The life of an Algebra student

Edison failed 10, 000 times before he made the electric light. Do not be discouraged if you fail a few times.

- Napoleon Hill. American author, 1883-1970

I could very easily relate this quote to me and my life with mathematics? You see for those who don't quite know me I am currently studying a course in Algebra. Yes, I knew you would ask that question ' What on earth does Algebra have to do with the above mentioned quote?' Alot actually!

All my educational life people have constantly told me that "mathematics is my weakest subject", and you know what? If people say things enough you may actually believe them. I believed them. I must admit that I did do well at maths the couple of years where I had a really great teacher; who was both supportive and encouraging, and the year that I had a teacher that I was so scared off that I had to do well, I did not want to deal with the alternative?

In my post-mathematical years when mathematics should have been the least thing on my mind, I would still have the recurring nightmares, with me generally failing a math exam, or me losing my math book and not being able to study for an exam, or me arriving at class, late, to find that I have a math exam, that I didn't know about and am totally unprepared for!

I really cannot tell you just how many time I have had these nightmares since I left school, Oh, about 17 years ago!! What is going on? Why can't I have normal nightmares like everyone else? Ok so what is normal? If you have any cool/interesting nightmares or dreams please send them my way, as I just know that I will find them thoroughly thought provoking.

So why the sudden obsession with mathematics? I started college about a month ago and thought I should start with my weakest subject. Yep, you guessed it; Mathematics; more precisely Algebra.

I am now into my 5 week of classes and I am finding out that I am not that bad at mathematics after all.

EVERYONE LIED TO ME!!

Ever class, which is every Tuesday and Thursday we have a quiz. You know what I have been doing exceptionally well. I must admit that I have actually been studying, unlike my high school day....maybe study does make a hell of a lot of difference after all?

So we had our first midterm last week. Yes, I was a little nervous but I have been putting in numerous hours, repeating numerous equations and even getting them right. Two days after the test the results were in. You bet I was nervous. I felt comfortable during the exam but self doubt reared it's ugly head 'what if I was experiencing a false sense of security? What if I got every wrong?

Well the results are in: 39/40

Of course I had to kick myself just a little as the one I got wrong would have been right if I hadn't gone back to check it, and then change it! But one wrong isn't bad?

So this week, after handing in yet another quiz, the teacher asked me if I wanted to know my GPA thus far into the quarter? Of course! Why not? I guess so? Only if I am doing well? I don't know? Do I really want to know?

So Dan showed me my scores and I saw the number 400. Well that is a nice number but what does it mean? This is really the first time I have studied in this country? I don't know what '400' means?

"So, is that good?" (me)

"Well you can't go anywhere else. That is a far as you can go." (Dan - teacher)

"Oh, then that must be good" (me)

I then proceeded to sigh with relief, and express my gratitude to no one in particular for such good scores. Dan did ask me why I was so surprised when I have been scoring so well on the quizzes. I proceeded to mention about my slight math anxiety and the nightmares that I have had for ever so many years. The nightmares must be associated with some sort of anxiety, and they are always about maths so that must also mean something?

So the conclusion that I have come to after all these years is that I am not that bad at maths after all. I really cannot be all that bad with a 4.0 GPA, can I?

Comments

[Katieb]

WOW, I am so impressed Faith!