I had a gut instinct that this was the case while in school, but then every authority figure in my life was telling me that I could be the valedictorian if only I'd "buckle down and study". It took some distance before I was able to objectively look back and judge who was ultimately right.

Since I've remained good friends with the person who actually became the valedictorian, I've been able to compare notes over time. It turns out that in as little as 5 years after graduation, being the valedictorian doesn't mean squat. Everyone wants to know what you've done lately.