I was “academically gifted.” Straight A student until middle school, put in a special “smart kid” class in elementary, and throughout high school breezed through without needing to, or ever learning how, to study properly. It bit me in the ass in college, nearly failed out my first semester.

Parentally, it meant nothing I ever did was good enough (“you’re so smart you’re stupid”), while my sister was cheered on and celebrated for barely making B and C grades. Led to pretty bad neurosis and a paralyzing obsession with doing things perfectly, which led for a long time to not doing them at all.

Nowadays I’m an IT engineer, consider myself smart enough (though not a genius), and my only real hobbies are reading, music (audiophile on a budget), gaming, and exercising. I occasionally watch anime or movies/TV, but rarely and wouldn’t consider that a hobby. Haven’t really abandoned any them, since they’re the main things I enjoy (except some of the exercise can go to hell, but I need to do it for my health).

Turns out I was “gifted” with mild autism. Go figure. 😅