I have always hated Maths!

Back then during junior school, I would never want to attend maths classes. For three consecutive years, I got three different maths teachers who at every start of the class will asked that everyone to submit homework (since every last class would be given some from textbook) and those who didn't do their homeworks get punished. I hate doing homeworks, I would rather spend my time reading, that was why I prefer Geography and History classes.

I hate algebra class and I hate matrices. Those that I hated the most seems to be one I am good at.

During junior college, I would give up and try to look for excuses not to attend Additional Maths, but try my best to keep fresh during Modern Maths. I got punished many times, numerous punishments - for lateness or incompleteness - that is why for the freshness looks. I still remember Cikgu Nazliah!

When things turned out badly and when I already lost hope; hey, majority of student hated add-maths - there were two teachers who believe that add-maths is no other difficult but rather conceptualised in my head.

Both of them took their time to tutoring me privately - during recess hour and during prep-time after school. I owed them too many, that when no one believes in me, they do. I would give them thousand and million of thanks, but that would never be enough - to Cikgu Nik and Cikgu Chempaka. And one who made me believe in myself, Cikgu Omar - "You had never realised, the gift you have until your work yourself to find it! Sebab cikgu percaya..."

Ok, guess what was my major for undergraduate study? I applied for Mathematical Modeling and studied on scholarship at USM - no, it is not about counting your step on fashion show gala, but I believe it is more about how you understand what is happening around you through mathematics.

I have always hated maths, but then things around me resolving so much through mathematical formulae. The mortgage, the auto-loan, credit card debts, investment returns, etc...

I guess I can always hate Mathematics, but it will keep on haunting me on my walks...

Shahirasul Idrewoods

Penang, Malaysia.