Smart is Cool Day

Every year on 22 October, we celebrate Smart is Cool Day, a fun and thoughtful reminder that intelligence is something to be proud of, not hidden or mocked. The day encourages people of all ages—especially students and young people—to embrace their curiosity, love of learning, and unique smarts, whether that means excelling in academics, solving real-life problems, or thinking creatively. It’s also a chance to challenge outdated stereotypes and show that being smart isn’t boring—it’s inspiring, empowering and, yes, absolutely cool.

History of Smart is Cool Day

The origins of Smart is Cool Day are somewhat unclear, but it is widely observed on 22 October as a way to challenge the stereotype that smart people can’t also be cool. Many believe it started gaining popularity through grassroots efforts in schools and online communities, where the message resonated especially with students who often felt pressured to downplay their intelligence to fit in socially.

Over time, the day has been adopted by schools, libraries and community groups as an opportunity not just to brag about test scores or IQ, but to highlight curiosity, learning, problem‑solving and the many ways “being smart” shows up in real life—from emotional intelligence to innovation to kindness driven by insight.

Why is Smart is Cool Day important?

It’s easy to think of “smart” and “cool” as two socially separate categories, especially when popular culture often equivocates coolness with superficial traits rather than depth of mind. Smart is Cool Day invites us to reflect on the possibility that intelligence—however defined—is inherently attractive, and that curiosity, insight and knowledge deserve to be celebrated. When I think about it, this day resonates because it gives permission: permission to love to learn, permission to question, permission to be thoughtful and still be part of what’s considered culturally “hip”.

At the same time, the day reminds us that developing our minds is not a vanity project but a form of self‑respect and community care. When more people feel comfortable being smart—and being proud of it—they’re more likely to ask questions, share ideas, mentor others and challenge the status quo. In that sense, Smart is Cool Day becomes a quiet but meaningful push toward a culture that values intelligence, diversity of thinking and lifelong learning.

Here are some things to reflect on

• celebrating your own unique way of being intelligent
• recognising that learning never has to stop
• seeing intelligence as multi‑faceted—not just academic “book smart”
• recognising that when you lift someone else’s thinking, you lift yourself too
• reminding young people that brains and coolness are not opposites

How to Observe Smart is Cool Day

Observing Smart is Cool Day can be fun, meaningful and simple. One way is to pick up a book or article on a topic you’ve always wondered about but never explored—and maybe invite someone else to join you in conversation about what you learned. Another way is to share your own “smart moment”—something you recently learned, or a problem you solved—and open the door for others to do the same. These moments of curiosity and sharing make the day feel real.

You could also extend your observation beyond yourself: offer to help someone learn something new, tutor a peer, volunteer at a local library, or simply talk with a younger person about why being smart is already cool. It doesn’t require big staging—just genuine interaction and the belief that intelligence is worthy of recognition.

Here are some simple ideas

• pick a topic you know little about and learn one new fact
• organise a casual quiz or puzzle time with friends or family
• share on social media what “being smart” means to you
• find a young person and encourage them in their intellectual interest
• reflect on a past moment when you learned something important and celebrate it

Smart is Cool Day Dates Table