Undercover Math

Last year I was elbowed in the forehead by a teammate while playing basket ball. I received a minor concussion and have more or less recovered. However, during the time right after the initial blow, my doctors told me to try not to use my brain: no TV, no reading, no studying, no computer use, no texting. I knew this was going to be difficult when I was waiting for my pediatrician to come into the brightly decorated room. I sat with my mother, explaining how much the girl lifted in the weight room and then using that number to calculate the force in which her elbow clamored my head.

Another way I use math in secret is when I am stressed or anxious. I guess it isn't really math functions, but rather numbers. When I am doing something I would rather not be doing, such as running, or when I am nervous, I start counting. I will start at one and count the seconds that go by or the number of steps I take. Maybe I will shake things up a bit and count by 6 when I have a presentation in two minutes. These numbers play through my head and distract me from what I am doing, making time pass faster.

I also love to bake. Starting with a handful of ingredients that, by themselves, are not palatable and turning them into a delicacy fascinates me. I am not a strict follow of recipes. I use them mostly as guidelines. I don't believe that the actual measurements on the piece of paper are as important as the ratios of the ingredients.