Math by Darissa

Math by Darissa - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

Math being the most hated subject globally, I found myself wanting to indulge my career in this subject. Loving mathematics, it has been the most ideally suited subject for me.
As I progressed into school, math has always played a significant role in my academic journey. Initially, I did not care about math since I viewed it as just another subject in school, but the more I realized after transferring back into another school, I was extremely behind. Normally kids would be focused on multiplication in the third grade but for me, I was doing cursive. My old school wouldn’t push students to focus for multiplication so growing up, it was difficult to keep up when the multiplication worksheet hit the table. Not being aware of how important it is, it took me a while to fully grasp it. Believing I was behind compared to the other students, I worked throughout my summer break practicing math, ensuring I get better. I strongly believed I was ready to step into the next grade excelling in everything I do. It was initially frustrating having to consistently work on math during the summer when I wanted to go outside with my friends, but I pushed through until summer was over. The more math began to get complex throughout the years, I ensured myself to go beyond on my journey. Although, senior year in high school was when I started questioning how any of this information and all the formulas are used in the real world. Everything started making me question if there is a distinct way to do math since people would find out another way of doing something. Eventually, curiosity took the best of me, and I started researching ways in which math could be used in the real world. By the time I knew it, I was in AP Pre Calculus doing Calculus and told my teacher about the several ways you can plug equations and formulas into a Desmos calculator, and she suggested I take the AP Calculus. With it being one of the most challenging math class I’ve ever took, I never let it stop me. I continued to do my best, continued to practice, and continued to study. The more I failed, the more I strived to improve. With the complexities of Calculus, I was most certain it is used in the real world. Now, preparing to step in the real world, I will know what it’s like to do math in architecture and interior design.