Girls cannot do math. Now, before all you gung-ho feminist types come waving little white posters and protesting, what I have to say is true. (OK! maybe not gospel truth. But let me just state this for the record: What I am saying does not apply to female PRC Scholars and medfac goondoos.)

I've just come back from my cousin's house in Toa Payoh.

She cannot do factorisation, has problem understanding the concept of similar triangles and has problems differentiating between the instructions of solving quadratic equations and factorising them. (Admit it la, all of you also can't differentiate between the two right.)

I see a lot of myself in her. I mean, only in the inability to do math. Unlike me, she's a very normal girl. There's nothing of the psycho in her. Just thought I'd mention that before you guys press the panic button thinking that there's yet another maniac on the loose.

And no, she does not cry or start pulling her hair out if she cannot do math.

Looking back, all this is really easy. But man, was it tough then.

Now, I hear myself echoing my balding uncle (must have been pulling HIS hair out when he was a kid who couldn't math too) who taught me math.

"It comes with practice. Skip your CCA, but not so that you can go out with your friends, but so that you can go home and study."

I'm sorry if I come across as a constipated nerd, but its the TRUTH. The only way to do well is to practise (esp. if you're like me). All the questions you can lay your grubby hands on. At least twice.

All this mugging might be a little premature for a sec two kid, I agree. But, some buggers just take that long to understand the simple fact: The amount of work you put in is directly proportionate to the grades you get at the end of the day.