There’s no doubt in the fact that bad teachers could shatter the self-confidence of even the smartest kids.

But some smart kids use negative words to motivate them and prove people wrong.

If someone told you that you weren’t very smart, would it shatter your confidence or motivate you to try harder?

In today’s story, this guy’s teacher made his life miserable by not allowing him to take any notes in class, but years later, he had the perfect opportunity to get back at her.

Check it out.

I was just pretending to be smart so no need for my help

For context this happened just over 2 years ago.

This starts way back in my Sophomore year of high school when I took AP Chemistry with Ms. M.

This is where it gets tricky…

That AP Chemistry class was unbelievably frustrating for me because of Ms. M.

I’m not the smartest person but I’m a damn hard worker and because of that I know I’m a tactile learner and taking notes is important for me.

But Ms. M didn’t like people taking notes while she talked. We had to copy down what she wrote on the board in 10 minutes before she would cover it and the rest of the class was her talking with us just listening.

It was a tough high school.

So I struggled big time and felt like I was playing catch up all year.

For some important context- I went to a pretty competitive high school. A large chunk of the students were the kids of doctors, lawyers, engineers and pressure was ramped up on all of us because the parents competed with each other through the kids (thankfully not mine).

For context, my graduating HS class was 756 (I’m competitive so that’s seared into my brain). I graduated just inside the top 5% at the 34th spot in a class that had 18 valedictorians.

My trip up were 2 B+s , 1 in each semester of AP Chemistry as a Sophomore. 2 of my closest friends were in that class with me (1 finished as a valedictorian and the other somewhere in the high 20s because he got 1 B+ at some point).

He simply wanted to do good in his school!

Again, I know I’m not as smart as most of them but I know I worked harder.

No matter how much effort I poured in I just couldn’t get that A.

My mom felt bad for me and arranged an after school meeting with me, her, and Ms. M so we could figure out where my shortcomings are.

Ms. M really didn’t give much feedback and kept talking in circles.

After enough probing to understand the vague things she said the words that seared into my brain, “You aren’t smart. You just pretend to be smart by hanging out with actually smart people like (insert my close friends here).”

UH OH…

We were so shocked we just got up and left.

I eventually learned my mom cried all of that night because I shouldn’t have had to ever hear those words from a teacher.

Thing about me is I’ve always been the “chip on my shoulder” motivation guy. Didn’t make the tennis team and told I’m not good enough? Guess I’ll train and bypass the JV team and go straight to varsity.

Think I’m too thin to play competitive basketball? I’ll master my footwork and technique and show you weight doesn’t matter.

He was so not letting this slide!

So naturally her words stuck with me and were my handwritten sign that I would tape above my desk to motivate myself for every academic challenge I faced.

Anyways, fast forward about 14 years. I’ve finished med school and am a doctor in the middle of my residency.

I also like to think I’m fairly well adjusted now (I dialed the competitive streak all the way down).

I went back to my hometown to visit my parents and my mom asked me to pick up some stuff from the grocery store.

Finally his moment arrived!

As fate would have it, Ms. M was there and she recognized me (not hard, I look mostly the same just a little bit taller and less baby fat on the face).

It’s a tight community in that area so when she struck up conversation I was cordial.

She asked what I was up to and I gave her the career update.

She got excited and began talking about how her daughter has been trying to get into med school but was rejected the past 2 application cycles. She proceeded to ask me if I know anyone from my old school and can help the daughter get an interview.

He was shocked!

I was stunned again. I couldn’t believe the audacity to ask me for help.

It already took so much out of me to not be rude when I saw her. I tried to keep it together and just said “No.”

She was surprised and tried to convince me and was asking if her daughter could email me.

I couldn’t hold it back anymore and let it rip.

That’s CRAZY!

I told Ms. M that her daughter would benefit from someone who is actually intelligent, not someone who just hangs out with intelligent people and pretends to be smart.

I still wasn’t satisfied so I took one extra shot while she kept asking for help by questioning how smart her kid is if someone unintelligent like me got in but she’s struggling.

I told my mom when I got home.

I think she was more proud of me in that moment than she was both when I got in and graduated med school.

YIKES! That’s some drama!

He really did have the perfect opportunity to put his rude teacher in her place.

Let’s find out what folks on Reddit think about this story.

This user knows this teacher should come with a warning sign.

This user shares what his fourth grade teacher told his parents!

This user shares how their fifth grade teacher traumatized them!

This user knows this guy has come a long way!

This user thinks this guy could have given a better answer to the teacher!

If the teacher had let this guy take notes, none of this would have happened!

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