Mathblr - Blog Posts
1’m s0 rat10nal that 1 know math 1s the best subject.
Mathemat1cally th1nk1ng, (and by extens10n rat10nally) w1red dev1ces are super10r
bitches will love magic systems and then dread studying stem because its hard. Like, your mind IS the magic! Physicists, biologists, and chemists are literal wizards. They can transmute substances and cure diseases and predict the future. Engineers have made structures that stand for millennia and rocks that think and enchanted clothes and wonders we can barely imagine. Mathematicians are eldritch creatures that can peer into the fabric of reality and will reveal what they see if only you learn their language.
So yes, stem is difficult and esoteric and maybe can’t be mastered, but its literal magic and its everywhere and if you can’t appreciate that, I don’t even know how you get through the day.
this is also a reminder to take care of your mind. Magic runs on your mind and sheer willpower. If you’re studying late and getting drowsy, go to sleep. Consider meditating if you’re stressed out. Exercise regularly. It’s definitely not easy, but the benefits are real.
now… imagine tau… τ
let pi=9
i…. i love it… λ 🥲
is this a valid notation? i wish it were, ill definitely be using it
What’s the worst thing about limits?
• Is it always having to amplify by the conjugate to eliminate indeterminate forms? NO.
• Is it having to learn some limits by heart (especially for trig functions)? NO.
• Is it having to sometimes use L’Hôpital-Bernoulli’s rule over and over again? NO.
• Is it having to just write “lim” before each line? YES. FUCKING YES. WHY OH GOD WHY I HATE THE NOTATION.
The most infuriating part of it is that it’s just a notation and it could so easily be changed, BUT NO, we’re stuck with this shit.
What’s the worst thing about limits?
• Is it always having to amplify by the conjugate to eliminate indeterminate forms? NO.
• Is it having to learn some limits by heart (especially for trig functions)? NO.
• Is it having to sometimes use L’Hôpital-Bernoulli’s rule over and over again? NO.
• Is it having to just write “lim” before each line? YES. FUCKING YES. WHY OH GOD WHY I HATE THE NOTATION.
The most infuriating part of it is that it’s just a notation and it could so easily be changed, BUT NO, we’re stuck with this shit.
“ok is this math really useful though what’s the point of it existing does it matter or is there no practical application” alright. if you write a poem does it matter? Is there an application? What if I killed you
just discovered the site “underground mathematics”, and only now i feel like ive entered the dark web of maths. spooky.
talking about web, i cant forget to mention the fact that the whole site and mathematics is organised along TUBE LINES like the LONDON UNDERGROUND !! now if that isn’t a graph theory reference i dont know what is!
I realized I hadn't shared this here yet! Here's my 3D printed Quaternion Julia Set! See I first learned of these things reading about it from a pretty well known graphics programmer Inigo Quilez. Theirs are a lot prettier! But yeah, if you're familiar with Julia Sets and the Mandelbrot set already, this is basically that but we use 4D complex numbers called quaternions instead of the regular old complex numbers.
The original shaders I used to render them were unity CG/HLSL implementations, but this particular one is from a GLSL implementation over on my shadertoy you can find here: https://www.shadertoy.com/view/tdt3W8 It isn't exactly the same one that I've printed here (I've long lost the exact seed) but it is reasonably close. The way I printed it was I stole some marching cube code for blender and just plugged in the SDF function derived by Inigo Quilez, tweaked the values and eventually got a mesh I can print!
This uh, isn't the one I used lol. It did take a few tries to get one that was both visually interesting and also printable. In fact i wasn't even using the marching cube algorithm at first. I was using Poisson Surface Reconstruction with a python script that casted points to form a point cloud. Basically I was attempting to create a mesh like you would with photogrammetry, just with an abstract object rather than an actual thing or place.
The results were, well not good lol.
*Continues digging through box* I know its around here some where, I should have the one that works. Okay this still isnt it but this one is using the same method, I just wanted to use this for a vrchat world instead of using it for 3D printing. It gets the point across lol
But yeah. 3D printing is really cool if you're into a bit of math
I love the fact that it’s commonly believed the writer (and mathematician!) Lewis Carroll could have done a math diss on quaternions, their unintuitive multiplication and their non-commutative nature in the Mad Hatter scene in “Alice in Wonderland”.
“Why, you might just as well say that I see what I eat is the same thing as I eat what I see !”
All credits to 3Blue1Brown on Youtube (Video: “Visualising quaternions (4d numbers) with stereographic projection”)
26 Oct (Intro. Number Theory)
This is by far the worst class that I have taken. Consistently I have been with the lowest grade, and my overall understanding of this class is abysmal. Despite being in my professor’s office every day.
In any case I make a point to strive for perfection, and not understanding something haunts me to my core. In any case I am forever hopeful. Im happy to be back, and I have lots to share
🎧 Momma Told Me - Earthgang
Stay Up y’all
28 April (Diff Eq.)
The struggle has been very real over the course of the last week. I failed a test (it was in the teens), my mom is still in the hospital, and some days are definitely better than others, but I am holding on.
I can’t in good faith give up everything that I’ve worked so hard to build. I have also been procrastinating. The Howard deadline is 30 April, and tbh I haven’t put my all into it (despite really wanting to attend the school).
Small update, but that’s all for today.
Stay up✌🏿
🎧 Trappin in Japan 4 - Ryan Celsius
It is honestly saddening that I used to have to deal with this. Reposting for the fact that there are a lot of black students who have succumb to this mentality. Be proud of your education.
23 April (life update)
So, keeping things honest I’m not doing the best right now friends. Over the course of the last 2 weeks one of my parents had a heart attack and the other is now on life support.
I really appreciate all of you who continue to support me and this study blog.
Morale of the story is that bad things happen to all of us, but it’s our actions after the fact that define us
Stay up ✌🏾
🎧 Trappin in paradise 78 - smooth sounds
I just hit 100 followers, and I am truly grateful for all of you.
I would like to do a challenge.
For every interaction this post gets (from ANYONE) I will pick up 1 item of trash.
The earth has done so much for us, and I can’t think of a better way to give back
9 April (The joy of being in STEM)
Today was not the best by any stretch of the imagination. I was fighting myself most of the day trying to get my HW done despite putting in good time to try and complete it, the topics just aren’t resonating.
I find myself once again dragging behind the rest of my peers despite studying just as hard as they do. Sadly, I couldn’t tell you the last time I actually had a weekend to myself, or a nice moment that wasn’t overshadowed by the crippling weight of school.
I wish there were more instructors who truly understood that different students have different needs.
Stay up✌🏿
🎧 Einaudi: Fox Tracks (Day 1) - Ludovico Einaudi
4 April (thoughts)
I never really took the time to explain what the big picture is, so I’m going to attempt to explain it here
I want to be a great dad. As cheesy as it might sound, I love the idea of being a positive father, and father-figure to those who need that person in their life. To this day my dad doesn’t claim me, and much as I love my mom, there are still some things that I would have looked for from him. I will be the change
I want to be a millionaire, and establish various forms of income that can be utilized after my journey on earth is complete. I have already began investing, and look to retire (read: not work as hard) around age 40.
I want to make the world a better place. The earth is OUR mother, and its OUR job to protect her. I have created an animal rights groups, organized adopt-a-highway’s, gone to and organized many protests (the March For Science being to this day the biggest protest I’ve ever helped create).
I want to own a RHD (right hand drive) Snow White FC-RX-7. I adored Initial-D growing up and Ryosuke’s was the first car I actually fell in love with. I was able to own one for a short while, but due to a lack of money, and time I was never actually able to complete the build. I try to play it off like it was no big deal, but that car really meant a lot to me, and it’s my goal to do it right.
I want to be an example of a great physicist, and a symbol of black excellence. I want to show that if I, a vegan, pan, non-binary person can get their Ph.D doing what they love DESPITE being homeless and abused, then you can too.
In case you need to hear this
1. You are loved
2. You are accepted no matter who you are
3. My inbox is always open
Stay up ✌🏿
🎧 my thoughts
2 April (Calc 4 and Diff. Eq)
These classes are the embodiment of a toxic relationship (but in the best of ways). The overall course load is a lot and most days I am struggling to get done by 10pm, but I can confidently say I FEEL LIKE A MATHEMATICIAN.
The math I’m doing now has real world applications. Yeah finding the slope of a line is cool, but when you find the vector tangent to the curve that accurately depicts the heating or cooling of a particular environment per mile THAT’S ACTUALLY USEFUL, AND HELPFUL TO THE WORLD.
On one hand, I have late nights followed by early mornings, and a fair amount of stress.
On the other, I have an overwhelming sense of validation, pride, and comfort.
This post goes out to @juicycupz, she was hands down the best partner I’ve ever had. While we may not be together now, she definitely played a major role in who I am now.
Stay up ✌🏿
🎧 Trappin in paradise 65 - Smooth Sounds
My desk/dorm area
the aftermath of studying for 11hrs
31 March (Calc 4)
Today seemed to me an uphill battle from the start. I woke up to heart issues and dealing with an embedded lip ring (again), but I didn’t let that stop me.
I managed to get all of my work done, and am now trying to get further ahead so hopefully I won’t get crushed later on down the line.
Apologies for the short video, my iPhone corrupted most of the time lapse
Stay up y’all ✌🏿
🎧 L’Enfant Sauvage - Gojira
So, I’ve been tasked with putting my playlist on shuffle and identifying the first 10 songs in hopes that y’all will get to know me better 😅.
Stone love - Pepper
I will never change - Benga
Everlasting Sleep - Chelsea Grin
Who’s the Man - ABN
Grove St. Party - Waka Flocka
Mechano - Datsik
Hoax - Jericho
Jazz (We’ve got) - A Tribe Called Quest
So High - Doja Cat
Plain Jane Remix (DJ HenDu Gotti) - ASAP Ferg and Nicki Minaj
And now to tag mutuals
@messy-does-cosmology @miss-biophys @caytheblkmermaid @karmahoudinii @caffeine-integral-studies @thegeekdomain @schrodingersstudent
30 March (the first day of classes)
I have mixed feelings about this quarter. On one hand I’ll be receiving a degree and moving on to an actual university. On the other I am faced with the fact that I won’t see many of my friends for quite some time after I graduate (not to mention the new course load and ops tempo)
In all I’m happy to be back, and look forward to future productivity
Stay up ✌🏿
🎧 Trappin in Paradise 78 - Smooth sounds
17 March (last day of classes)
This quarter has collectively brought out the best and and worst in me. From dealing with heart issues, to dealing with mental issues it hasn’t been a fun time.
I had hopes of getting straight A’s, but ultimately I find myself once again looking just to get through it without failing (read: anything less than a B+). The burnout has been real and very hard to with but, I persevered.
It’s ok just to get through the quarter...
I love y’all ✌🏿
15 March (linear algebra study session)
Today was rough, I was constantly fighting tooth and nail to study, and ultimately didn’t get much done. As much as I love being neurodivergent, it definitely has its drawbacks. However I am going to be headed back to the doctor soon to try and help with my focus.
Just because someone looks alright doesn’t mean that they are conversely, don’t assume that people who don’t look the best are struggling.
I love all of you beautiful creatures
🎧 The Internet x The Chopstars - Ego Death
12 March (Calc 3 Pain)
I normally try not to post in color, but today I feel that it’s warranted. I just finished my last lecture with my calc 3 professor and I couldn’t help but be a bit sad.
We all have that teacher whom we don’t expect to make a difference in our lives, but upon getting to know them you come to find that they are a giant breath of fresh air.
With the toxicity of school leeching itself into every orifice, nook, and cranny it was nice having that one class I could count on to be invigorating.
This one is for you Mr. Lewis. I can’t begin to repay you for your teaching service, but the least I can do is show my genuine appreciation for you.
8 March (Calc 3: Test Day)
You know, taking notes by asking questions really has improved my memory retention. I find myself getting the problems correct because I actually understand the process of what is happening not just the system that gets me to where I need to be.
If you haven’t feed yourself or hydrated please do that, every bit helps
Stay up ✌🏿
🎧 Trappin in paradise 80 by Smooth s o u n d s
7 March (Linear Algebra notes and HW)
It was bright and sunny today, and while I didn’t get much studying done, I was still able to be productive.
I also want to note that being productive is more than taking notes and studying. If you’ve been studying like crazy, but neglecting your personal life, have you really gotten anything done? If you have, then as what expense?
Take time to enjoy yourself
Love y’all