radical, pt. II

Before I start using algebraic symbols, I should probably continue with my narrative.

I never really favored math in school. True that I'm not the math whiz of the batch but I'm not among the mathematically challenged either. I still received ace grades on the subject. I just didn't exert extra effort to be the top math student. During senior year, mathematics was my frenemy's forte. It was alright though. I owned every freaking subject. He had math. Sounds reasonably fair back then.

Numbers just don't tickle my fancy. Words yes, numbers na-uh. And I believe that a big part of this was due to the fact that I have had horrible teachers back in grade school and high school. And by horrible I mean those teachers who blatantly favor students who: a) are unusually smart that they know the answer to "7 x 8" even before I can start counting using my fingers, or b) give gifts such as personalized Parker ballpoint pens (it was the cool thing back then) or SM gift certificates or Nikon stand fans or a bag of canned goods and instant noodles. I was neither. It was different in college though. The math professors I've had were actually good in the truest sense of the word. They made computing for the present value of n and learning the practical application of quantitative analysis in business fun, if not bearable at the very least.

But it wasn't enough; cool calculator techniques, lady professors whose voices will give Rey Langit a run for his money if he were still alive, unusually-sized mimeographed workbooks and easy 1s wasn't enough to sustain my interest in the field.

I could easily blame everything on the universal notion that if one is naturally good in linguistics (English, Arts, etc.) then he is weak in math but I have proven it to be untrue on several occasions. I know a lot of people who managed to develop both thinking processes. A part of me wants to say that I am among those people who have struck a balance between the two. However, a bigger part of me begs to disagree.

If I have gained full appreciation for mathematics then I would have found it as complex and stimulating as Humanities, Biology, Philosophy, Physical Education and any other subject for that matter. But even up to now, I don't see numbers and equations in the same light as pop music, laboratory experiments, literary critiques, debates and I don't know, soccer?

Maybe if I just gave math a chance, liked it enough, then perhaps, math would've liked me back. And I bet things would've been more... interesting.

Meh... It's never too late anyway.