📚 Advice to New Students from a Mathematician
Published:
A new semester begins, and as I see fresh faces arriving on campus, I’d like to share a few words with the new students.
Stay strong
A sharp mind needs a strong body. Take care of your health—move often, eat well, and rest enough. Strength and resilience will carry you through your studies and beyond university.
Think deeply
In mathematics, clarity comes not from memorizing theorems but from questioning assumptions and testing ideas. University is the same: it is not about repeating facts or passively accepting what you hear. AI can recall facts more accurately and faster than you—your task is to reason, connect ideas, and judge. Professors can guide you, but true understanding must be built by you.
Note: Try to think through a problem before you ask: test simple examples, search for counterexamples, and sketch a rough argument. This makes your questions sharper and your learning deeper.
Stay curious
Let curiosity guide you—within your field and far beyond it. Some of you may already know what you want to study, and that’s wonderful. But stay open. Follow unexpected paths, question the obvious, and allow yourself to be surprised. True learning often begins at the edge of the unknown, and curiosity is the spark that keeps it alive for a lifetime.
Note: Chase your passions and wander “down the rabbit holes.” Detours often become the most valuable parts of your education.
Embrace failure
In problem-solving, a wrong path is never wasted—it shows you where not to go. Learning is the same: mistakes are not setbacks but steps toward growth. Do not fear failure. Aim high, and even if you fall short, you will go further than by setting the bar too low.
Note: Every proof attempt, even unfinished ones, sharpens your mind. Failure is not the opposite of success—it is part of it.
Broaden your perspective
A theorem often reveals new meaning from another angle; life is no different. Step outside your comfort zone—through travel, study abroad, or conversations with people unlike yourself. Each new perspective challenges assumptions and expands your world.
Take responsibility
University gives you freedom, but freedom comes with responsibility. Be responsible for your learning, your time, and your choices. Own both your successes and your failures. Knowledge may empower you to help others, but it begins with being accountable to yourself.
Enjoy the journey
University is not just preparation for the future—it is a part of life itself. Make the most of these years: study hard, take breaks, make friends, and share your passions. The ideas you discover and the relationships you build will stay with you long after graduation. Work hard, play hard, and enjoy the adventure that begins now.