Thirteen Days of Radical Acceleration
A song by Michael
(To the tune of "Twelve Days of Christmas")
(*Must* be sung to be appreciated properly.)
Originally published in Highly Gifted Children, the newsletter of The Hollingworth Center for Highly Gifted Children, Winter 1999, Volume XII Number 3
Reprinted with permission of the author
On the first day of high school my classmates said to me, "How can you be in
high school when you're so young?"
On the second day of high school my classmates said to me, "How old are you?
How can you be in high school when you're so young?"
On the third day of high school my classmates said to me, "Why are you here?
How old are you? How can you be in high school when you're so young?"
On the fourth day of high school my classmates said to me, "What is your IQ?
Why are you here? How old are you? How can you be in high school when
you're so young?"
On the fifth day of high school my classmates said to me, "YOU ARE SO
STRANGE!!! What is your IQ? Why are you here? How old are you? How can you
be in high school when you're so young?"
On the sixth day of high school my classmates said to me, " Why are you
reading physics? YOU ARE SO STRANGE!!! What is your IQ? Why are you here?
How old are you? How can you be in high school when you're so young?"
On the seventh day of high school my classmates said to me, "How'd you
program that computer? Why are you reading physics? YOU ARE SO STRANGE!!!
What is your IQ? Why are you here? How old are you? How can you be in high
school when you're so young?"
On the eighth day of high school my classmates said to me, "How can you do
calculus? How'd you program that computer? Why are you reading physics? YOU
ARE SO STRANGE!!! What is your IQ? Why are you here? How old are you? How
can you be in high school when you're so young?"
On the ninth day of high school my classmates said to me, "Don't you miss
your playmates? How can you do calculus? How'd you program that computer?
Why are you reading physics? YOU ARE SO STRANGE!!! What is your IQ? Why are
you here? How old are you? How can you be in high school when you're so
young?"
On the tenth day of high school my classmates said to me, "How could you
skip six grades? Don't you miss your playmates? How can you do calculus?
How'd you program that computer? Why are you reading physics? YOU ARE SO
STRANGE!!! What is your IQ? Why are you here? How old are you? How can you
be in high school when you're so young?"
On the eleventh day of high school my classmates said to me, "How will you
take P.E.? How could you skip six grades? Don't you miss your playmates?
How can you do calculus? How'd you program that computer? Why are you
reading physics? YOU ARE SO STRANGE!!! What is your IQ? Why are you here?
How old are you? How can you be in high school when you're so young?"
On the twelfth day of high school my classmates said to me, "Are you a
grown-up midget? How will you take P.E.? How could you skip six grades?
Don't you miss your playmates? How can you do calculus? How'd you program
that computer? Why are you reading physics? YOU ARE SO STRANGE!!! What is
your IQ? Why are you here? How old are you? How can you be in high school
when you're so young?"
On the thirteenth day of high school, I finally replied, "I'm not a grown-up
midget, don't care if I take P. E., I skipped 'cause it was boring, don't
miss any playmates, calculus is easy, programming's easy also, physics books
are fun, I AM NOT STRANGE! My IQ's not your business, I'm here because I
should be, I am eight years old; I'm in high school 'cause this is where I
belong."

BIO: Michael describes himself as a professional kid with ten years experience of being
profoundly gifted. He adapted these lyrics from the most frequently asked questions he
heard when he began high school at age eight.
Last updated December 01, 2020