Only asking, as of the young adults that I've come across lately, either currently at Oxbridge or who graduated in the last 10 years, none seem to fit the 'scatty professor' type as popularised in books and on TV/film. You know the type: slightly dishevelled professor sitting surrounded by piles of dusty books (I'm sure exaggerated too) but who have big ideas and talk fast.
Instead, the ones I know who are currently, or about to go, to Oxford or Cambridge are all bright but seem to, without fail, be of the 'extreme' work ethic ilk i.e. study all hours, and very organised to the point of perfection.
As I say, they're clearly bright but, at least in a several cases, I can't help feel that they don't seem particularly 'sparky'. Of course that might not be required or even preferred nowadays but I would have thought you'd need a full range of personalities and intellect, but that just doesn't seem to be the case.
Was that perhaps always the case or have the 'super bright and disorganised' types fallen out of favour?
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Scatty but bright professor-types - have Oxbridge students changed?
notyetretired · 28/03/2024 17:35
BiancaBlank · 29/03/2024 11:25
I would say the scatty professor trope always applied more to the professors than the students
notyetretired · 29/03/2024 13:26
But I suppose they started as students (including at Oxbridge) at some point? Have professors changed now too?
BiancaBlank · 29/03/2024 11:25
I would say the scatty professor trope always applied more to the professors than the students
buffetbuffalo · 29/03/2024 13:29
Did you seriously think that TV/film tropes were indicative of real life....? Also what do you mean by 'sparky'?
Which university did you go to, are you in academia or in a field with lots of academically intelligent people?
decionsdecisions62 · 29/03/2024 15:20
Are you talking about the students or staff? Even the brightest Oxford students won't be 'professors'. They need to have extensively more qualifications!
notyetretired · 29/03/2024 15:13
And, as I think I mentioned, popularised also in fiction/books so can't have been totally beyond the realms.
I'm not going to say which uni but have a First Class, post-grad and have published. Most of my friends are grads/post-grads and I work in a company where everyone (even the PAs!) have degrees with several of the partners having gone to Oxbridge (STEM).
Maybe 'sparky' is the wrong word, but I had expected more of the 'out-there' intellect that fizzles. As I said, the ones I've met are bright but seem very normal, not the the types to know lots about most things or with extremely creative minds. But maybe I was expecting too much?
buffetbuffalo · 29/03/2024 13:29
Did you seriously think that TV/film tropes were indicative of real life....? Also what do you mean by 'sparky'?
Which university did you go to, are you in academia or in a field with lots of academically intelligent people?
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