Smart people fake it too. They nod, smile politely, and say things like “Fascinating!” when deep down, their brain is whispering, “This is soul-draining nonsense.” Because high IQ doesn’t always come with high tolerance—for small talk, surface-level trends, or mental gymnastics disguised as fun.
Ever wonder if you’re the only one zoning out at a networking event or pretending to care during another endless debate? You’re not. Highly intelligent folks have a radar for monotony and can spot boring from a mile away, but sometimes they have to play along just to keep the peace.
The struggle is real, and girl, we’ve all been there. Here are 15 things highly intelligent folks often pretend to enjoy… but secretly, deeply, almost painfully hate.
1. Group Brainstorming Sessions
If you’ve ever sat in a room where everyone’s tossing out “wild ideas” like confetti, you know the pain. For a lot of smart women, these popcorn-style sessions are less about actual solutions and more about who can talk the loudest.
It’s exhausting trying to organize a dozen jumbled thoughts while someone hijacks the whiteboard and Gary suggests the same thing three different ways. Your brain’s quietly protesting, craving order and logic, but you’re stuck nodding as chaos reigns.
The kicker? Everyone acts like it’s “collaborative genius.” Meanwhile, you’re secretly building a mental grocery list, just waiting for someone to suggest a five-minute break. Honestly, solitary thinking is where the real magic happens.
2. Endless Debates That Go Nowhere
Debating can be fun—until you realize you’re arguing in circles. You spot the logical dead end half an hour before anyone else does, but everyone keeps going, desperate for a dramatic finish.
You’re trapped in a conversational loop, nodding and smiling, but inside your brain just wants to escape. It’s like watching a friend rearrange deck chairs on a sinking ship, knowing none of it will matter.
Sometimes you toss in a clever line to wrap things up, but instead, it sparks another round. Secretly, you’d rather be home, cozy in pajamas, sipping tea and reading something that actually stimulates your mind.
3. Networking Events
You’d think mingling with sharp minds would be energizing, but for plenty of intelligent women, networking events are soul-sucking marathons. Forced laughter, endless handshakes, and that classic “So, what do you do?” on repeat.
The wine’s lukewarm, your feet hurt, and the conversation feels like a broken record. You put on your warmest “interested” face, but deep down, you’d rather have quality one-on-one chats—or just read quantum theory in peace.
Networking’s supposed to be about building relationships, but most of the time, it’s just collecting business cards you’ll never use. File this one under “necessary evils.”
4. Books Everyone Pretends to Understand
There’s a special exhaustion that comes from discussing a book everyone claims to have finished—but secretly nobody did. You flip through a few chapters, try to follow the endless footnotes, and suddenly your brain needs a vacation.
But when the topic comes up at brunch, you nod and throw in a vague comment, praying no one asks for actual details. That book is now a coaster and, honestly, it’s serving its highest purpose.
Intelligent women know their limits and don’t need to prove themselves by enduring literary torture. If you’re using Infinite Jest as a doorstop and pretending otherwise, you’re in good company.
5. Public Speaking About Things They Don’t Care About
Yes, smart women can fake confidence and string together a killer speech, but give them a topic they don’t care about, and it’s all smoke and mirrors. Inside, there’s a tiny voice screaming, “Can I please go home and organize my thoughts in peace?”
Pretending to care drains more energy than the actual public speaking. You master “passionate” facial expressions while mentally reorganizing your closet.
The performance is Oscar-worthy, but afterward, the relief is almost physical. You’d rather write a 10-page essay on something real than fake enthusiasm for another random policy update.
6. Explaining Obvious Things to People Who Don’t Want to Learn
We’ve all been there—explaining something basic to someone who’s determined not to get it. You start out patient and helpful, but after round two, you’re mentally Googling “quiet jobs for introverts.”
High IQ doesn’t mean infinite patience. Your brain is screaming for engagement, but the person across from you just wants you to do the thinking for them.
It’s not about arrogance; it’s about wanting to use your mind for something a tad more challenging. After one too many blank stares, you’d pay to swap places with the family dog.
7. Being Called ‘Gifted’ Like It’s a Personality
“Gifted” sounds nice, right? Until people treat it like your only personality trait. Suddenly, everyone’s asking you to fix their laptop, explain their taxes, or solve world peace before breakfast.
You smile politely while thinking, “I’m not a walking Wikipedia, I just read a lot.” The pressure to perform is real—and honestly, it’s exhausting.
Sometimes you’d love to be just “Sarah from yoga” instead of “Sarah, the genius.” There’s more to you than IQ scores and quick answers, and it’d be great if people remembered that.
8. Pretentious Conversations for the Sake of Sounding Smart
There’s always someone eager to flex their brain with big words and abstract theories. Sure, you can quote Nietzsche and deconstruct postmodernism, but sometimes all you want is to complain about oat milk prices.
Pretentious chat is less about real connection and more about peacocking intellect. You play along, adding a clever line or two, but secretly wish for a chat about reality TV or that weird dream you had last night.
A good laugh or honest story beats a show-off symposium any day. The smartest people know when to keep it real.
9. Meetings That Could’ve Been an Email—Or Better Yet, Nothing
If there’s one thing that sends high-IQ folks into existential dread, it’s those long, pointless meetings. The agenda’s missing, the conversation meanders, and everything could have been sorted with a two-line email.
You zone out, fantasizing about freedom or at least a lunch break. Your brain is wired for efficiency, and this—well, this is just torture in business casual.
By the time the meeting wraps up, you’ve mentally rearranged your living room twice. Honestly, a little alone time in a supply closet sounds like a dream.
10. Online Debates With Strangers
You craft the perfect reply, full of logic and wit, then stare at it for five minutes before deleting it. Why bother? No one’s mind is changing, and you’re just adding to a pile of internet drama.
Online debates with strangers are like yelling into a storm—loud, pointless, and bound to leave you annoyed. Your energy is better spent elsewhere.
Maybe you could be finishing that novel or calling your bestie instead. High IQ means knowing which battles aren’t worth picking.
11. Being Labeled ‘Too Intense’ for Asking Real Questions
Ever been side-eyed for asking “Why do we exist?” at brunch? Intelligent women get branded “too intense” for wanting real talk, but it’s not about being dramatic—it’s just how their mind works.
You crave depth, but end up biting your tongue so the salad doesn’t wilt from existential dread. Sometimes, even your best questions get shrugged off for gossip about who’s dating who.
It stings when people write you off as “too much,” yet you still long for conversations that make your neurons sparkle. Don’t let anyone dim your glow for wanting something real.
12. Trendy Buzzwords With No Substance
Synergy. Disruption. Thought leader. The jargon parade never ends. Smart women know exactly what these words don’t mean, yet they plaster every meeting like confetti.
You listen, nod, and suppress a laugh while your brain cries out for actual substance. Corporate bingo, anyone?
There’s beauty in clarity and honesty—two things often missing from buzzword-heavy chats. You’d trade every “leveraged paradigm” for one real conversation.
13. The Expectation to Be Good at Everything
There’s this myth that smart women can do literally anything. Fix your dishwasher? Sure. Organize your finances? Of course. Lead trivia night? Why not—they must know everything, right?
Spoiler: intelligence doesn’t mean all-knowing, and the pressure to perform on every front is exhausting. You want to set boundaries, but it’s hard to shake the feeling you’re letting people down.
You’re allowed to say “no” (or at least “not today”). Being brilliant doesn’t mean you have a superpower for multitasking. Sometimes, just being human is enough.
14. Being the Default “Google” at Every Gathering
You know the drill—can’t remember that actor’s name or historical fact? Everyone turns to you like you’re IMDb in cute shoes. It’s flattering at first, but quickly becomes exhausting.
You want to enjoy the moment, not play trivia host every time someone’s memory fails. The pressure to always have the answer silently piles up.
Next time, you might just shrug and say you left your “Google brain” at home. Sometimes, not knowing is the best answer.
15. Pretending to Be Less Smart to Fit In
Of all the things smart women fake, this stings the most. You catch yourself softening your vocabulary, laughing at jokes you don’t find funny, and biting your tongue so you don’t stand out.
It’s not about arrogance—it’s that lonely ache of not being fully seen. Sometimes, you just want to belong, but it hurts hiding the real you.
If you’ve ever dimmed your light to fit in, trust me, you’re not alone. It takes courage to let your brilliance show, even when the world isn’t ready for all that sparkle.