18 people who were 'gifted' students reveal what they're doing now.
Sometimes having an extraordinary gift in childhood can be a burden as you age, with many people feeling as though they 'peaked' in second grade classical musical camp or math club...
So, when a Reddit user asked, 'People who were 'gifted' in elementary school: what are you doing in life now?' people were ready to share how their adult lives turned out after being an exceptionally talented child. Note to self: be grateful you weren't a child star.
1.
Cashier. I can count your change like a motherf*cker though. - Knyfe-Wrench
2.
I peaked in grade 5. It was a good ride while it lasted, tho. - claytrontom
3.
I'm staying in school bc I don't believe I'll thrive anywhere else. So I'm getting degree after degree. - guns_and_angels
4.
I'm doing the only thing a know-it-all smart a*s can do- I'm a librarian! - bigbabyjesus76
5.
Tattooing for 20+ years now. I consider myself fairly successful. I’ve a had a pretty fulfilling life so far. It’s had its ups and down, but it’s good. - nathantattoo
6.
Sold a company @ 26 and live in Hawaii now. Decided I didn't want to be a part of the bay area BS and took my family to live a better life. - MilkFirstThenCereaI
7.
About to get married and start a new job working on rocket engines for satellite launches. - Mudrin
8.
I’m a celebrity household manager with two degrees and a dog! - miabohemia
9.
I was gifted. Graduated valedictorian. Decided I didn't want to work hard in college. Got a bullsh*t degree in psychology from a state school. 6 years post graduation, currently make $150k as a Technical Project Manager working 15 hours a week. It's great. - ComprehensiveEnd88
10.
Honestly, I’ve got a good life. Got a master’s degree and certification in a job that I find really rewarding and challenging. I still love to learn. I have a great relationship with my SO and a pretty cool kid. I’m still friends with some of my gifted buddies (despite living all over the US). And I would say we are pretty content with our lives. - hellosweetie88
11.
I own my own business. Being 'gifted' was kind of a roadblock though and it should be done away with generally. Instead of understanding that I have an easier time figuring things out, I rather often thought that the things which weren't easy were just generally impossible and didn't even try to do them. - BillScorpio
12.
Working late nights in bars, drinking and partying way too much. Making terrible choices but honestly having a pretty damn good time. - thebittercupcake
13.
I was a little gifted. Now I’m a college librarian. When my kindergarten teacher told my father I had a lot of potential, my father replied, “Are we talking about the same kid?” - The_Possessor
14.
I design touch screen remote controls (and the software that runs on them) for a living. Remember when you were in algebra in school and you asked, “When am I going to use this? When is anyone going to use this?” It’s me. I’m the one. I use it every single day. - Darnitol1
15.
NASA Engineer. - alvintf3
16.
Roadie for concert productions - paradisepunchbowl
17.
Got an undergrad in philosophy. Then law school. Then corporate contracts attorney for 10 years. Now I do contracting IT, workflow and process design for corporate Legal and RevOps departments. It pays the bills and is challenging, but it's not a passion. I don't think I ever really found a passion. Probably never will. That's ok, I think. - drippysock
18.
Senior software architect. Discovered I had a knack for programming my sophomore year in college many moons ago. Made a career out of it. - Xyrus2000