Tip #7: “Popularity” is crap; don’t waste your time.

Tip #7: “Popularity” is crap; don’t waste your time.

Interesting excerpt from this article about popularity in school:

“What makes kids outcasts in school—usually an unwillingness to conform—often translates into success as an adult. Many companies—including Yahoo!—prioritize hiring quirky individuals who shun conventional thinking. When you grow up, you see that the most popular kids aren’t necessarily the ones who come out on top, but you don’t understand that when you’re 11. Social science researchers are emphatic that it doesn’t guarantee adoration, either. ‘Being popular is not necessarily about being well-liked,’ says journalist Alexandra Robbins, who studied school society for her book The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth. ‘It’s more about clawing your way to the top of the social hierarchy and then working your tail off to stay there.'”

Translation: There’s no need to peak in high school.