Some love it, while others don't

Learning math has never been boring for someone like me who's into it. I mean, I have a passion for it. It's like I am being rewarded each time I get the correct answer from a given problem. However, the opposite happens to those who find it hard - something I sometimes wonder about. Is math really that hard?

Nothing is really hard when you work with passion, perseverance, and enjoyment. But it is understandable that each of us has a varied intellectual capacity. Anyhow, what I can suggest is to start with the basics. Master the fundamentals and as you progress, take 1 step higher. Do not also forget to reward yourself after accomplishing your goal.

In addition, I want to give a friendly reminder that you should not pressure yourself too much. Just enjoy and believe in the process. If you can't understand a certain topic, you should try to ask someone who understands it well. It is not bad to seek help, so do not be afraid.

Recently, we had our subject Mathematics in the Modern World. It talked about patterns in the nature, mathematical expressions, relations and functions, logic puzzles, recreational problem solving, basic concept of statistics, among others. For me, it is the best one from the four subjects we recently had. Not because Math is my favorite subject, but because of the teaching techniques applied by our teacher also. Because sometimes, even if it is easy, some math teachers make it more complicated, making it hard to understand by some students.

We all have our rooms for improvement. If you can't understand what the teacher is explaining, do not be afraid to raise your hand. It takes courage to do it, especially if you have a terror one, but learning should not be hindered just by fear, right?

By the way, I can still remember the question being asked to us before. It goes like this, how can you apply the learning from our subject in your real life? At first glance, it seems difficult to answer, especially if you do not really pay attention during the discussions, especially in the online setup. But as I reflect, I realized that math is more than important in the world. I smiled as I compose my answer in my thought. It is not that good but it still makes sense.

I answered that I can apply what I have learned in this subject in my life in dealing with real-life situations like adapting and appreciating patterns with our senses of vision, smell, touch, taste, hearing, and even the way we think. For example, in flower, I considered it beautiful in my sight because of its patterns of petals, seeds, color, fragrance, and the way it feels when I touch it. It implies to me that the nature, which seemed to be complex, has many wonders, including patterns that are really great and fascinating.

Moreover, I can apply the learnings in knowing the day of a certain date just by using the sequence of dates without looking in the calendar. For example, if today is Saturday, then two days from now will be Monday. If you know what day yesterday is, you would know for sure what the day is today, right?

Another one would be in the making of art or painting, where I could use patterns to bring more aesthetic value. This technique was also used by painters even before, and it is really effective. The same holds true in photography. I can use patterns, styles, or effects such as grid lines to capture a perfect symmetry for a certain thing, such as the front of the church, among others. With the technology we have today, that is considered basic because there are lots of features, patterns we could, in fact, use in photography.

All in all, what should we do then? Let us gain an attraction and perception of the world we live in and how everything is correlated. And, by taking part in nature, we must obtain a more profound association with our enlightened self. Just like me, you too can acquire a feeling of great spiritual fulfillment and joy as you absorb the connectivity of math and the life surrounding us. Ang oh, before I forget, give your best! I am rooting for you.