College algebra. What is it about math that gives me a nervous feeling in my stomach? Is it that I don’t like it? And because I don’t like it, I don’t try to understand it?
If you are someone who enjoys and excels in math, I applaud you. Math is in everything, and it makes our world a better place. Because I despise it so much, I am grateful for those who get it. People who love math are changing the world, which is amazing!
But if you’re like me and you don’t enjoy math, it doesn’t mean you can hide from it. I learned that the hard way.
After graduating from high school, I started my community college journey with the ultimate goal of transferring to a university and earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism. The best part was that I didn’t have to take college algebra, so I did what anyone avoiding “scary” math would do: I took Liberal Arts 1 and 2 instead.
About halfway through completing my A.A. degree, I decided to change majors. No big deal – students change their majors all the time. It’s hard to know exactly what you want to do in life. It’s okay to change your mind. And then I learned about the math requirement needed to pursue this new path. It seemed that my old nemesis had returned.
Luckily, I was able to take intermediate algebra (a slightly easier hill to climb) to fulfill the requirements for my A.A. degree. I got through the course at community college and put college algebra on the back burner, figuring I would get to it eventually. Off to university I went! I was excited that most of my general education classes were complete so I could begin to dive into event management courses, which is where my passion lies. I didn’t give college algebra a second thought.
Before I get into that, you should know that in the middle of this, I took a semester off for an internship and spent an entire spring traveling up and down the east coast of the country. Our team had four people on it (including me), plus a minivan and a box truck. We went to nine different universities to provide students with cameras, laptops and editing software. They would have one week to make a five-minute movie, then we would host a huge red carpet finale for them. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to live in several different college towns for two weeks at a time.
So why is this important to the story? Because when I moved back to Florida to finish my Bachelor’s degree, I got a phone call from the company I had interned with. They told me that they were expanding, and they wanted to move me to Atlanta to work full-time. All I had to do was graduate. That was it. I just needed to graduate.
It was a dream come true! Not only did I have a full-time job lined up after graduation, but I would also get to work for a company that travels the world. And did I mention they allow dogs in the office? (Big animal lover right here!) Life was good. Life was really good – except for one problem.
In order to take the job, I needed to complete my Bachelor’s degree. And in order to complete my Bachelor’s degree, I still needed to pass college algebra.
With no other option, I found myself taking the class in the last semester of senior year. Three years had passed since I had taken my intermediate algebra class. Did I remember anything from it? Nope!
When I arrived on the first day of class, there were 400 students there – mainly freshman and sophomores. The first thing the professor said was to look around. He then declared that only about 25% of us would pass his class.
My heart sunk, and my stomach was in knots. I didn’t just want to pass the class; I needed to pass the class. My job was on the line!
I buckled down and spent every spare moment in the math lab that semester, dedicating nearly 20 hours a week to algebra homework. I was also very fortunate to have a cousin who helped me study.
On the last day of class before the final, I wasn’t feeling any more confident than I had been on the first day of class. I took my seat, waiting for class to begin, and wondering where everyone was. The professor was going to go over topics that would be on the exam. Were my fellow students mistaken for not being there? Was I mistaken for being there?
I later discovered that about 300 students in the class weren’t able to pass (even if they aced the final), so they hadn’t bothered to show up.
On the day of the exam, I arrived at the computer lab where we would be testing. They told us there was absolutely no talking permitted. If you were wearing a baseball cap, you had to turn it around backwards. I took a seat at my assigned computer and held the keyboard up in the air – proof that I wasn’t trying to cheat – until I received the “all clear” from the proctor. They explained that we were only allowed to leave the room two times, so as to eliminate distractions. As you can imagine, I was a nervous wreck!
When I finally finished the exam and hit “submit”, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as the computer automatically calculated my score. It was the moment of truth. Would I pass with the score I needed to walk at graduation and accept the job in Atlanta, or would I fail and have to pay to take the class again? My heart was racing, and my palms were sweaty. It was a huge moment for me – a life-defining moment.
After one more deep breath, I slowly opened my eyes to see that I had passed within one point of what I needed. One. Point.
Honestly, I didn’t believe it until final grades came out a few days later. But sure enough, I had done it. It was a relief, but in retrospect, I wish I had taken a different path so as not to be so stressed during my last semester. It could have been so much more enjoyable!
So What Would I Do Differently?
- I should have taken college algebra at community college. I could have taken it with 20 to 30 students in the class instead of 400. The professor at the community college would have known my name, known what I was struggling with and been able to offer the small, supportive class I needed. I think that was my biggest regret overall.
- My next biggest regret? Self-advising. Yep, I thought I knew it all and could handle scheduling classes on my own. Seeing my advisor could have prevented this whole situation! I should have swallowed my pride in thinking I knew what was best for me.
At the End, What Did I Learn?
- Every moment matters. Every second that I spent in the math lab – working on my homework, studying with my cousin – mattered. I was only one point away from not passing that class. Could I have done more? Yes. Could I have gotten away with doing less? No.
- You have to persevere. Had I given up halfway through the semester (and believe me, I definitely thought about it), then I would not be where I am today. Everything has a domino effect. The decision I made to get through that class at all costs propelled me into my career. I know that college is hard. This math class was not my only struggle. Add a personal life and work into the mix, and it’s not easy. But the sooner you learn to persevere through challenging times, the sooner you will realize that you can do this.
With that, if you struggle with math like I do, then take it early! Luckily, the Mathematics Department at Eastern Florida State College has caring professors and free tutoring to help you succeed. There really isn’t an excuse to wait; I wish I hadn’t!
I did it, and I know you can too. Go Titans!
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