We like being recognized for the work we do. This is even more relevant now, with the idea of documenting everything you do. (If it isn’t documented, did it happen?) We don’t want to do work unless there is some reward attached.

This is a question that students encounter over and over throughout their education. It crops up when deciding what classes to take, what projects to embark on, and what programs to study. It is a natural question, because we don’t like embarrassing ourselves. Therefore, we want to avoid pursuits that are too difficult if possible.

Learning mathematics is an additive process. What I mean by this is that new mathematics often builds on what came before. Learning mathematics isn’t exactly a linear journey, but it’s a good enough rough approximation.

When I sit down to take a final exam, I don’t think about how to make my answer as perfect as it could be. I don’t waste time making it as clear and concise as possible. After all, that’s not the goal I have when I write my exam. Instead, I’m looking to answer all the questions as best I can in the allotted time. If I finish early, then I’ll go back and look to make things nicer. The first priority is always getting to the answer, though.