The Student Room Group

Do people find educated people intimidating?

Like, I seem to observed slight hostility within people when you mention you went to University, particularly in my day job which is in hospitality, but also more so, among more mundane middle class people in office roles when you mention your not only a grad but your a masters student.

I always feel a bit pretentious when admitting too it, even though it unintentional and people seem to show this sort of look of disdain.

Like today I mentioned to my therapist I was trying to better myself through pursuing a Masters degree in a new field and she sort of smirked and pulled a face. Admittedly later on she praised me for having completed something, however, I felt a bit like she felt patronised or something.

Can any relate, or do you think I'm reading into it too much?
Reply 1
hahaha, I don't think intimidated is the right word for it, but I can see where you're getting at. for some people in this country going to uni is a pipe dream, so they may find people who actually did it... I don't know, pretentious maybe?

what is your master's in? maybe they find it funny.
Original post by Anonymous
Like, I seem to observed slight hostility within people when you mention you went to University, particularly in my day job which is in hospitality, but also more so, among more mundane middle class people in office roles when you mention your not only a grad but your a masters student.

I always feel a bit pretentious when admitting too it, even though it unintentional and people seem to show this sort of look of disdain.

Like today I mentioned to my therapist I was trying to better myself through pursuing a Masters degree in a new field and she sort of smirked and pulled a face. Admittedly later on she praised me for having completed something, however, I felt a bit like she felt patronised or something.

Can any relate, or do you think I'm reading into it too much?


Hmm.. I find that whenever someone asks me what I'm doing this September they are more interested in the course details rather than intimidated.
Reply 3
Original post by 0zzu
hahaha, I don't think intimidated is the right word for it, but I can see where you're getting at. for some people in this country going to uni is a pipe dream, so they may find people who actually did it... I don't know, pretentious maybe?

what is your master's in? maybe they find it funny.


Interesting.

Its in Programming and App Development.
Reply 4
Original post by Blue_Cow
Hmm.. I find that whenever someone asks me what I'm doing this September they are more interested in the course details rather than intimidated.


I just always mention it rather casually out of the blue and people just kind of look at me like "okay, cool story mate".
Reply 5
Original post by Anonymous
I just always mention it rather casually out of the blue and people just kind of look at me like "okay, cool story mate".


Haha yeah that makes a big difference.

People will think you are arrogant if you just let them know "out of the blue" that you have a masters. It's like "by the way, even though the subject at hand is completely unrelated, I feel it important that you know I have a Master's degree".

Only tell people if it comes up in the conversation, same with everything else. Otherwise you'll seem pretentious and eager to impress people. And don't purposefully lead the direction of the convo just so you can tell the other person.

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