Participating in Class
Ask questions. Asking questions in class will make you seem engaged, and thus smart. However, your questions should be on topic, and not on something the teacher has already answered. This requires that you remain focused in class so that you do not ask repetitive or off-topic questions. Find a good balance between asking too many questions and asking too few questions. Asking only one question may be acceptable for a lecture-based class, but in a discussion-based class you will likely need to participate more. Ask “why” and “how” questions that will clarify your understanding of a topic. For example, a teacher might say, “When a liquid is heated to a certain point it will turn blue.” You can then ask, “Why would the liquid turn blue instead of yellow or orange?” or “How do you know when it has been heated enough for the color to change?” You are clearly trying to increase your knowledge by asking these types of questions.
Be critical. We all have the experience of having a view that is different from the view of another, say a classmate or a teacher. When you have a view that is contrary to the teacher’s or another student’s, bring this to the attention of the teacher or the student. Disagreeing and being critical is great for having meaningful discussions with your classmates and your teacher. In turn, this can help you appear more intelligent in class. Bring up your point of view by saying, “Well, in my experience, I think sports is a fundamental part of American culture. Research shows that 1 in 3 Americans have participated in some kind of sport in their life.” If you do not have access to statistics off the top of your head, then you might also offer an anecdote (personal story) that relates to the subject.
Think before you speak. You will not look smart if you blurt out answers or comments in class. Instead, take time to think about the question or the comment you will say or ask. Often times, this means being the last person to speak. However, taking the time to think about and refine your comment or question can make a significant difference in how you are perceived in class. When an idea pops into your head, take a minute or two to ask yourself the question to see if you can answer it on your own. If you simply cannot come up with an explanation, then proceed to ask the question. For example, "What does social performance mean? I know what performing means for actors, but what does it mean for everyday people?" You can also appear smart in class by summarizing the best points made by the class, and then by contributing your own comment or question.
Focus on what you know. When speaking up in class, focus on what you know. It is tempting to make up for what you do not know by making bizarre arguments, or by relying on second hand knowledge to answer a question. It is OK if you do not know all the answers. The best thing to do is to admit to yourself that you do not know everything. Base your questions and comments on things you are absolutely sure of, unless you are unsure and genuinely want to understand.
Cite your sources. When asking a question or commenting in class, you can appear intelligent by citing your sources. For example you can say, “I read an article in the Washington Post that says that eating sugary foods can reduce brain productivity,” or “A study conducted by a social scientist shows that asking questions during class can make your appear more intelligent.” Try to remember that random information seems suspicious and questionable.
Carry reading material that will make you look smart. Try carrying around a copy of National Geographic or the Harvard Business Review, for example. Carrying around things people associate with intelligence sends the message that you regularly read “smart” material. More importantly, it sends the message that you have the ability to understand the material presented in these magazines or books. Of course, it is better if you actually read the material you carry around with you. By reading the material, you can avoid looking phony if someone asks you what the latest article in the magazine is and you cannot answer them.
Preparing for Class
Do all of your assignments. By completing all your assignments, you will be ready to discuss the material in class. Being able to discuss the material in class will make you appear intelligent not only to your classmates, but also to your teacher. This is especially important in classes where you start with a discussion of the material and will not have time to read or review it first. You will also be able to ask questions about difficult problems or ideas that you do not understand. Make sure to complete your assignments ahead of time, i.e., at least the night before. This will give your brain a chance to process the information in time for class. You may also want to skim the material before class if you have trouble remembering it. At the end of each class, take note of all the assignments the teacher gives in class. This will ensure that you will know exactly what the teacher expects of you for the next class.
Do extra research. You can appear more intelligent in class by doing extra research on a topic of interest. Perhaps you are really interested in ancient Chinese dynasties. You could look up more information about them, and bring up these points in class. You could say in class, "I find ancient Chinese dynasties intriguing and I found some interesting information about the Chinese. Did you know they were the first people to experiment with fireworks?"
Prepare a list of questions. While you are working on your assignments, take notes on things you do not understand, or ideas that you find particularly interesting. Then, after you have completed the assignment, prepare a list of questions and comments that you can bring to class with you. You can develop questions by annotating the reading for the class. Whenever you come across something you have a question about, write the question in the margins of the text or on a notepad.
Be on time. If you are late to class, you may miss important information or announcements in the beginning of class. This way, you can avoid asking repetitive questions. Also, being on time shows respect for the teacher and your fellow classmates. You can avoid being late to class by knowing what time the class starts and by trying to get there 5 minutes early. If you are in the middle of a conversation or activity before class starts, respectfully excuse yourself from the situation so you can make it to class on time.
Increasing Your Intelligence
Read, read, read. You can also appear more intelligent in class by actually increasing your intelligence. Reading is a great way to increase your intelligence. You can read more by committing to a reading goal. Tell yourself that you will complete a book once a month. You can also subscribe to magazines or journals like National Geographic, The Economist, or Scientific American to increase your reading of relevant topics and material. Read the articles in these magazines that interest you. If something comes up in class that is related to the article, you can bring this up in a class discussion. You could say, "The concept of cultural shock reminds me of an article I read in National Geographic about an American photographer who traveled to Japan in the 1960s."
Challenge yourself. Increase your intelligence by challenging yourself. There are many different types of intelligence, so there are lots of ways that you can challenge yourself. Challenge yourself by learning something new, like a new language, a new topic of study, or a new activity, like painting. Often times challenging yourself means stepping out of your comfort zone. Therefore, once you have mastered a task, like Sudoku, for example, move onto something else to keep your brain guessing. Other examples of challenging yourself are learning to cook a meal, instead of purchasing it; reading the whole book instead of a review of the book; or, instead of giving up if you do not understand something, like how to play chess, push yourself to try to understand it. Don't think of it as a race, and don't compare yourself to others—improving your intelligence is about learning to excel where you're at.
Refrain from relying on technology. Instead of relying on technology to do things for you, learn how to do things on your own. For example, instead of relying on your GPS to get you places, learn how to get somewhere on your own. Learn the roads and how they connect. Learn how to determine which way is north, south, east, and west. Keep in mind that there are some helpful uses for technology in education, such as using the internet to conduct research and watching Youtube videos to teach yourself something new.
Believe you are smart. By believing that you are smart or that you have the capability of being smart, you will be able to convince yourself that you can learn new things. Remember that attitude is everything. If you are sitting there telling yourself that you have learned everything you need to know, you have just set up a major obstacle for yourself. Be open to new ideas and things by learning something new like how to write or how to locate constellations in the sky, for example. Remember that academic intelligence is only one type of intelligence. Emotional intelligence and behavioral intelligence are also valid and important!
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