Students talk math anxiety

Cristina Gonzalez, Staff writer

Though most people know that Pi, when it comes to math, is used as 3.14, not many individuals actually know the entire number, let alone want to have to use it. It’s not that Pi isn’t a great constant and can’t solve many mathematical equations, it’s that math phobia is real for many students but with the right resources, any student can get their fair piece of the Pi.

“I just get flustered very quickly when it comes to anything math related and I think it’s because I’ve always had anxiety associated with math because it has never been easy for me,” said math student Jonathan Perez. “I go to the Math Lab before every class to rent a calculator and to get help with homework. They help me understand the material better and it has given me confidence in my work, just through this extra help and practice.”

The Math Lab is located on the first floor of the Math Building and is there to help all math students with their mathematical questions or needs. There, students can receive help from an instructor and/or math tutor who is also a LMC student. For some, having other math students there to support as math tutors can help with the anxiety that is associated with asking instructors for help “too much.”

“I used to get embarrassed when I didn’t understand something and was too shy to ask questions. But now I ask,” said math student Erika St. Andre, who aspires to be a nurse and knows that math is something she will be required to use every day for the rest of her life.

St. Andre rents her calculator from the Math Lab for free just by providing her Spring 2019 school ID and uses the other resources in the lab such as the computers and the study rooms. These rooms are often used by groups of students who want to have their own private math study group and can be obtained by going to the Math Lab and booking the room ahead of time.

Math Instructor Banglun Zheng encourages all his students to attend the Math Lab at least once a week.

“I tell all my students that the Math Lab is the best place to get help,” said Zheng. “Just being there to practice your math skills will eventually help students get over their fear of math and help them master it. Practice makes perfect.”

There is also a Math Lab on the Brentwood Campus that offers many of these same resources.