intelligence vs. experience

intelligence vs. experience

12 years of grade school (+ pre-k, but whatever that was only composed of nap time) and if you ask any senior, everything prior to a college acceptance letter is pretty much inconsequential. And everything after, well the age old adage of 'high school doesn't matter' beings to circulate. For most of us, we seek higher education only to one day amount to a steady job with good pay. Nowadays, success (which in turn leads to bank) is stemmed with the word 'intelligence'. However, intelligence alone can get you no where. I'm the type of person who would choose street smart over book smart any day, although I can say I have a good balance of both. I don't exactly know what I am trying to say, as this contrasting idea I have in my head seems a little too complicated to be articulated into words, so in the meantime it will require further exploration.

Now that I'm in college and everything seems to matter, I'm afraid that I'm beginning to already see a downward trend in my studies. I've been told careers don't look too much into GPAs, and if that's the truth, then why should I be trying when I can turn on cruise control. It's only the second quarter of my first year of secondary education so maybe I'm just way too insecure right now, but I'd hate to be penalized 4 years later for not knowing when the Australopithecus Africanus appeared on earth or the function of Broca's area , among many other things that are no way correlated with my major. This brings me to the next point that I find GUR's (General Undergraduate Requirements) a waste of time and especially money. However, I can see how it would be convenient for people still exploring majors. Though at this time, I don't feel like it is necessary for me to further my learning in the sciences and humanities, and whatever else I need to complete before I can start learning design which is my intended major. At this rate, it won't be until nearly my junior year. It is this fact alone that makes me wish I had attended an art school instead.