The sun was shining throughout the tall classroom windows. I would describe it as a peaceful hot day. I was 16 years old sitting in a classroom in the lower east side on a summer hazy day. You could hear a pin drop. It was the perfect scene. I was in math class with 4 desks made into a table surrounding me sitting alone. My other classmates sat together and worked on the math problems due they seemed to know what to do. I had the school’s laptop opened up to kalans academy. I felt pure emptiness and stress. I was overwhelmed staring at this laptop and worksheet.As time passed I sat there choked up. I felt like a failure struggling with something that the class knew in a heartbeat. I felt my emotions and frustrations getting to me. I cried in silence because crying over a math problem is a different type of hurt. I whipped away my tears and walked to my next class like nothing but deep deep inside. I was so hurt because it felt like I was against a wall with no way through. 

  

  Throughout highschool i struggled tremendously with mathematics, barely hanging on. I had transferred highschools due to some issues I had and then had a teacher I didn’t quite understand their teaching ways. Then the pandemic hit everything went online. Being solo just threw me off. I felt like I had no hope. I learned to really focus. I teamed up with a peer and had 1 on 1 sessions with my teacher and saw progress. Simply putting in work gives a greater outcome. In the end I slowly became in love with mathematics and helped peers in need. I slowly progressed as a student graduated with a high grade in class. It changed how I view school material. Anyone can do it just by putting in the work.