I was not a very attentive student in junior high school. I would often read novels under the table instead of listening to the teacher.

As a result, I failed a math exam. This deeply upset my parents. Once I even saw my mother quietly wiping a tear away. My parents had tried to help me with math but they stopped bothering after I showed no signs of improvement. Aware of their disappointment, I decided to abandon the novels and focus on my studies.

I resolved to go to my math teacher for help once in a while and listen more attentively in class. I bought some reference books and forced myself to do as much practice as I could. Grasping the dull mathematical rules and formulations was hard for me at first, but as I dug more I found myself falling in love with it.

Although I did this for my parents, I realized that I gained more than I had expected. I thought all I wanted was to regain my parents’ confidence in me, but in fact what I had achieved also increased my own self-confidence.