2 answers
London
Student
Lehi, Utah
3
Questions
Asked
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Why is it hard to do math?
I'm in 7th grade and my first semester I had an A in math but now I have an F and I'm always under stress and I'm getting panic attacks because of it. I'm even writing this in math right now and I'm freaking out. Is there any way to make it more fun?
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2 answers
Will Xue, CFA
Manager at PwC
105
Answers
Updated
Will’s Answer
Hi Lehi,
Take a breath—you are okay right now. Panic makes your brain act like there’s an emergency when there isn’t one. Put your feet on the floor, breathe in for 4, hold for 2, and out for 6, a couple times. An F does not define you, and it does not erase the A you had before. This feeling will pass, even if it feels overwhelming in the moment.
Getting back to an A is possible because you’ve already done it before. Focus on one topic at a time, get help early from a teacher or videos, and practice in short, calm sessions instead of stressing for hours. Tell an adult that math is causing panic—support matters. When stress goes down, grades usually go up. This is a setback, not the end of the story.
Good luck!
Take a breath—you are okay right now. Panic makes your brain act like there’s an emergency when there isn’t one. Put your feet on the floor, breathe in for 4, hold for 2, and out for 6, a couple times. An F does not define you, and it does not erase the A you had before. This feeling will pass, even if it feels overwhelming in the moment.
Getting back to an A is possible because you’ve already done it before. Focus on one topic at a time, get help early from a teacher or videos, and practice in short, calm sessions instead of stressing for hours. Tell an adult that math is causing panic—support matters. When stress goes down, grades usually go up. This is a setback, not the end of the story.
Good luck!
Andrew Au
Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, Retired
224
Answers
Updated
Andrew’s Answer
Mathematics is a language, but it is not the natural language we use every day. It is a logical and symbolic language that is alien to most of us. Hence, we may find it difficult to handle at times.
On the other hand, like any natural languages we are familiar with, we can learn mathematical language through lots of practice. It is the same way we learn natural languages such as English.
At your grade level, you are learning the basic grammar and syntax of mathematical language. Do not panic. It takes years to get comfortable with our mother tongue. It will take time to get comfortable with mathematical language.
On the other hand, like any natural languages we are familiar with, we can learn mathematical language through lots of practice. It is the same way we learn natural languages such as English.
At your grade level, you are learning the basic grammar and syntax of mathematical language. Do not panic. It takes years to get comfortable with our mother tongue. It will take time to get comfortable with mathematical language.