Why I Love Math

When I was young, I didn’t know that math could be scary. The first time someone told me they hate math, I was really surprised! Yet it’s the most common thing people say when I tell them about my profession. “Oh, that’s really cool! I hate math.”

Me? I love math. When I sat down to write this post, I actually got a bit of writer’s block. Where do I even start? There’s so much! Math is an escape, a refuge, a challenge, a companion, and a guide to the world. It’s beautiful, exciting, and wonderful.

From the moment they’re born, children are wired to learn. I’ve met very few kindergarteners who were afraid of math. Figuring out how to count by twos is an adventure. Figuring out how five and ten go together is awesome. Figuring out the difference between a square and a circle becomes an animated discussion.

I was no different. Math had an endless series of patterns, puzzles, and ideas for me to dive into. Every time I solved figured something out, I got a rush. This thrill - the thrill of learning - drives a lot of what kids do. And, while I did much more than solve equations when I was a kid - don’t get me started on Super Mario World or summer music camp - math was always a place of joy for me.

There was always another question to answer, another problem to solve, another pattern to decipher, another thrill to chase. I could ask questions - and there were answers! I could find the answers by myself, or talk to someone else about them. I enjoyed the process of working through the steps, not knowing what the answer was, but knowing that I would get there. Math was a sure thing in an unsure world.

I still get that same thrill I did when I was five. Studying differential geometry doesn’t feel that different than learning how to count. All those people I talk to, the ones who tell me they hate math? I think that many of them loved it once, long ago. So what happened between now and then? I’ve got a few ideas. In particular, I’ve got a theory about the 7th grade. Stay tuned!