UrbanDictionary.com defines being “book smart” as “being able to succeed scholastically, and not necessarily in the real world”, and someone who is “street smart” as “A person who has a lot of common sense and knows what’s going on in the real world.” Ironically, the website also defines being street smart as someone who “actually listens to sh*t and understands sh*t.”

Putting it into his own words, Oxnard High School senior Juwan Anderson said, “If you’re book smart, you’ll be able to get farther by having ideas that you wouldn’t necessarily have if you’re street smart.” However, this statement alone does not define how Anderson sees himself. He explains that he considers himself “pretty well-read”, but doesn’t see how that translates to his everyday interactions.

On the other hand, senior Shady O’Campo believes that being book smart is more beneficial, saying, “Being book smart, you have other opportunities to pursue your education so you wouldn’t have to live in an environment where you do have to be street smart.” O’Campo defends her claim by adding, “I definitely am not street smart. I noticed that I’m book smart because I get really good grades in school. But when it comes to shopping and getting groceries, I get nervous and say stupid stuff… I’m just in la-la land most of the time.”

Like O’Campo, OHS senior Esther Vasquez agrees that being book smart will get one farther in life. “I feel like you can survive being more book smart than street smart, because being book smart can always help you no matter what,” Vasquez said. “It’s harder to survive just being street smart because being street smart doesn’t give you room to grow, while having book smarts can take you into college and being street smart… you’re just stuck with what you already know.”