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When someone is street smart, it means they have a good situational understanding and awareness. In simple words, they know what is going on around them and how to navigate that environment. The way they go about it is practical, generally resulting from real-life experience.

But since we all have different backgrounds, many of us didn't even get a chance to learn these lessons. However, you never know what situation you can end up in, and knowing how to respond to danger, or simply getting the best bang for your buck, can make a huge difference to your day.

Recently, Uber Facts, an online project that shares "the most unimportant things you'll never need to know" and one that we covered in the past, tweeted a question, asking, "People with 'street smarts,' what's your biggest street tip?" and received plenty of useful replies. So we decided to compile the best ones and give you a chance to learn something new. Continue scrolling and upvote the entries you like the most.

More info: Twitter

Image credits: UberFacts

#1

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Becca80222 Report

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    Children usually learn about their own relative smartness in school. Overwhelmingly, it is poor and/or students of color who are unjustly left feeling not good enough.

    Jean Anyon discovered in her work concerning knowledge construction in schools that, "[Working class] children already 'know' that what it takes to get ahead is being smart, and that they themselves, are not [book smart]."

    Additionally, Black and Latino students have been overly-represented in special education programs and gifted programs often result in re-segregating schools, where the White students attend the gifted program while students of color are tracked into 'regular' educational programming.

    #4

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    Beth S
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely. Instinct is so important - our brains pick up on changes in nuances. It could literally save your life.

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    Black children as early as pre-school begin to be over-represented in what is perceived as "low ability" classes and/or classes for the "educable mentally retarded."

    As mentioned above, assignments to these classes can be devastating to the students' self-perception and they may even begin to think of themselves as not smart.

    Consequently, this can lead these students to have low achievement, a lack of motivation, and a desire to drop out of school altogether. The failures of many of these children are often attributed to their own abilities rather than their school's.

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    #9

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    CLG
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Great advice, I'll have to remember this when walking home alone late at night. 🤨

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    As Dr. Beth Hatt said, the youth think the symbols of smartness within schools include grades, diplomas, labels, standardized tests, and participation in college prep courses.

    These things are what make smartness appear "real" rather than as something socio-culturally produced. They make smartness especially powerful because it becomes extremely difficult for students to challenge the ways it gets defined and how they are constructed as smart or not smart in school.

    Simultaneously, these symbols begin to influence students' perceptions of themselves and their own abilities over time.

    #10

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    Green Machine
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    2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And 'winning' is when both parties understand each other better as a result.

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    #11

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    Beth S
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a very important tip.... especially the mind your business portion.

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    #12

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    Pilar
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I see de pros, but, on the other side, some may take you for a easy victim 😕

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    #13

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    Pat Head
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would add that you should reverse/back into every parking space (if possible). One quick motion forward to escape is a lot easier than reversing, changing gears, then moving forward.

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    Students who struggle to acquire the before-mentioned symbols of smartness are left to either perceive themselves as not smart or to reinterpret smartness.

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    When Dr. Hatt asked what they thought it meant to be smart, the youth responded with definitions that included learning what is being taught at school and how not to get caught by the police when selling drugs.

    "However, two key themes overwhelmingly were present in their responses," Dr. Hatt said. "First, they clearly made a distinction between being book smart and street smart. Second, they refused to define smartness in a narrow way."

    #15

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    Péter Rózsahegyi
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Because lots of cars have darkened windows, we usually use the hazard warning lights' triangle button for 2 flashes.

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    #17

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    Bear Hall
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How come? Unless you are far from a dry place you'd better run to get there before you get soaked. Well, if there's no such place around you might as well walk and apply some shampoo on your hair.

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    "At first, this appeared contradictory because the youth seemed to be simultaneously defining street smart as the ultimate form of smartness while also defining smartness in a way that allowed everyone to be defined as smart."

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    "Eventually, I realized that these were not necessarily contradictory definitions. Instead, they were both attempts at agency in speaking back to the narrow definition of smartness that had been imposed upon them in school and an attempt at reinterpreting their own identities," Dr. Hatt said.

    #20

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    Paul C.
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If their "crazy" meshes with my crazy, then they are probably a bit odd, because I am.

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    When Dr. Hatt asked the youth to define smartness they were quick to define it as book smarts vs. street smarts.

    Book smarts were directly connected to the symbols mentioned previously but street smarts were often defined as a direct counter to book smarts or the dominant discourse of smartness.

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    The following include some of the ways the youth defined street smarts:

    "Able to not go into bankruptcy I guess... and stay out of trouble. Just able to survive on the street without getting into trouble, and keeping a home for yourself and everything going," Calveda.

    #23

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    thafuxk Report

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    Agent 8433599
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ♪ Don't be suspicious, don't be suspicious ♪ Wait- do be suspicious!

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    #24

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    Lsai Aeon
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Commit yourself to a wheelchair for a day, you'll learn that situational awareness REAL fast. And also start to understand the plight of those of us who live full time in a wheelchair or with different disabilities

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    #25

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    Falcon
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Easy solution to this is having a second email address for occasions like that. I have 2 email addresses, one for random crap and one that's important.

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    "If you can make ends meet, whether you're educated or not... like in school I was a book smart type person, but when I dropped out I had to learn the street smarts part of it. And yeah, I was 19 years old, 20 years old, and I had $30,000 and I could do anything I wanted with it, but yet it was illegal," Nickili.

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    "I believe I have some street smarts. Like I've never been arrested for drugs... I know not to walk around here with all these drugs on me broadcasting it. I mean, that would be stupid... I know when trouble should occur that I need to leave, and get out of that situation, or I have to handle my business, or not handle my business," Quinn.

    #27

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    Mazer
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At annATM, you need to be aware of your surroundings BEFORE you ever get close to the machine

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    #29

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    Bob Joe
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Or stand behind one of those pillar things, so no one can push you in the pit.

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    "Street smarts were connected with being able to maneuver through the structures in their lives such as poverty, the police, street culture, and abusive 'others,'" Dr. Hatt said. "This distinction is key because street smarts stress agency in countering social structures or obstacles whereas, for many of the students, book smarts represented those structures or obstacles, particularly in their efforts of passing the GED or acquiring 'papers.'"

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    This begs the question, why is teaching (and, in turn, learning) so fragmented? Can't we figure out a way how to teach the young in a more inclusive manner? One that doesn't force them to choose between books and the street? But that's a topic for another time.

    #31

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    Strawberry Pizza
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not just on the street or whatever - this can apply to a lot of situations

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    #33

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    Eleanor Green
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, first it's hello back, then him "what's your name", or wevs. Then the insults fly and if you're lucky, they give up. Not all men, but enough men. So no to your post, as nice as you might be.

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    #34

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    Stephanie A Mutti
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "You can only fool someone who thinks you are weaker than them one time" - Sabretooth

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    #37

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    Kimberly Lorton
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I never use my cell or ear buds when I am out or walking somewhere. I use a cane and its too enticing I think, to a criminal, if they see this! I also carry my purse cross body and am prepared to use my cane as a club or weapon.

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    #38

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    QueenRhye
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd say keep cash in multiple pockets so you can hand them the cash from your front pocket and they think they've got it all, but you've got a reserve in the back, or the other side. If they're going to steal your money, they're probably going to steal your phone. That's my tip.

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    #40

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    Scagsy
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yeah, go ahead and trick the little independent restaurant into giving you a four cover table when you only need two. In fact, why not go the whole hog and book the entire restaurant out so you and Briony can have a little intimate time without all the NPCs crowding you out?

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    Note: this post originally had 65 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.