Sin Cos Tan

Sometimes I want to go back to Trigonometry. I took it first when I was a sophomore in high school. In my school district that meant I was one year ahead in math. Sophomores usually took Geometry. Geometry I loved. Anyway, I want to go back to Trigonometry not because I loved it or was good at it, but because I hated it and I sucked at it. Up until Trigonometry, I found that if I put effort into something and did my best, I’d succeed. I think of Trigonometry now as a wall I ran smack into. For me, it shattered that illusion that I could do anything if I just put my mind to it. It’s more symbolic than anything. I mean, I did pass Trigonometry and even went on to pass Pre-Calculus, but I never understood either. I guess I think learning Trigonometry now would erase a failure from my history and give me back that comforting idea that I have the power to succeed at anything. I know it’s ridiculous. I have no need for Trigonometry and no reason to force myself to do something I won’t enjoy, though it does make me laugh to picture myself in a class with fifteen and sixteen year olds. And, I’ve learned the same lesson many times over now. I’m terrible at a lot of things! I know there’s no shame in sticking to the things I’m good at and enjoy, but Trigonometry stands as an embarrassment in my past—it’s the one dragging my high school GPA down, and we all know how important that is.