When you detest a subject

A few years ago, while I was still in school, I really disliked maths just like many of my friends did. I started disliking it while in nursery school. My siblings would come back home complaining of how hard math was while I was still a student of ‘Numbers’, the nursery version of Mathematics. When I joined Primary One, I already had a negative attitude towards Maths because I had already been convinced that it was a hard subject. I disliked anything that had something to do with Maths, including the teachers that taught it. I would feign sickness so as to skip some of the Maths Lessons….that I how much I disliked this subject. Definitely, my Mathematics grades where never good due to my negative attitude. My report always had distinctions in other subjects and a Pass eight or Failure in Maths. When I joined high school, I thought I was done with Maths but I found bits of it in Economics. Little did I know, I can never escape from this subject. Just when I thought it was all over at University, Elements of Math and Financial Math where some of course units yet I was doing a course that had extremely nothing to do with Maths. My first Job Interviews included a math exam yet I was applying for a position that had nothing to do with Maths. While at University, I purposed to change my attitude towards Maths because I wanted to get a very good degree. I convinced myself that since other people pass Mathematics, I also can since we are no different. I developed a positive attitude towards Maths, liked the Lecturer, practiced my Maths after class, discussed with Friends and my Math grades were very impressive. Most Teenagers have that subject they loathe, however disliking it will only lead to poor grades in that Subject. It could be English, Physics or any other. The best way to go about it is to develop a positive attitude towards that subject. I am sure that even though you dislike that subject, there is that classmate that likes it and gets good grades in that subject. If that classmate passes that subject, then you too can with change of attitude and putting effort. Consult the teachers, text books, do personal revision, join discussion groups and don’t be afraid to ask where you don’t understand. There is no subject that is really hard. One just needs to have a positive attitude, study hard and consult with teachers then they will improve their grades. m.kaitesi@yahoo.com