Friday, May 28, 2010

Math...just doesn't add up...*sigh*

Math was a chore. Math was a headache. Math was freakin stress inducing!!! All the more because I use to be good at this stuff. When I was younger I could do math with my eyes closed, hands behind my back...and brain only half involved. It was so EASY!!!

What the hell happened?

From the moment I took the Compass test to gauge my level of math "intelligence" I suddenly found myself questioning my math abilities of days gone past. Was that a fluke? Was math easy for me before simply because math itself was easier before? I found myself sitting down at the table figuring out math problems and calling one or the other of my kids to come walk me through it more times than I can remember. I used reams of scratch paper and burned out a calculator or two getting through that class. It was a struggle from the first day till the last.

When did math get so darn complicated!!! Sheesh! I know our brains forget things as we get older but I assumed that was ordinary things...like peoples names or where we put our car keys...not MATH!!!

I think about the only thing that saved me in that class is that the homework was online and so we could work the problems, put an answer, and the program would tell us if it was right or wrong. If it was wrong I could work it until I got it right. Consequently, I could always get a 100% on homework...score!!!

So math was a real struggle from start to finish. I got an A in the class simply due to hard work and diligence.

Didn't hurt that the instructor was pretty awesome. She explained math in simple terms and walked us through everything. She made herself available out of class and answered emails almost within minutes of sending them. So quick in fact, I sometimes wondered if she was just sitting at home with her net on waiting waiting waiting for an email from one of her lost math students...hmmm?

Oh yeah. It didn't hurt even more that she was a strong believer in the power of chocolate to stimulate the brain prior to strenuous use. Before our exams etc she would bring a basket of chocolate and let us take what we wanted.

Don't know how effective it was in getting my brain to work properly, but it made my endorphins kick in to the point...that I really didn't care. LOL

Ok I cared.

4 comments:

Angel Darling said...

I was once good at math too, but, I realize now that I did not have to go past beginning Trig when I was in high school,therefore, any college math I ever encountered was much more difficult because it was a level I had never studied before... so don't feel bad. Hey, you got an A! That's all that counts.

Anthrogeek10 said...

Great job! I actually am having to study for the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) this summer and it contains MATH. I am working on the vocab first. Needless to say. Best of luck. :)

Anonymous said...

Ooo I'm so proud of you, the key is don't give up Red. I'm look up for you that even in old age we can still learn something but in slower pace and more time than the grassophers.

Anonymous said...

Two thumbs up, don't give up, maybe you need slower pace or more time but never give up. We know you are the fighter Red, I look up for you.