“You’re smart!” a friend says.
“Gee thanks, but what does that mean?” you question back.

Merriam Webster defines smart as “mentally alert: bright and knowledgeable.” The Oxford Dictionary says smart is “clean, tidy, and well dressed.” Dictionary.com defines smart as “having or showing a quick-witted intelligence.” Smart isn’t about the grades you get or the way you dress. Being smart comes from within and the way you handle situations. Everyone is smart in their own way.

All of my life I’ve held the title “smart”. I never thought deeply about the classification. I have always received above average grades and I am in most of the advanced classes. However, I don’t define myself as smart in the same way others do. Everyone thinks since I get good grades that I am naturally smart. I beg to differ. Although I get good grades, I am not a genius. I am smart in my time management and diligence, which allows me to succeed.

A classification I am sometimes described as is book smart. Book smart people study often and work hard to get the grades they want. By studying and doing the homework, they understand the topic and are successful in school. Being book smart allows people to impress others with their knowledge.

For example, I had a conversation with my cousin at her house.

“Do your parents have someone file their taxes for them? Tax accountants are so cool. They classify your parents’ financial information and put them in a bracket to determine what they owe the government. If your parents don’t pay then the IRS will get them!” I exclaimed.
Caitlin responded with, “I have no idea what just came out of your mouth because none of that made sense.”
“Oh these are just normal things accountants know.”
“Well I’m glad I’m not going to be an accountant. On the other hand, do you want to help me put up this new picture frame I received?”
“Eh, I have no idea how to do that.”

Although people like me are book smart, when it comes to practical daily challenges street smart people have the advantage.

Street smart is another version of smart. These people may not be the Einstein’s in the school, but they have common sense. They are not sheltered and have been exposed to many things. Street smart people know how to handle situations and can identify the solution because of their experiences.

Last summer I was stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire. I had no idea how to fix it and felt embarrassed that I didn’t know how to change a tire. A street smart man named Berry happened to be working nearby. He immediately knew what to do and changed my tire easily. In situations like these, street smart people thrive and without the help of Berry, I would’ve been on the side of the road much longer.

Smart is being street smart.

While street smart people are quick to help and use their knowledge, smart alecks are quick in their comments. They think they know it all and will tell you all about it. In school, I hear smart aleck responses often. Most people have a sarcastic side, but don’t let it come out. Smart alecks aren’t afraid to share their opinion in a witty way. A typical smart aleck response is usually funny and catches you off guard.

During school I flipped on Pandora and started singing aloud the lyrics. “What if I was made for you and you were made for me. . .”
Kennedy sitting next to me asks “I love that song, who sings it?”
“Kane Brown,” I quickly reply.
“Let’s keep it that way,” Kennedy jokes.

Kennedy’s remark was a smart aleck one and made me laugh because I actually thought she wanted to know the artist of the song.

Being a smart aleck is also a classification of being smart.

While smart alecks are quick witted, others take time to ensure their decision is the best one. I call these people smart decision makers. They are smart because their thought process is better than the average person’s and have grown up being taught to make good decisions. Doing the right thing was ingrained in their head from a young age and has become second nature. Their decision will be the good one instead of a dumb decision that may lead them into trouble. These people are classified as smart because they choose the best option after deliberation.

My brother, Tyler, recently got asked if he wanted to skip class to go see his favorite band, Florida Georgia Line. The class that day was having a test, so he had a big decision to make. The easy answer was to skip school and go to the concert. But, Tyler being a smart decision maker, told his friend that he couldn’t make the concert because of the important test. Even in a time of difficult decision making, Tyler stuck with his conscience and make the smart decision.

Smart is making the right decision.

Everyone is smart so a common meaning doesn’t exist anymore. Being smart does not necessarily mean that you are a genius and get perfect grades. Geniuses are only one of the many versions of smart as book smart people, smart alecks, and smart decision makers are also smart. Therefore, smart is a way to classify someone’s actions. All of these are positive, but different meanings of the adjective, smart. So, the next time someone calls you smart you can reply with, “Thanks, but what kind of smart?”

Works Cited
“Smart : Definition of smart in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English,
Oxford Dictionaries. Web 6 November 2017.
“Smart.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com. Web 6 November 2017.
“Smart.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster. Web 6 November 2017.