“Being book smart is important, but being street smart is also needed.”
The words that came out of my dad’s mouth frequently. There he was, standing on the steps that lead to the upstairs of my house. I was about 16 years old when he was telling me about how this young girl around my age was viciously murdered. She was a straight A student just like me, but she lacked “street” smarts. To sum up what happened, she went to a party when suddenly shots rang out. Instead of dropping and lying flat on the ground, which is something my dad taught me, she began to run. With no clue where the shots came from, she ran into the gunman and was shot down. “You see how quickly your life can be over because you made the wrong move?” This was something else he would say to me a lot to teach me to always be careful.
While me and my dad were talking about her sad case, he reminded me of why he always tells me that being street smart is important. When I was younger and he would tell me things, I didn’t really pay it any mind, but now I see why he would always instill being street smart in me. By raising me the way he did, I view the world differently. I know how to move around certain people. For example, if it’s a busy day and I see a train cart empty, I don’t even go in there because I am aware that someone who a lot of people are trying to avoid is there. If I wasn’t street smart, I most likely going to just go in the train cart. I feel like when you live in a big city, you must be street smart because there’s always a lot going on.
Almost every day when I come home, me and my dad have a talk about life. He always gives me the best advice and wants nothing but the best for me. “What comes first? Your safety!” Every day when I leave the house and I say “bye, that is something that he says to me to make sure I don’t forget. He shaped me into the amazing person I am today by lecturing me on how to live a safe and happy life. Growing up, I used to dread these talks because I did not really understand why he would go on and on about staying safe and being street smart. I see now that it was for my benefit to get me prepared for when I get older. I’m very thankful to my dad for how much he has taught me about life; he has helped me tremendously grow into the person I am today. All of the lessons I learned from him prepared me for college, and I remember every single one. They will provide me with guidance throughout my college years and in my career.
I agree with what your father said about street smart. Although knowing a lot from books and academic subjects is important, knowing how to deal with society and all sorts of social problems is also essential. There are always some extent of unsafe in every circumstance. So it is true to be mindful of things that happened in the surroundings. I admire you that you are able to move around certain people. It also inspires me that I should learn more about street smarts from people.
I grew up with a very similar upbringing my stepfather at a young age always instilled in me the importance of street smarts and always being aware of my surroundings. Especially because I am a woman of color in this society. Book smarts is important but that can only get you so far In New York City. You have to be able to maneuver and have the ability to manage in tough dangerous situations. That’s why it’s really important to have these talks with your children It is for their own safety to break generational curses and be the change and pass down talks like these. I am really lucky that I had conversations like this with my loved ones because now that I am an adult things I learned when I was at a young age I apply now.
Well written and with good details! You have good writerly instincts. I
Now can this quote be applied to your school life? Remember we are working towards an Education Narrative.