From being terrible at math to a quantum physicist - my journey

My path into theoretical physics wasn't a super traditional, since I started off very very bad at math. I hope this video shows you there's no such think as someone who isn't a maths person- since I ended up majoring in pure maths and loving it.

[LookingGlassUniverse]

If you think you're bad at something and you want to get better, I have a book recommendation for you. It's Peak by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool. It goes through the evidence for why peak performers are not necessarily the most naturally gifted, but the people who do the right type of practice. Then it talks about how you might do this yourself. (I kept recommending it in replies to people, so I thought I'd just pin it here.)

[bluebrown]

Wow, this was very inspiring. Thanks for sharing Mithuna, the world needs more people like you!

[lebogangmoichela]

This proves that a great teacher can make ALLLL the difference

[zaradavisrecords]

aaah girl, that's the story of my life! I am so glad you shared this. I was the worst student in my entire school, had to repeat years, my math teacher never asked me anything, she always skipped my seat as she hated any interaction with me and now, I am going to study astrophysics!!

[karla]

I am a 68 yr old female who wishes she had heard this video 58 years ago. I am a self taught artist (my mother was an incredible artist) who has spent the last several years becoming more and more mesmerized by quantum physics. Thank you for taking the time to spread your truth to so many young people who will be able to do something with it!

[kg]

Being bad at something is the first step towards being good at it.

[tetsi]

This is what everybody who thinks "I'm not good at math" needs to hear.

[angelcordova]

okay it was very comforting to know that there are people who are bad at math but ended up having careers revolving around math. This was all I needed to see to convinced myself that I too have a chance of becoming an engineer. Even if I suck at math.

[hattysmith]

I am 16 years old and I want to become a scientist. I was always passionate about time travel, the beginning of the Universe, quantum mechanics and now, string theory. I love math, but this semester I started with a bad grade and this really makes me feel insecure about myself. Also my class is good at math.
I'll come here 10 years later if I become a scientist. Thank you for inspiration 🥰

[mohamedameri]

I hated math in school, I’m an Electrical engineer now thanks to YouTube. Shoutouts to Prof. Walter Lewin, Khan Academy, Michael vin Biezen, Prof. Leonard and others (:

[nothefabio]

Math teacher: [Laughs and walks away]
Mithuna: *CHALLENGE ACCEPTED*

[mariamukherjee]

it's wonderful how she could switch between courses that interested her, which ultimately led her to where she is. Wish I had that opportunity in my education system 🤷🏻‍♀️

[josegc]

I come here in 10 years to see if i become informatic engineer


Bring me luck, i'm sure I get it

[kaga]

I failed calculus multiple times, I'm starting my master's in plasma physics in the fall en route to a PhD, it can be done!

[dvmehta]

I did my B.Sc.(Physics) in way back 1976.
Now I'm 63 years old and again started learning relativity and quantum mechanics.
It's fun !
Thanks ma'am for your very inspiring speech...👍👌

[sakina]

Watched this video 3 years ago and I was terrible at math to the point that basic derivatives would scare me but this video inspired me and I started to relearn physics and maths.. I've gotten an MS in physics specialising in spectroscopy working towards publishing 3 papers and preparing for phD rn.. Quantum mechanics still scare me and I spend weeks wondering what the heck did I got myself into 😂 but I love it and I wanna thank you for such an inspiring me.. 2019 me would've never dreamed of choosing this field ever..

[turntablesrockmyworld]

I am in my 50s and shaped my whole life around avoiding things because I have a lower IQ than what I feel is required for many things I wanted to do; learning is a struggle (I suspect I have a learning disability) for me and I failed math every year of high school. Now, as someone older I have told myself I want to get a knowledge of math and physics to about a second year of university of a math or physics student and have started learning from elementary school math onward. It's going to be a long journey!

[polin]

For a long time I wanted to go to a art/musician high school, but then I realised how interesting math and science can be. So I decided to take the entrance exam to a sience high school. It was really hard, because I missed the basics of math so I had to study all those things again.
Yesterday, I got the Results: I PASSED

[trishahinners]

This is a really important fact to share with the world. I earned a PhD nearly 15 years ago in nuclear & particle physics and I would describe my high school and undergraduate years as being passable in math courses. Typically getting a B or C -- except in Diff Eq. or Linear Algebra and then I finally got A's. I was much more naturally inclined towards the humanities (music major to start off college), but I had a passion for understanding the inner workings of our universe so I stuck with it and am all the better for it. Thank you for sharing and being a role model for all those that come after you.

[EvoTameDriver]

Your story is really similar to mine. I have never been any good in Sciences or Maths and also went into the Humanities. However, as an adult and having been in the workforce, I actually grew to love Astronomy and that led to Physics and that led to chemistry and even into Pharmaceuticals. Everything became easy and I was like a sponge and kept absorbing more and more studies and more and more literature on these subjects. Carry on and good luck madam.