While my research is predominantly focused on discrete optimization, I never actually took a course in it. Instead, the class that left the most indelible imprint on my academic journey was Functional Analysis.
The Functional Analysis course was not just a run-of-the-mill, single-semester class. It was a grueling journey spread across three semesters, a rite of passage compulsory for all of us in the program. Somehow the framers of the program thought that a true mathematician is incomplete without Functional Analysis. The first semester was nothing short of a disaster. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't pass the exam, an ordeal that cast a heavy shadow over my entire summer break.
Unlike other courses where a failed grade was final, the format of this course was uniquely merciless. If one fails, they are expected to retake the exam in the fall semester. After another failure, they are shown the exit door of the program, from which they have to drop out altogether. The stakes were high, and the pressure was palpable.
I wasn't ready to throw in the towel. I took the challenge head-on in the fall. On my first attempt, I managed to correctly answer half the questions. Then, on the second try, I answered the remaining half. I had passed. Later, I discovered that answering three out of the four questions correctly would have sufficed.
The key to my success was repetition and resilience. I spent countless hours understanding and reproducing two-page-long theorems for each question. When I finally cleared the hurdle, the professor asked, "Why didn't you pass the exam before?" To which I simply replied, "I just needed to study, sir." The professor, amused by my candid response, shot back, "How did you guess that was necessary?" We both ended up sharing a good laugh.
The second semester followed the pass/fail grading pattern, and I managed to clear it without any extra attempts. However, the third semester escalated the level of difficulty. This time we had to earn a letter grade.
Our answers were submitted in written form and then defended verbally to the professor. This was the professor's way of ensuring that we understood the material at a deep level and hadn't cheated. After I submitted my answers, the professor threw a volley of follow-up questions at me, all of which I managed to answer.
Then came a pause. The professor, seemingly at a loss for more questions, finally conceded, "Well, after all, I've got to give at least one A to someone." And thus, I survived the most brutal course of my college years.
Although Functional Analysis may not be directly linked to my research, the lessons it taught me about resilience and the power of persistence were priceless. It was an experience that transformed me and, looking back, it was instrumental in shaping me into who I am today. Therefore, it remains the most memorable, thought-provoking, and useful course I've ever taken.
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Mikhail Bragin
University of California, Riverside
Riverside CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-08-2023 17:45
From: Tracy Cahall
Subject: Fun Post - Best Class?
What was the best class you ever took? Most memorable, most thought-provoking, most useful – or whatever quality made it the best for you. I'm curious to hear what really stuck with you!
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Tracy Cahall
Member Engagement Manager
INFORMS
Catonsville MD
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