I guess it's pretty common to feel stupid in school, especially for individuals like me.

For me, some concepts taught in modules are abstract and require plenty of thought to digest. It's not just a matter of understanding the words that the author is conveying, but rather the essence of the concept that he is trying to imply.

And then during class discussions, there's the inevitable feeling that everyone knows what the hell is going on when you don't. Not that it bothers me much. I frankly don't care. However, it's interesting to observe how people behave when faced with something fairly hard.

The Listeners:

You have people who stare silently at the powerpoint slides, nodding their heads in the glare of the projector. They seem to absorb every word that is said, and you get the impression that there's a lot going on under the surface; than what is portrayed on that placid visage.

Questioners/Observers:

Then there's the confident questioners/observers. They look at the concept, and ask questions that display not only their understanding, but their ability to think one step ahead. They ask questions or make observations that summarize what the prof is going to say next.

Discussers:

Then there's the ones who sit in pairs or in a small group. Being clueless, or one being less than the other or others, they titter after every point presented. It's obvious that they're not discussing what to have for lunch, judging from their serious expressions, florid gestures, urgent whispers, and nods of agreement.

Bo Chap-ers:

They complain physically and online that they don't understand, copy down vague notes that hardly make sense, and assure themselves that they'll probably understand when they read the text. The last bit rarely happens, and hence the panic during exams.

The Desperados:

Be it to look smart, alert, or being plain kiasu for class participation, these individuals often ask questions for the sake of asking, well, questions. Usually brainless and noisy, they are the bane of everyone above. They usually lead discussions off-track, or talk so much that everyone gets bored. Empty vessels make the most noise indeed.

As for me, I fall into a few categories, depending on mood and the interest level of the lesson. One thing I've noticed that it's hard to be consistently paying attention in class. Monotonous voices, boring facts and figures and complex concepts tend to make the mind wander.