I can't help but wonder why we've all been practically forced to take math classes, but art is just an option? What really gets me is the following:

"If you don't understand art, it's just not your thing. But if you don't understand math, well - then there is a serious problem, and you're just not that smart". I mean, what is that supposed to imply?

It's kind of messed up, and I wish I knew all of the answers. I guess I should say that first and foremost, yes, I am slightly biased on this topic. First off, I was always the kid that was daydreaming in her math and science classes, or doodling on the corners of my paper. I excelled greatly in art and writing classes, and I was the queen of self-expression and being stuck in my own little world. I've always leaned towards the creative side. Secondly, I was diagnosed with math deficit when I was a Junior in High School. I've struggled with my math learning disability even long before my teachers and counselors found it, proven a fact after taking my ACTs. Since the elementary days, I've always come face to face with one of my worst enemies, that being math. However, there were those areas that remained a kind of sanctuary for me, a place and time where I could express myself without feeling like I was a total hopeless failure. Those places included my writing classes, art classes especially, and even a little bit of history. Math and science were a no go for me, and unfortunately, I would have to spend the next twelve years struggling an immense amount before figuring out what the problem was. My big question that I want to ask society, is why in the world is art less important than math? Who made that clear, and who decided that understanding the Pythagorean theorem was way more important than colors, and using that right side of the brain to unleash pent up emotions, and helped express who that person is? How come math is crucial in life, when most of the time, we end up not using hardly anything that we've learned past basic arithmetic? I want to meet the genius who conjured up these silly rules and expectations. Obviously, learning how to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and even understanding decimals, and how to use percents in important because we end up carrying those things with us in life - and most of what we do in our daily lives involve numbers; but basic numbers nonetheless. When you start putting letters in with numbers, it starts to become pointless. But hey, maybe that's just me, because my future hardly involves that kind of math - or not at all. I want to be an English professor and a writer . . . I don't think I need to learn the concept of polynomials unless I'm writing a damn book on it.

I would like to say that perhaps, I'm a little bit more biased on this subject than I realize. But, I'm sure a lot of people are. I think that art is an incredible thing that everyone should experience. In my opinion, students should take more art classes than math classes, and let me tell you why that is. First off, I obviously think that it's crucial and necessary that children learn the basics of math as I listed off above. We need those things to survive in the world. However, after that, I think that teachers, professors, counselors, parents, etc. should give art classes, and all of the creative aspects of learning a second chance. It's not just putting paint on a paint brush, not just mixing colors with each other and then not gaining anything from it. Art is important because it helps the mind develop in ways that numbers just - can't. Maybe if we allowed more art classes and put art on the same pedestal as math, the world would be a different place. No, I know that the world would be a different math. There wouldn't be so much stress on students, and it would give them a chance to take a break from the difficulties of their life. They could open up at a faster rate, and come to understand themselves faster in the process. Art is important, and it is beautiful; let's not take it for granted or push it to the side.

1. Understanding oneself.
Art helps us to connect with parts of ourselves. When being submerged in art, we get lost in our own minds, and we delve into those areas that we forget about when we get caught up in everyday life and the anxiety of it. Art brings us back down to who we really are. Nobody should miss out on that.

2. Getting a new/better perspective of the world and atmosphere around them.
Art has that tendency to allow us to understand our world around us better. We can get up close, experience one in a lifetime things, or even everyday things and document them. Putting those introspective thoughts onto paper gives us a new outlook on life, something that people should obtain daily to help them grow and expand.


3. Shapes and colors/etc. are infinite. It's another way to express without using words.

Need I say more? You can literally do anything. This teaches us to take advantage of the things around us and to create a universe that we had always wanted to. There are no rules, and I love that. If we lived by art more, we'd live in a happier place.

4. Discovering the range and varieties of emotions; what we didn't notice before art.

There are no rules, and that's what I love about art, writing, music and everything in the creative department. You are free to make what you want to make, from cutting, painting, shading, coloring, outlining...the list goes on and on. When we create something, we don't notice those hidden feelings that we felt until we see it in front of us. It's amazing, because it happens so subconsciously. Art helps spill our emotions onto paper, and it helps us figure out those issues that we just couldn't before. Art saves people. How neat is that?

5. Boosts confidence and serotonin levels.

It's a good outlet for depression, anxiety, loneliness, etc. When I was in the psychiatric hospital for that week, all I did was draw and write. Unfortunately, the doctors only let us use crayons, not pens or pencils, but that's what made some of my art memorable. After I was discharged, all I wanted to do when I got home was start a brand new independent project. I had finally felt this tranquility inside of me, and I didn't want to lose that once I walked out of those hospital doors. I went to the store, got some new acrylic paint, glitter, colored pencils, and glue. Each day for a little over a week, I worked on my personal artwork. It turned out to be a reflection of who I was and how much I changed while I was in the hospital, battling my demons. Art has become an incredible outlet for me, among my writing. Without it, I probably wouldn't be in the same place that I am right now. It makes me feel alive, confident, beautiful and limitless. It makes me feel like I can do absolutely anything and create what I want.

6. Math is demanded. Art is not.
Most people dread math. (Well, the people I know, but I am an English major...) Nobody is truly looking forward to it, and it's honestly (in my opinion) not that fun. We don't learn about ourselves in the way that art does. They're numbers, on a piece of paper. We're forced to take tests, quizzes, homework . . . where does that get us? I don't think it gets us anywhere really. Who can sit down and tell me that math is beautiful and has changed their life? Again, I know I'm being biased but hopefully,

those who see art as important as I do will understand what I mean. Art changes people. It changes our world. Isn't that just, or more important than figuring out an equation and more or less stressing over it in the end?

I'm tired of struggling, still. I'm exhausted from having to deal with the pain and anguish that math has brought onto me. No matter how many times I asked for help, a number of tutors, the elongated test time, the calculator usage, the questions I have asked, the nights where I would stay up figuring out one damn problem, there will always be something in my brain that won't click. I think people in our society, all of the professors, the government, the faculty that makes us these schools across our nation, need to come to a realization that maybe math isn't after the basics aren't for everyone. All my life, math has held me back in some way. I've always been that student who was older than the others in the class, the one who was held back, the Senior in a math class full of annoying freshman. I'm tired of feeling discouraged and humiliated and discouraged. I have a life to live, and I have so much potential - and I so desperately don't want math to be in charge of my abilities. I'm smarter than math makes me. It's torturous, and I'm more than someone who struggles and has to work way harder than everyone else. I hope this changes, and for other people in the world as well. There are so many people who have tons of potential, but sadly struggle more than the other person or have a learning disability, therefore their intelligence is diminished, and it is only shown at a half glance. Everyone deserves to do what they love, and they deserve to live their life not struggling, failing, crying, stressing, and pushing through after it's been done gazillions of times. I personally do not think that's fair.

Honestly, if it doesn't click with someone - it doesn't click.

I can't waste my life trying to pass a class I cannot pass. And this isn't me or anyone else being lazy. We need to find out if there is a way that someone literally cannot comprehend a certain mathematical concept, and accept that. Because when it comes to art and someone isn't good at that, we just push it under the rug, pretend it didn't happen, and then art classes are no longer a requirement in college and so forth. Oh, oh but math is. Why? Why? Art is just as real and important as math . . . and in some aspects, art is realer than any math in the world.