I think the 'duck' idea (I have never heard it phrased that way but certainly understand it) is fairly prevalent. Although on the other hand, there is a lot of people actually bragging about how busy they are, and how, "Oh, I am never going to get all this done!" but in a sort of off-handed, disregarding manner, which I think is often trying to cover up their stress.
As for anti-intellectualism . . . I would say if anything the problem is the reverse. In my experience people will sometimes admonish each other for talking about academic stuff too much, but playfully. Academic subjects are discussed a lot.
Both of these might be more the circles I run in than how things are over all of Stanford, though.
It's been my experience that people aren't afraid to admit that they're stressed out over work. And I don't feel like people try and put up a facade. If you bring it up, people will definitely agree that they're getting their asses kicked in class, just like you might be.
You tend to talk about class a lot more if you hang out with people you have classes with. Classic example being SLE: right now, if I were to walk down the hall and see another freshman in my dorm, I'd ask how his/her paper is going. And we'd both agree that this paper is owning us all.
The key to avoiding the "duck syndrome" and "anti-intellectuality" is making a conscious effort to create an open environment with your peers, where you don't feel like you shouldn't show weakness.
I'm familar with the duck analogy. The more time I spend at stanford, the less true i think it is. Once you get to know people more closely, you're more willing to admit when you're having a tough time with classes and work and be able to share war-stories with each other. I think it's more of a freshman thing, where you still think you're the shit because you were valedictorian and because of that, you have hard time admitting that you're no longer the best at your school. This goes away over the course of the first year. By senior year, you laugh at all the frosh who have yet to realize that just getting into Stanford doesnt mean you're set for life
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duckies...hm...i think there's a difference between being accustomed to succeeding and pretending to be succesful at everything. i think just like at any really "smart" school, kids are used to doing really really well in high school and sometimes it's a little bit uncomfortable to admit that you got a C on something, but just like in the smart kid circle in high school people get over it and it's totally okay to be stressed out and pull all nighters. sleep deprivation is something we all have in common :D
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to be honest, i never heard of the duck syndrome till i got here. but i really think it depends on the people that you hang around with. if you're one of those people who puts up that kinda front, most likely you'll attract those people too. personally, i find myself to be real about how i'm doing, and if i'm doing shitty, i'm not going to pretend like everything is ok. maybe cause i was just never one of those people who got an a+ in everything in high school and i did have to work a little. so, to sum up, there are some people who continue to pretend like everything is all ok, but i find a larger majority tend to be real with you if you're real with them
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As for anti-intellectualism . . . I would say if anything the problem is the reverse. In my experience people will sometimes admonish each other for talking about academic stuff too much, but playfully. Academic subjects are discussed a lot.
Both of these might be more the circles I run in than how things are over all of Stanford, though.
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You tend to talk about class a lot more if you hang out with people you have classes with. Classic example being SLE: right now, if I were to walk down the hall and see another freshman in my dorm, I'd ask how his/her paper is going. And we'd both agree that this paper is owning us all.
The key to avoiding the "duck syndrome" and "anti-intellectuality" is making a conscious effort to create an open environment with your peers, where you don't feel like you shouldn't show weakness.
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