I Want To Be A Genius

An essay from junior year in high school. One of my favorite assignments of AP Language. I was n3wb5 yo.

With a few exceptions, everyone who is idolized in their field is a genius. They are looked at with admiration, and are the models for future pioneers in the respective field. These “top-performers” got to the point they are at because of their genius. They offer flawless execution of routine tasks; uncanny understanding, enthusiasm, and a special flair that brings them to a new, higher level. They are not always consistent, sometimes erratic, but always on the cusp of a breakthrough. They are able to look at a situation, and without realizing it, come up with a revolutionary new way to look at it. From this they start observing, and formulating, and genius ideas arrive.

             I am amazed with geniuses. They are fascinating to observe. They falter, but it doesn’t bother them, even if they fail they still continue on. They do not acknowledge the opinions or judgements of others, they simply produce products of themselves. It is impossible for me, or anyone to understand what genius is about because genius is so individual. It is one of the most intimate of processes. A genius’ genius is so exclusive, and unattainable that it is impossible to understand, even for the genius himself.  It is unknown if everyone possesses genius, or if it is a select few. However, one thing is certain, if I am not one, I would like to be a genius.

            I would like to be able to process situations more adeptly, whether they be analytical, social, technical, or spiritual. I would like to create great works of myself, whether mastered, and perfected over a lifetime of sacrifice and repetition, or impulsively released from a spontaneous act of that “genius force” that I believe is, or is only comparable to divine intervention. I would like to be able to see not only my own unique perspectives, but the perspectives of those around me. I would like to be able to take in information, and retain it almost flawlessly, then proceed to use my personal genius to apply it further in whatever I’m doing. I would like to be the example to all those following in my field, the person who’s genius awakens, or strengthens another’s. I want to make the absolute most of what I have, and succeed in most of the things that I attempt. I want to be able to bounce back from defeat, and personal failure without missing a step, without dwelling in the negative, and continuing to carry on through adversity.  I do not want to have extreme power over others, or be a superhuman, or god; rather I am simply curious for things that are beyond human capacity, levels that are yet to be reached, and genius that is yet to be created. The complexity of one’s genius is mysterious, and unexplorable. It is comparable to counting to infinity, one cannot truly start because it is a fact that the journey will never truly end, and no progress will be made. However, who wouldn’t want to be a genius, in order to become a tiny bit closer to a level of understanding that hasn’t been seen before, that every mind is sure to be curious about.

Author's Note

An essay from junior year in high school. One of my favorite assignments of AP Language. Pretty rough, unpolished, written in probably 20 minutes. However, I feel the ideas are there, and have high potential to be expressed greatly.