“I Never Dared to Ask You Out”

And Other Weird Interactions I’ve Had as an Academically Bright Young Woman.

At my university graduation. Photo by the author.

As a widely recognised know-it-all, I’ve experienced all sorts of reactions from those around me. I’ve always been academically smart, top of my class at school and in university, and always seemed to have had a natural ability to thrive in an education environment.