Book vs Street Smart | Uyen Nhu Lai | TEDxVinschoolHanoi

Summary

The speaker recounts their memorable experiences in Australia, participating in the Walt's Girls Cup, a competition that tests various skills. They emphasize the importance of both 'book smarts' and 'street smarts,' highlighting the need for practical intelligence in real-life situations. The talk concludes with advice on overcoming communication barriers and embracing opportunities for personal growth through social interaction and diverse experiences.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The speaker reminisces about their memorable experiences in Australia, highlighting the country's natural beauty, cuisine, and friendly people.
• 🏆 The story revolves around the speaker's participation in the Walt's Girls Cup (WSC), a competition involving debate, writing, and multiple choice assignments, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and diverse skills.
• 🎖️ The speaker vividly describes the exhilaration of winning the regional round in Hanoi and the pride of receiving medals, showcasing the value of hard work and achievement.
• 📚 The preparation for the global round involved extensive research and study, indicating the dedication and effort required to excel in such competitions.
• 🏙️ The unexpected challenge in Sydney, where the speaker faced a question not covered in their studies, led to a realization about the limitations of 'book smarts'.
• 🤔 The encounter with a question outside the curriculum prompted a shift in perspective, leading the speaker to understand the concept of 'street smarts' versus 'book smarts'.
• 🛤️ The speaker contrasts 'book smarts', which is knowledge-based, with 'street smarts', which involves practical intelligence and adaptability to real-life situations.
• 🌐 The importance of gaining life experience and stepping out of one's comfort zone is stressed, as it contributes to becoming more well-rounded and street smart.
• 🤝 The speaker emphasizes the value of networking and communication, suggesting that these skills are crucial for personal and professional growth.
• 💪 The talk encourages overcoming communication barriers and viewing social interactions as opportunities for sharing ideas and gaining confidence.
• 🌟 The final takeaways are to 'go outside' and embrace diversity and challenges, and to approach social situations with an open mind and a willingness to learn and grow.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's story about their visit to Australia?

The main theme of the speaker's story is the experience and lessons learned from participating in the Walt's Girls Cup competition in Australia, highlighting the importance of different types of intelligence and the value of street smarts over book smarts.

What is the Walt's Girls Cup (WSC) competition?

The Walt's Girls Cup (WSC) is a team-based competition where participants compete in various events such as debates, writing, and multiple-choice assignments, with the aim of advancing through different rounds to a final round at Yale University in the US.

How did the speaker's team perform in the regional round of the WSC held in Hanoi?

The speaker's team performed exceptionally well in the regional round, winning at least two gold medals each and securing two cups for the best average result, which led to their advancement to the global round.

What was the unexpected challenge the speaker encountered during the third day of the global round in Sydney?

The unexpected challenge was a randomized team challenge outside, where the speaker had to compete with scholars from different nationalities and found that the questions were not from the provided curriculum, which left her feeling unprepared and unsure.

Why did the speaker initially feel unprepared and shocked during the third day's challenge?

The speaker felt unprepared and shocked because the questions were not part of the curriculum they had studied extensively, and she had not encountered such questions before, which contradicted her belief in the importance of book smarts.

What is the difference between 'book smart' and 'street smart' as described by the speaker?

Book smart refers to the ability to acquire and apply knowledge from books and formal education, while street smart involves practical intelligence, adaptability, and decision-making based on real-life experiences and social dynamics.

How did the speaker's perspective on intelligence change after the competition experience?

The speaker's perspective changed from valuing book smarts to recognizing the importance of street smarts and the need for adaptability, creativity, and practical intelligence in real-life situations.

What are some of the solutions the speaker suggests to gain more life experience and become more street smart?

The speaker suggests volunteering, traveling, and joining outside projects or extracurricular activities as ways to gain more life experience and become more street smart.

What is the significance of communication barriers in the context of the speaker's talk?

Communication barriers are significant as they can hinder effective interaction and understanding between individuals, but the speaker also points out that the younger generation is fortunate to have fewer barriers due to technological advancements and global integration.

What advice does the speaker give for overcoming emotional communication barriers?

The speaker advises to view social situations as opportunities for sharing ideas and beliefs rather than as threats, and to approach conversations with an open mind and a willingness to learn and grow.

What are the two main takeaways from the speaker's talk?

The two main takeaways are to go outside one's comfort zone to gain diverse experiences and to approach social situations with an open mind, viewing them as opportunities for growth and development.