what should ivy league grads do to dispell sterotypes, act stupid?

Ivy League grads--

So, what should I talk about to you at a party so that you won't think I'm not smart enough for you and get bored with me? My federal job in the government, which I like, but you would probably find dull? (I'm not an attorney, but in an administrative job supporting attorneys.not paralegal) The dogs my daughter and I are considering getting for her? My favorite sitcoms or restaurants? The Chick-Lit book I am reading? My scheduled vacations for the summer? The show that we will see at Glen Echo this weekend? My love of exercise and the outdoors.

Or would it be better if I tryed to discuss the presidential campaign, world relations, how to save the environment, etc.

I'm not being sarcastic. But, I AM intimidated by Ivy League types because I think I might bore them...Sad, I know.

Anonymous wrote:This is DC; you can't throw a stone without hitting someone with a Harvard degree (a good idea for a game though). At my age (40's), and in my circles (pretty accomplished), no one gives a shit. People are more interested in what you're doing NOW.

+1 -- and, BTW, I went to school in Palo Alto -- fabulous weather! Way better than Cambridge, New Haven, Princeton, NYC, Hanover, Philly, Providence and Ithaca.

^PP here- the majority of people who are ivy league grads of my generation (early 40s) are NOT with money or connections (although it's all relative), although of course many people do have these.

Who the hell looks up to Ivy League grads? Geniuses, pricks, losers and average people graduate from everywhere. When I meet an Ivy grad, I assume money or connections.

...

Okay, I am a Ivy League grad, as a disclaimer. While I wouldnt say this in real life: there are very few idiot grads from Harvard. Not that they are all geniuses or super succesful, of course. But very few truly stupid people. I am a AMAZED at how infrequently I can say that about many other schools.

21:28 - ITA. There are some p*ssed off people here. Frustrated and realizing that they will never amount to well, anything ...is a horrifying reality for them. They tend to take it out on anyone in their path. Be grateful if you are not around it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only outlier I've found is Dartmouth. I can't tell you how many people I've met who shake my hand saying, "Bob Jones, Dartmouth '90, nice to meet you." Or just dispense with the "nice to meet you" entirely.

Probably there are many more who don't do that, but I've never met other Ivy League graduates who do that at all so it stands out.

Funny. Even before Andy Bernard on the Office, I often noticed that with Cornell grads. (I always think, "Really? Cornell??")

I once overheard (okay, i was flat out eavesdropping) a conversation in which one woman said "Cornell" three times in about ten minutes. And all I could think of was Andy Bernard, too, desperately clinging to the last thing that made him proud of himself.

Who the hell looks up to Ivy League grads? Geniuses, pricks, losers and average people graduate from everywhere. When I meet an Ivy grad, I assume money or connections.

Anonymous wrote:Harvard grad here. I only tell people I went to school in New England. Honestly, it's because I don't want to put myself out there for casual haters to try to knock me down a peg out of some churning jealousy. I realize that most people around this town don't care--but the ones that do are pretty mean and crazy.

This is just it. The people who don't care are fine (and many). Maybe they also went to an Ivy League school, maybe they are from a place where it's weird to go out of state or out of the Big 10, maybe they went to a tech school or a liberal arts college, or maybe they are just not the kind of person to think that other people's choices reflect on them at all (which is the truth but a rare attitude around here). But the people who do care act totally weird and annoying and latch onto that one piece of data like a pit bull and it colors all your interactions with them down the line. When that happens with a random person at a cocktail party it's just an annoyance you can laugh about later; when it happens with the person in the office down the hall it becomes an annoyance you have to deal with every day and it's really aggravating. Well worth just stating a region and moving the conversation along.

Harvard grad here. I only tell people I went to school in New England. Honestly, it's because I don't want to put myself out there for casual haters to try to knock me down a peg out of some churning jealousy. I realize that most people around this town don't care--but the ones that do are pretty mean and crazy.

Anonymous wrote:The only outlier I've found is Dartmouth. I can't tell you how many people I've met who shake my hand saying, "Bob Jones, Dartmouth '90, nice to meet you." Or just dispense with the "nice to meet you" entirely.

Probably there are many more who don't do that, but I've never met other Ivy League graduates who do that at all so it stands out.

Funny. Even before Andy Bernard on the Office, I often noticed that with Cornell grads. (I always think, "Really? Cornell??")

Northwestern, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin,etc...all great schools. Not Ivy League, but there is alot to say about the BIG TEN.

In DC no one cares. Its great! When I lived in Chicago people couldn't understand why anyone would go to a non big 10 school.

Oh my. This had me in tears in the stands at swim practice. Makes me want to head to that school in Jersey this weekend.

Go tigers!

It is astonishing to me that people are so intimidated - to the point of acting awkwardly - by Ivy Leage degrees. It's a sports league, for cryin' out loud, and not a very good one.

The only outlier I've found is Dartmouth. I can't tell you how many people I've met who shake my hand saying, "Bob Jones, Dartmouth '90, nice to meet you." Or just dispense with the "nice to meet you" entirely.

Probably there are many more who don't do that, but I've never met other Ivy League graduates who do that at all so it stands out.

Anonymous wrote:This is DC; you can't throw a stone without hitting someone with a Harvard degree (a good idea for a game though). At my age (40's), and in my circles (pretty accomplished), no one gives a shit. People are more interested in what you're doing NOW.

This. At first I was surprised by the number of very successful people I meet here who went to no-name schools but now I am used to it. I don't think a big name school matters much one way or the other in DC. Your career experience is what impresses people.