You've only noticed this over the last few years? When I was in H.S. (1983-1987), Asians and non-Asians alike engaged in such pen-spinning. I never mastered it. I was too busy with the baseball team.
That's enough spinning! Now begin your essays and make sure you mention the "graph".
Honestly, I never saw anyone doing that in high school or college. And I never even cared about baseball either. Maybe I only noticed because I started wearing glasses a few years ago.
A roommate in college would spin her pen in a way no one else could -- she'd learned it while in Japan for a year. I think it takes the boredom/endless hours of sitting in class to really master it.
Those kids are incredible. I think forgetting all about it is the best approach.
I really haven't noticed, but will pay attention from now on. Not sure if he can do it with a pen, but my husband has considerable talent with drumsticks.
You think a standardized test could be made up for this skill?
Wow! The video is amazing. I twirl my pens and pencils a little bit, but I think it's because my mother put me in a lot of baton twirling classes when I was young. The thing that I find distracting is when students constantly tap their pencils or fingernails on the desk.
In college, I was the only american in an international house...everyone could twirl their pen except me. One night several sat me down and said, 'It's time you learned." It took some time but I can do the basic spin. nothing else. good memories...
i learned how to do this in high school b/c i was on the debate team, where pen twirling was considered a sign of debating skill. i can bend my thumb backwards like an 'L' which makes it easier.
It is also a sign of debating skill in college... I've seen most of the tricks on the video in debate rounds.
ps.. I was a college debate coach and recruited the first debater on a new team because he was spinning a pen in my class...
Commenting by HaloScan
