I am currently a applied and computational mathematics major at USC. What I've taken so far: Calculus I, II, and III, Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, Discrete Math for Computer Science.

I am also currently a high-level math tutor - helping kids is rewarding and I also enjoy the challenge of synthesizing my abstract math knowledge into easily consumable information.

The reasons why I'm studying math in college:

1. Math is to academics what running is to sports.

No one wants to do it, it's very painful, but it's essential to performance across all different domains. People avoid math for the same reason people avoid running - it's hard work.

But, it should be essential to all learning. Math teaches you how to solve problems. How to stay with a problem, determine what it is asking of you. To concoct a strategy. To implement said strategy. To see your strategy fail, figure out exactly where it went wrong, and fix it. It's the most basal form of problem solving, and learning how to solve problems will always be useful.

2. I like solving math problems.

Getting lost in a difficult and conceptually fascinating math problem is akin to to being engulfed by the world of a good book or movie. You are fascinated by the characters, how they interact with each other, and the world that is built around them. Everyday worries are forgotten as your mind is completely occupied. Additionally, the applications of math are fascinating, especially how it relates to machine learning.

The one thing you have to quell while working on math is stress. The stress when you have been trying to figure out a specific problem or concept for hours, and you have made no progress. This is what makes math not fun, and oftentimes is the reason why most people swear off math entirely. Stress usually occurs when your expectations of something don't line up with reality. Thus, I go into math problems expecting to learn from the journey, rather than focusing on the end result.