How to be Successful at Math

By Hope Kennedy

staff writer

I’ll be the first to admit math isn’t my favorite. Up until high school, I could get away with minimal studying and still receive decent results; so going into freshman year I was fairly confident with my math abilities. Freshman Geometry class changed all of that. Suddenly I was confused during the lessons and found myself thinking, “Where did that number come from?” or, “How was that angle congruent to the other?” Intimidated by classmates, whom I was certain all understood what was going on, I didn’t want to ask for help, because I felt that in doing so I was somehow admitting a weakness. I knew, however, that if I wanted to be successful in math, I’d have to suck up my insecurities and ask questions. 

At first, I was uncomfortable, but I persisted in asking questions before and after class. My determination was soon reflected in my grades. I received the scores I wanted, and more importantly, I understood what was going on. Getting over my initial embarrassment made me realize that I wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand. More importantly, I learned that with hard work, good things will come. Math isn’t something that comes easy to everyone, but if you can learn to ask questions, whether to teachers, friends or parents, it won’t be as difficult as struggling on your own. Admitting you need help isn’t a weakness, I realized, it is a strength. It’s easy to sit back in class and act like it’s no big deal, but come test day when it’s just you and the test, your bluff comes back to haunt you. Math has taught me how to be a hard worker and continually work towards a goal. Regardless of the subject, whether confident or not, I know that I can get through it with hard work and help from those around me. While math may never be my first choice, the skill sets that accompany it are irreplaceable.

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