Introduction to a Math Major
My name is Caroline and I'm from Jenks, Oklahoma. I've lived in Oklahoma all my life, but my family is from New England. I am currently a junior and a mathematics and economics major. I've always loved math, but I didn't officially declare it as my major until last semester. My favorite thing about math is that once you understand it, thats all there is to it. It isn't up for debate or interpretation like english or history. It's just the same no matter what! The plan after graduation is to go to Boston University for their actuarial science masters program! Then I'll take the tests to become an actuary and hopefully find a job somewhere in New England!
Last semester my favorite class was my statistics class. I've always loved statistics, and I am hoping to go into a field with a mathematical focus in statistics. Over summer break I went back to visit family in Rhode Island and then a few weeks later I spent about 2 weeks in the Caribbean on a family vacation. it was so fun!
My favorite book is Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (its also one of my favorite movies!). He's my favorite author because I really appreciate the way he can blend heavily researched science into fiction in a way that is entertaining and informative. It's also the last book I read because I reread it on my vacation! As for movies and TV shows, I couldn't possibly pick a favorite. I really like most genres, but I tend to love comedies over all else. Just like with movies and TV, I have a very diverse taste in music. I like country, rock, pop, alternative, and the list goes on. I usually go through phases and right now I'm in a folk/country phase.
I personally have only one pet, a cat named Jolene (like the Dolly Parton song), but my family in Tulsa has a lot! We have one dog, two cats, three lizards, a hedgehog, and we recently got a snake!
That's amazing that your family has so many pets! When I was a kid I always wanted my parents to buy more and have more variety, but my family is a dog family all the way. Now it has rubbed off on me, and I can't imagine having any other type of pet. It's interesting that you like math because you don't debate. I love the humanities for the exact opposite reason. No one really has all the answers, so all interpretations are up for discussion, which leads to fascinating debate!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! I'm originally from Connecticut, spent half of my life there before I moved to Oklahoma. I think the things I liked best about Rhode Island the times I went there were the A&W carhop with the fresh root beer on tap, and how friendly everyone I encountered was. I have a cat named Mario, and really love animals. I think it's awesome that you like math. Not everyone does. I found statistics to be pretty difficult. I have had to actually use it for psychology and it makes more sense to me in practical application than it did in a stats classroom.
ReplyDeleteThat econ and math major sounds powerful, Caroline! And being an actuary is such a great way to work with applied math, and even though math is definitely a science, risk is a very human thing, which is to say: very unpredictable. You can try to use math to tame it... but you can't control it. And of course that will always keep the job interesting! Maybe you could take an actuarial approach to some myths and legends: that could be really fun; nobody has used an "actuarial" storytelling style in this class before. And what a menagerie back in Tulsa: a hedgehog even... very cool! Maybe you could do a project about hedgehog stories from around the world; there are even hedgehog stories from Africa! Here's one about a jackal and his friend the hedgehog: The Adventures of a Jackal :-)
ReplyDeleteHi there Caroline! It's so great to meet ya! I absolutely LOVE meeting people who love math. And I mean love math in a way that they are willing to pursue it as a future profession. I love when you said that the reason you like math is that once you understand it, there is nothing else to it, there is no debating how it goes. This concept is the reason why I fell in love with Human Anatomy, and have been teaching it for the past three semesters now. I wish you all the best in your pursuit of your future careers :)
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the beauty of math is that after you learn it, it becomes simpler to understand. Math has always been one of my favorite subjects and I like meeting people who have that same mentality. I hope you find the perfect job for you in New England! I am always looking for book recommendations so I plan on checking out Jurassic Park whenever I get the chance.
Hope you have a great semester!
Hi Caroline, I've never actually met anyone who enjoys math only people who are good at it and decide well might as well haha. Jurassic Park 1, 3, and World are some of my favorite movies (2: lost world was kind of meh). That's really cool that you want to move to Boston/New England area after school back to where your family is from. I might do the same but Montana is not as fun as New England. However I have thought about moving to Boston as well after some time in Houston to get a job. You do have a lot of reptiles as pets, does that have anything to do with JP being your favorite movie? Best of luck to you in the rest of your school year.
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! I like your logic for being a math major. I wish that I could find a field of study in my major where nothing was open for debate. Also I am glad that someone understand math... I have never really been a fan. That would be so cool to study at Boston College!! I'm sure that will be awesome to go to school there! I looked into going to PT school at Boston College and I know they have a very good grad program there! Good luck with the rest of your studies!
ReplyDeleteCaroline, it's nice to see we have another STEM major in the class. I'll have to be honest, I didn't know that New England still refers to the very northeastern United States. Very interesting. Also, I started to sing Jolene when I saw your cat's name. I had a friend whose cat’s name was pot-roast. This was a very thought-out post, congrats.
ReplyDeleteCaroline, I think it is so interesting that you are a math major. I don't know anyone who is a math major, and I personally shy away from the subject, myself. I love the photo you chose of Boston. I visited there for a few days earlier this year, including MIT and Harvard. Harvard was the most beautiful place I have ever been! I can completely understand why you would want to move there. Best of luck! I also think it's great that you know what you want to do and have a plan to get there. :)
ReplyDeleteCaroline, I think it's neat how you describe math. That's a good way to think about it: Math can be frustrating for me, but you're right, once you get it, you get it and that's all there is to it. It's neat that your family in Tulsa has so many pets! It'd be cool to incorporate them into some of your stories throughout this class.
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline!
ReplyDeleteIt is so amazing that you have such a passion for math. I do agree that math is concrete (although there are those "exceptions") and not like science where it is always evolving. Personally, I don't like math because it's always been a hard concept for me to grasp (especially the harder subjects). I love Jurassic Park too! The latest movie, Jurassic World, was an incredible movie in my opinion. I also enjoy the world as well. Although, I'd have to say Stephen King is my favorite author.
Hi Caroline, I have lived in Oklahoma all of my life to, I know quite a few people from Jenks! I definitely understand what you mean when you talk about math. Wow, I love your dream and goals in life, I hope you accomplish them! It’s so cute that you named your cat Jolene and I like that you have a wide range of pets back home.
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! I think it's actually really cool that you are a math major! My neighbor wants to be an actuary too haha! I really liked your point about how once you understand math, that's all there is to it! That was very insightful and very true!! The problem for me just happens to be the understanding it part! I am good with applied mathematics, but theory mathematics makes no sense to me! I never know what the numbers mean because they just seem so random! I am impressed that you are able to do so well and I'm glad to see you seem to have a passion for it! Jolene is a really cute cat name too!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! So cool that you're a math major - I'm actually completely awful at math so if you could put in a good word with the math gods for me I'd really appreciate it! I love that you're favorite book is Jurassic Park - I've actually ever read it, although I have seen the movie! I'll have to check it out. Your cat being named after a Dolly Parton song is the best thing I have ever heard, I'm deathly allergic to them (like I usually know when someone has one bc I can sense it) but they're just so cute!! Nice to meet you and can't wait to read more of your stories!
ReplyDeleteHey Caroline! I'm actually from Tulsa too! I live in Broken Arrow though so a little bit outside of the main city. I think that it is pretty interesting that you are a math major because I never was able to find a passion for math. If anything I just tried to get done with it as quick as I could. I hope you end up at Boston University one day but until then I hope you enjoy your time left here in Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteHey Caroline! You definitely have a variety of animals, but I understand. I grew up on a family farm, so I have had my fair share of animals, none quite as interesting as yours though. I think it is so cool that you want to go back to you families roots to work. The picture you posted from Boston University is really pretty!
ReplyDeleteHey there Caroline! It's nice to get to know you a little bit. I love that your family has some interesting pets. My family has only ever had cats and dogs, but at one point we did have 7 animals in the house at the same time. It was interesting. I also love your take on math, because it's the same reason I love math and science. I also recently decided to minor in economics, so that's cool! Have a great rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! It’s nice to meet you. I’m not a huge fan of math, but I definitely understand why you love it. There is only one answer, and it’s either right or wrong. Wow, Boston University looks absolutely breathtaking. I live about 40-45 minutes away from Tulsa, so I’m there a lot. I think it’s a beautiful place, and there’s a lot to offer in Tulsa. Looking forward to your stories!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! It's nice to meet you! I personally AP'd out of math arriving my freshman year, so I haven't had a math class since high school. But, I have been taking a lot of business classes for my minor that utilize math, and I never really realized how much I missed math until I got to take those classes. I think it's wonderful that you are a math major, and that you are doing something that you love! Your summer sounds amazing! Definitely seems like you had a lot of fun! Unfortunately, I was busy at home all summer so I didn't really do anything as exciting. I wish you the best of luck this semester, as we only have 5 short weeks left! It was so nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteHey Caroline,
ReplyDeleteIt is really cool to meet a math major! I am like you in that I love math so much that I decided to do something about it during my college career, in my case, I chose to do a minor. You are totally right when it comes to math; there is no argument or interpretation, just straight facts. Since you're a math major, I think you'll understand this feeling: don't you love it when everything clicks together after learning an equation and seeing how it ties to everything beforehand? Or how you finally find out how what you are learning applies to the real world? Math is just another language, but a really cool due to the fact that it exists EVERYWHERE! Good luck with the semester!
Hi Caroline! That's so cool that you're studying to be an actuary — I actually just had to look up what an actuary does, but that sounds like a really important and necessary job. Math is really tough for me, but I'm glad it's fun and interesting for you! Also, it's so neat that your family has so many pets, and so many different kinds of pets! My family is just a dog family — I think my mom would freak out if we ever got a lizard or a snake. Hope the rest of your semester goes well!
ReplyDeleteHello Caroline, my hometown is about two hours away from Jenks! I think it’s cool that you are majoring in something to do with math. It was my favorite subject as well and I regret not majoring in something in that area but chemistry isn’t too bad haha. I hope you have a great semester and congrats on graduating next year!
ReplyDeleteHi Caroline! My dad is from Tulsa, OK so I have grown up going there for lots of holidays over the years. Props to you for being a mathematics and economics major. Although I really enjoy economics I am terrible at math. Like could not want to get out of any classes related to math. I hope you are enjoying your semester.
ReplyDeleteHey Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI really like the design of your blog and how you incorporated multiple pictures into your introduction. I think its really cool that you have found a subject like math that you are really passionate about. Also I too love the Jurassic Park movies! I hope you are having a wonderful semester and I can’t wait to explore the rest of your blog.
Hello, Caroline!
ReplyDeleteIt is so crazy that this is the last week of class and I am just now reading your introduction, so nice to meet you! I love that you have chosen mathematics as your major. As an engineering major I have a lot of respect for the math and I totally understand how rewarding it can be when you finally "get it". I hope you had an awesome semester, and best of luck in the future!
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI commend you for being a math major. I have always enjoyed my math courses but I do not know if I could handle some of the upper division math courses. I was amazed to learn that Jurassic Park had actually come from a book. I am curios now how well the movie sticks to the book plot. I love to read books that have been turned into movies to go through and see the differences. I think I am going to have to put this book on my winter break reading list. Good luck on final!
Hi Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI like your explanation for loving math, that's very true! I've never thought of it that way. I love the New England states, and I have family up there as well. How did you family end up in Oklahoma? II've been to quite a few of those states, and my favorite was Rhode Island. I stayed there over the summer for a week and a half and had such a fun time!
I love the Jurassic Park movies. I like the first and third one the most! I've never thought to read the book, but now I definitely want to. Good luck with finals!
Hey Caroline,
ReplyDeleteGreat to meet you even though it so late in the semester. I went to Union so I know all about Jenks. Its good to meet a fellow classmate from the Tulsa area. Its very cool you're so interested in math. Ive never been that great at math but I understand where you are coming from. I really liked my Statistics class actually so I gained some respect back for it. Good luck on finals!
Hello Caroline,
ReplyDeleteJurassic Park and the Lost World are two of my favorite books. I read them both when I was in second grade before seeing the movie and falling in love more. Kudos to you for majoring in math, the only type of math I enjoy is when it comes to money haha.Good luck with finals! I love Jenks for the aquarium and the area in general is beautiful.