What math taught us. - Jan. 20, 2024.

Studying math taught me that there are many ways to reach a result.

Yesterday, the school office accepted my thesis, and I celebrated the occasion with an after-party with my love that night. We had always wanted to visit these restaurants. We enjoyed Japanese sake and savored amazing dishes.

The words I mentioned earlier have deeply resonated with me. The question, "What do we study for?" intrigued us. She mentioned she wasn't good at math, but now that she started working, she realized the importance of what studying math had emphasized. In math, while there is only one answer, there are multiple ways to solve a problem. She shared her experience: several people were working towards the same goal, but their motivations and methods varied. One person aimed to improve the workplace for everyone's benefit, while another was trying to gather support for their plan. This situation highlights that there are multiple ways to achieve the same objective. Math and her experience seemed similar to me.

Isn't this idea profound? Speaking about myself, these two years in grad school have boosted my confidence in using English. To be honest, I've never studied abroad and regretted it during these four years, feeling too apprehensive to venture into a foreign country and assuming I wasn't good at English. I wanted to become fluent in English, so I've been tackling my challenges step by step. My grad school days were a small step, but they led me toward my ideal self. Her realization also served as a wonderful lesson for me.