How to make History
Nothing is Impossible!
by Mohann Krish
Mohann Krish 
During my childhood it was a craze among friends to remember and quote a famous person's saying to show one's skill of the English language. So, everyday we used to select one interesting quote from a great person and tell others. One quote I heard credited to Napolean Bonaparte, the French Emperor was, "There is no word called 'impossible' in my dictionary."
Having heard the quote at a young age had a tremendous impact on some of us in shaping our future. I, in particular, began to accept challenges early in life. Be it the dreaded algebra or geometry or calculus! Once, I had a very poor score in math. With nobody to guide me at home - I was supposed to be the most intelligent in the family - and a report card to hide from my father, I was desperate to do well in future and to promise my father that I would do well thereafter so as to convince him to sign my report card without a long sermon! But I did not wish to make any false and diffident promise to my father. My close circle of friends always looked up to me for guidance with math. So, I could not seek their help - I was supposed to be the giver of knowledge to them! And those days there were no coaching centers around like we have today. Moreover, going to a private tutor was like announcing one's lack of grey cells to the world at large.
Some of my friends used to cite the names of foreign authors for their books on algebra and geometry. I got their books from the school library but the problem was they would never give any hints but only the answers to the problems. I took this as a challenge and started reading them. I would try to solve problems - which now appear to be easily solvable without pen and paper - for hours using umpteen number of notebook pages. After struggling for a week, I started getting confidence. What I had done was to solve them on my own with persistence and determination. Soon, I started issuing my solutions to my close circle of friends. My friends started coming to me with newer problems from other books and I used to solve them on the spot. Then one day .....
One day, our teacher somehow could not solve a problem on the blackboard! When the students looked towards me, he asked me if I knew the solution. I had already solved it, so it was no problem explaining to the class.
I had never looked back ever since, at least, in math!
May 15th 2011 07:18
During my childhood it was a craze among friends to remember and quote a famous person's saying to show one's skill of the English language. So, everyday we used to select one interesting quote from a great person and tell others. One quote I heard credited to Napolean Bonaparte, the French Emperor was, "There is no word called 'impossible' in my dictionary."
Having heard the quote at a young age had a tremendous impact on some of us in shaping our future. I, in particular, began to accept challenges early in life. Be it the dreaded algebra or geometry or calculus! Once, I had a very poor score in math. With nobody to guide me at home - I was supposed to be the most intelligent in the family - and a report card to hide from my father, I was desperate to do well in future and to promise my father that I would do well thereafter so as to convince him to sign my report card without a long sermon! But I did not wish to make any false and diffident promise to my father. My close circle of friends always looked up to me for guidance with math. So, I could not seek their help - I was supposed to be the giver of knowledge to them! And those days there were no coaching centers around like we have today. Moreover, going to a private tutor was like announcing one's lack of grey cells to the world at large.
Some of my friends used to cite the names of foreign authors for their books on algebra and geometry. I got their books from the school library but the problem was they would never give any hints but only the answers to the problems. I took this as a challenge and started reading them. I would try to solve problems - which now appear to be easily solvable without pen and paper - for hours using umpteen number of notebook pages. After struggling for a week, I started getting confidence. What I had done was to solve them on my own with persistence and determination. Soon, I started issuing my solutions to my close circle of friends. My friends started coming to me with newer problems from other books and I used to solve them on the spot. Then one day .....
One day, our teacher somehow could not solve a problem on the blackboard! When the students looked towards me, he asked me if I knew the solution. I had already solved it, so it was no problem explaining to the class.
I had never looked back ever since, at least, in math!
May 15th 2011 07:18
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Comments
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Mohann Krish
@Philippe: I believe, students don't get 'A' from you howsoever they write. If you just pass me, that would be just fine. May 15th 2011 12:30 |
Now this subject belongs you know where, Mohann, awesome! Man, you got a new fan, your writing flows, the punch line is excellent, keep writing :)
May 15th 2011 11:23