I'd say yes. It has changed me, but only for the better, well in some cases. I went through a magick addiction at one point, and still have to remind myself to not use it for everything.
But in the now, I think everything I learned has made me more in-touch of who I am and how I can use that for the better.
As for intelligence, it depends on what your considerations of that word are. Of course, if you study, you'll get smarter in those subjects. If you learn from others, you'll be able to gain practical experience, and that is needed too. Book smarts aren't everything, but they do help.
"'THE WAY I SEE IT,' said Crowley, 'no one has to pull the trigger.' He gave Aziraphale a bright and brittle grin." -Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
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