Promise Yourself an A in Math and Actually Get It!
By Maxwell Owolade
A new school year means new friends, new fun, and new classes. This sense of change and opportunity is overwhelming as you sit in on the first session of each class with anticipation of how your year will plan out.
Challenges will await you in each class and you may find that exciting if you are not in a subject you dislike. If math is that subject for you then know you are not alone. Many students dislike math and view it as boring, hard, or both and this view makes it difficult to excel in the subject.
The truth is you can do math and you are absolutely capable of getting an A on your homework and exams. This year is the time to bolster your confidence and promise yourself an A in math class because you will be fully capable of achieving it!
Peer Pressure
You probably hear this saying a lot and it most commonly associated to drinking or drugs, but did you know peer pressure plays a role in your grades?
The classic definition of peer pressure depicts a group of friends encouraging a specific action however, it can also discourage actions in a more discrete manner. If you find that all of your friends or a majority of students in your class groan and sigh at the topic of math class, then you may respond in the same way without even realizing it.
Hearing a majority of opinions about math classes as negative will make you feel as if that has to be true and that you should dislike math as well.
Once the negative opinions of others take root you may start to internalize this view and spread it to others. As influential as your peers may be, the truth is that you create your own view of the world and can decide to view classes like math differently.
Positive Influence
Imagine if everyone you knew loved math class this year.
There would be study groups to practice new material, you would discuss concepts in the class with friends, and participation in class would be very high. If this was how your math class went then chances are you would be more motivated to engage in the class and learn the material as well.
This would be the perfect formula for achieving an A and it is absolutely possible if you are willing to make a small change. Chances are your whole class will not fall in love with math overnight, but they can learn to embrace it over time especially if someone challenges any negative views.
You should personally do this by not reacting negatively to the class and finding confidence in your work and that change in view becomes a lot easier if you can find a group of people who share a positive outlook on math.
If you find peers who put positive pressure on doing well in math you will notice an increase in your motivation as well.
If you don’t have that kind of group, then you can create your own by being the motivator of your friend group! This may sound lame at first but consider the appreciation of all of your friends when you lead them to better grades on math homework and exams.
You will even find that assignments start taking less time the more involved and positive you and your friends are about your class.
Your friends are not the only ones who will be appreciative of your positive motivation towards improving math studies. Your parents will also be delighted to see your newfound view! Yes, grades are important and they will love to see that perfect A you are going to achieve on your exams, but imagine the added pride they will feel knowing that you are helping to improve the motivation of your friends as well!
A Positive View Creates A Positive Future
Math may feel meaningless and time-consuming when you are solving weird textbook problems, but it is important to keep in mind that math is a life skill.
When you really think about it math is a universal language that serves as the basis to science, research, art, and so much more.
By investing your time in learning the topics of your math class you are gaining more than you think. The A you will receive because of your devotion to learning math will help further your education and guide you towards your dream job.
It will also provide you with important skills that you will find uses for in all parts of your life. Investing your time in math classes means you are investing in your future.
If you ever feel defeated or exhausted by your math classes keep in mind that you are fully capable of getting an A and put the negativity of others out of your mind. Confidence is key and a positive outlook will make you less stressed with the problem-solving process.
Most importantly motivate yourself to excel in math by knowing that it will help you build a future that you and your parents will be proud of! You can, and will, get that A in math class this year!
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