Algebraic Problems

Going through a rough time for school reasons. Math used to be my favorite subject, now it might just be the epitome of my misery.

Hi. This past year of 8th Grade was a rough one. Even though I ended with A’s in all of the concerning classes, it definitely was not easy. I went through tutoring before 8th grade for English and then did well in that class throughout the semesters. So maybe there were a few hiccups along the way but it started to get more mellow as we received new material along with the old material. So I ended with an A in that class. In Science, I only had literally one or two unsatisfying test scores in first semester which only left me with a goal for a better one, and that I completed. Social studies was a very easy class. The first semester consisted of sitting in our seats and listening to our teacher explain the history across the globe. I think you’d be able to say the hard stuff was the listening part. Our teacher stepped up his game second semester but I still ended with an A+. 

The next thing was… Algebra. Algebra. Algebra. For an understatement, I guess you could say that I can think about the word for hours and only imagine stabbing the person who came up with it. This class kept me up late studying, put me through tutoring, (which wasn’t bad at all because I had the best tutor, but its the thought, ok?) and left me with bad grades. No matter how much tutoring I did, I would still end up with a bad grade every once in a while. And people even got moved down if they couldn’t get a high enough grade. That could have been me. Except, I didn’t want to move down. There was something that told me that I could do this. Because if I made it here, why would I move down. Or maybe it was because we were considered the smart kids. But not nerds. So after the worst semester of my life, I got a tutor and ended with a higher grade than most kids who didn’t even need to think about a tutor.

So what’s my algebraic problem? I want to go to a public school and I took Algebra in a private school. I took a test in the summer to test out of Algebra for the public school, even after my end of year test and the final we had to take on top of that, then still ended with an A, and failed the summer test. It sucked. I cried in front of my future counselor, then in front of my mom, and over the one and a half month period after that I still cried in front of my parents multiple times and, I still cried to myself. My mom claims she called and begged to my counselor about placing me in geometry instead of Algebra again. I feel like I have waisted a year of my life because even though Algebra was a b***h to me this past year, I still loved math. One of the two reasons I still wanted to go to school was math, the other reason was because I had great friends. So thats why I feel like I wasted a year of my school career. 

My parents and people who know about this situation say that its not the worst thing ever and that maybe its happening for the best. But I’m even embarrassed to tell my cousins, the people who I feel are my sister and brother. Im embarrassed to tell them because they even took algebra in 8th grade, both of them. And I did too except I’m going to have to take algebra again. I have even threatened to go to the school I shadowed and absolutely do not want to go to if it means I’ll have the chance to take geometry. I hope things turn out the way I plan and I don’t have to go through something that will be hard for me starting my freshman year in high school. This horrible algebraic problem.

Author's Note

Please tell me in the reviews if you have ever been through something like this, please share your thoughts and experiences.

Reviews

[Silt]

I'm sorry for your plight, but really think your recounting of them is well written and voiced.

Feels sort of bad to say I enjoyed this piece; considering your circumstances.

Nicely written,

You seem to have the drive to succeed.

Best writing to you

Silt