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I am a maths student and I really want to stand out in maths, to be good at it because I like it. But the transition from high school's computation-based maths to uni's concept-based maths made me lose my self-confidence and I feel like I am just not a person who can succeed and stand out in maths, I feel like I am a real dumb person that I even lose the ability to do what I was able to do to the point I am seriously considering consulting a psychologist.

But before I do so, I am seeking advice in this wonderful exchange site from people who can give me any advice whatsoever that could help regain my self-confidence and feel like I can reach the point of excellency I want to reach. So I would really appreciate any kind of comment.

Thank you in advance.

user142205
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    The fact that you have come to know how little you know, in of the realm of mathematics means you have fought half (if not more) of the battle of becoming proficient in mathematics. Math is huge, and no one can master it all. Take heart, commit to persevere, work hard, patience, and persistence. It will come. Just about every undergrad I've known has hit "a wall" at some point, and most come to question whether they are "cut out" for math. Those who take on the challenge to persist and work hard are the ones who succeed. – amWhy Apr 12 '14 at 20:37
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    I exactly feel like I am absolutely not cut out for maths, even more recently. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I was thinking high of myself bach in middle/high school. My teachers have never ceased to praise me so I got a sort of confidence that I could even "invent" something in the future. But unfortunately, now that I am a student, all those "dreams" seem absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to the point that I just hope to get a somewhat good mark. – user142205 Apr 12 '14 at 20:44

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You would be surprised how things can turn around, when I started university, alot of these new concepts seemed very foreign, such as set theory, and $\epsilon -\delta$ proofs. The latter had me going round in circles again and again.

There becomes a point where you break through the foggy wall, and things become clearer. I would not worry too much. In all honestly I was very average throughout my first year, and I am now finishing my degree, and I am coming top (almost) in most subjects. BUT the important thing is not grades, they are numbers, and they can help to make people take you seriously, but at the end of the day maths requires perseverance and creativity.

It sounds like you want to succeed, so you probably will.

Ellya
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  • "creativity" sounds like a thing I wil never have now, no matter how much time I'll spend doing maths. I am sorta convinced that I am just unable to do any exercise given to me and when I read its solution, it seems even further for me to get to that point of reasoning. I am like convinced that all I can do is reading the exercice's text and just afterwards read the solution since thinking won't get me anywhere due to my abilities I feel limited. Anyway, thank you very much for this message, and good luck. – user142205 Apr 12 '14 at 20:49
  • Honestly just keep ploughing through, creativity grows as you understand more, these things seem very different at first, but as time goes on you will get used to them. I still believe that the hardest course that my university has offered, was our first year analysis class.

    Its very hard because you start from the bottom, proving things like the convergence of sequences, but then as you work up these things are "taken for granted". It tends to be that the simpler things are harder to prove because you have less to work with, after a while, when working on bigger things, you use assumtions

     – Ellya Apr 12 '14 at 20:54
  • and the proofs you work on are aided by the smaller ones. – Ellya Apr 12 '14 at 20:54
  • @user142205: I can imagine that nothing could sound more false to a newcomer than "creativity grows as you [plough through]". But for mathematics at least, it really is quite true. I don't think I could say anything to convince you of this, but as someone whose mathematical creativity is just beginning to blossom (along with my peers'!), I can provide firsthand account that you can indeed grow creativity. – Eric Stucky Apr 27 '14 at 12:14