The Based Life

  I find myself, yet again, in a slump for reasons I cannot grasp may it be another season one that I now must pass? Why I must, traverse these depths? dark, barren, souless and gray not a single sign of life why I must, go this way? The thunder and rain that passeth now above I miss the laughter, I miss the pain oh thunder, let me cry again Why so dreary, why so down this is all I carry now! I feel only dread and despair this all seems so unfair! Everything right I did, did I not?  family, friends, health and wealth was there anything missed or forgot? Here I stand, here I lay tell me why again I'm so afraid why can't it be just okay? At least I'll turn this godamn pain this son of a bitch I say into some form of gain

Some advice I think applies to every study one undertakes in life.  It's up to you: your actions are likely to be the greatest determiner of the outcome of your studies.  Be active: read the book. Do the exercise set.  Think for yourself Question everything: be sceptical about the results presented to you.  Observe: the power of Sherlock Holmes came not from his deductions but his observations. Prepare to be wrong. Don't memorise, seek to understand. Develop your intution: but don't trust it completely.  Collaborate: workwith others, if you can. Reflect: look back and see what you have learned. Getting started The biggest hurdle with any mathematics problem is getting started. Too often, students beginning high level mathematics look for an example or a theorem from which they can deduce a statemetn as a simple corollary. Unfortunately, mathematical thinking is not like that.  Play with examples Rarely can you say nothing about a problem. There may be some ...