Can I Succeed in Senior Year Math Without Making Friends with My Classmates?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges of succeeding in senior year math without forming friendships with classmates. Participants explore the implications of collaboration versus competition in an academic setting, focusing on whether it's feasible to perform well independently.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about not being able to succeed without forming friendships, feeling like an outsider among classmates.
  • Another participant suggests that collaboration does not require friendship and can be beneficial for understanding the material.
  • Some participants argue that working with classmates, even those who are not friends, is a necessary skill and can enhance learning.
  • There is a viewpoint that perceives classmates as competitors, which may hinder the willingness to seek help or collaborate.
  • Contrastingly, some participants challenge the idea of viewing education as a competition, advocating for mutual support among students.
  • A later reply mentions the possibility of forming agreements for mutual benefit among classmates, emphasizing that everyone may be struggling.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus. While some advocate for collaboration regardless of friendship, others maintain that competition among classmates can be a barrier to seeking help.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express assumptions about the social dynamics in the classroom and the perceived competition, which may not reflect the actual experiences of all students.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students navigating social dynamics in academic settings, particularly in competitive environments like senior year math courses.

qspeechc
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Hi everyone.

So I am almost a senior math student. The senior year is obviously difficult and the classes small, and I was worried that I am not going to be friends with any of the other senior math students. This means I will be working on my own as opposed to in a group like the other students. Is it possible to do well without talking about the material with your classmates? And please don't tell me to make friends with them, that's just not going to happen. I will have known them for three years and not had any interest in being friends with them (I am just very different from the other math students, like I'm an outsider).
 
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You don't have to be friends to work together. I work regularly with fellow students that I don't speak outside college. We both benefit from it.
Just ask the guy who happens to sit next to you 'did you understand the last part of the proof?', or 'I didn't get exercise 5, did you?', or something like that, and he's probably willing to talk to you. You're all math students, it's just professional.
 
What Landau said.

Also, at some point you simply have to get used to collaborating with people that are NOT your friends (at the social level). Being able to work with people is an important skill that you will need regardless of what career you go into.
 
Almost like me talking. Writing.

I've always felt that it's not appropriate to ask someone who's not your friend. The students are somewhat like competitors (who gets to be the best) and guard their answers zealously. Why would they want to give me a free ride if it's not guaranteed it's worth it?

I think the difference to stricly professional environment is that if we'd be employees then we'd be paid to get results, and part of it would be helping your co-workers (though as far as I know backstabbing and such is a standard unofficial procedure in a corporate environment).

But if I ask for help as a student, I'm just helping myself.
 
Last edited:
osc said:
I've always felt that it's not appropriate to ask someone who's not your friend. The students are somewhat like competitors (who gets to be the best) and guard their answers zealously. Why would they want to give me a free ride if it's not guaranteed it's worth it?

You're wrong. Looking at education as a competition is a horrible idea. I've always worked together with people both in undergrad and now in grad school. Especially in grad school, none of us would finish the homework without at least a little help from someone else in the class. We learn from each other as well as the lecture.

Treating education as a competition with those sitting next to you means that everyone loses and gets less out of the class.
 
We'll all be friends with you!

Ok, editing post, that wasn't very constructive.

But you can't assume that your classmates aren't struggling at all either. Perhaps an agreement could be made, you know, for mutual benefit.

Anyway, you always have this gigantic forum to consult with.
 

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