mean, it's a good school, a UC. But in terms of rankings, there's no comparison. Warwick would've definitely way out of the question for me to apply."

"But... you're quite clever ('smart' in British English). Why aren't you at a high-ranking university? I don't see why not."

That was one of the greatest compliments I've ever received. I don't care that I'm not at Harvard or Yale. Like I said before, I know I'm smart and I don't really see the need to prove it to anyone. It'll show through my discussions in class, my work, and my conversations with people. But the fact that I'm capable, and someone who got offers from Oxford, London School of Economics and Leeds recognizes that too, is more than enough to validate my intelligence.

The answer to his question is a bit complex, but I'm still quite happy about where I am right now. I'm no smarter at UCI than I am at Warwick - the environment is just more recipient of intelligence and allows it to thrive.