Wear the shoes that fit

We all feel uncomfortable when we wear shoes that don't quite fit. With the right shoes, we can run and skip. With the wrong ones, simply walking is slow and painful. I think the same applies to choosing a career - we need to find one that fits.

As a Form Three student, I see many of my classmates worrying about whether they should study science or arts. They should be thinking about which one fits. Let's say you are fascinated by physics but know the maths is beyond you, then you should probably choose arts. Make your choice according to your abilities.

For example, if instead of choosing science, Albert Einstein had chosen to pursue politics, we might never have heard of him. It's almost certain he would not have been as famous as he became by doing what he was good at.

So, I think the challenge is finding out what our strengths and weaknesses are and then acting on them.

Cherry Wong

From the Editor

Thanks for the letter, Cheryl. You certainly draw a vivid image of how painful it can be to attempt to do something we're not good at. Many people seem to think there are only two careers in the whole world, doctor or lawyer. But there are many careers, and many of them do not require mathematics.

That being said, once a person chooses to close themselves off from mathematics, they do close off a very large sector of career choices - all those which need maths, such as engineering, marine biology, computer programming and so on. This is probably why parents are so cautious about their children dropping maths.

When you think about it though, arts is actually harder than maths. In maths, the answers lie in learning formulae by rote. Once you know the formulae, you can reach the answer. Art, on the other hand, is much more unclear and needs your own interpretations, which may or may not be correct.

Susan, Editor