Harry Potter books have made the term 'insufferable know-it-all' very famous when at least on two occasions Prof. Snape uses it for Hermione Granger. Hermione goes out of the way in preparing for each class and each subject and her hand was always the first one to shoot up in class for every single question asked. If anything could upset her, it was the cancellation of exams. Nothing could please her more than being acknowledged for her correct answers and if they gain points for her house, all the more better.
Well, guess what? I can relate to her because I have often found myself in her situation when in school. Honestly, I wasn't as careened to the characteristics as Hermione was but I was still close enough. I didn't depress in exams being postponed (unlike Hogwarts where this was close to an annual ritual, they have never been cancelled in my student days). I also didn't get vexed whenever a teacher didn't show up or a class / lecture got cancelled. But I definitely was the one whose hand shot up the fastest in any class on any question. I did take pride in making the best of the notes in class. My motive was always to try and get the best seats - read first row in my case. And I was beaming and happy whenever a teacher was impressed with me.
And I did feel the same kind of stares behind my back, even prickling my skin sometimes as the realisation dawned; and I know how Hermione might have felt. I have often been shushed by my classmates when I have asked questions at a time when everyone is just praying for the lessons to get over. And I have never really paid any heed to them and gone ahead and asked anyway. I have at times been even booed or catcalled after class for dragging the discussions on when everybody else wanted out, but my only quest had always been gathering of as much knowledge as I could.
Even after school, I have faced terms like 'Ms. Encyclopaedia' and 'Lady Google' at work places or friend circles and I have simply laughed them off. I still cannot restrain myself from finding out information about something that might interest me randomly. Thanks heaven that technological advancements have brought in Google and Wikipedia to come to my rescue and the task has become pretty easier.
Well, to all those people who have ever conferred me with such names and titles, I would like to say, "Sorry, but I couldn't care less, for none of these tags have ever deterred me. I have never given two hoots about what people have had to say about me trying to make myself smart. And honestly, the fact that by God's grace, I have made a decent life for myself only proves that I was never wrong about not giving a damn."
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