How My Love of Math Led to Accounting:
The question of a lifetime… “What do you want to be when you grow up?” For me, my answer began as a singer, soon evolved to a forensic scientist, then to a financial manager, and now here I am with my heart set on becoming an accountant.
“You want to be a what?… An Accountant?… Why?…”
Before coming to study here at Ohio State, this was the reaction I would get from my peers about my future career choice. What sounded exciting to me evidently was not to many others. Ever since I was in elementary school, I found myself drawn to all types of math, working with numbers, and any sort of problem solving. In my primary school days, this could be something as simple as counting how many apples would be left after 5 were given away or figuring out how many triangles could fit into a given quadrilateral. I have grown up with a detail-oriented mindset, one very analytical and curious, which naturally aligned with my interest in mathematics. I love math so much that I even dressed as it one year for Halloween… dedication, right? As I continued to progress in my math studies, I realized how much I appreciate the systematic approach of the subject, how there is a process and an answer that can be repeated with every similar problem; however, entering higher levels of math and statistics revealed to me a whole other side I had yet to explore! In these classes I got to explore and develop skills in visualization and creative problem solving. I still love math, but for different reasons than I used to –now I have a deep appreciation for approaching problems in different ways. While I still appreciate the patterns found in math and numbers, I have come to be fascinated with how variable it can be and how many ways there are to tackle and solve a problem. There is so much room for creativity and thinking outside the box!
As I was deciding what I wanted to study in college, I immediately knew I wanted to pursue a career in some sort of mathematics. Considering my different options, from applied mathematics to finance, from information systems to economics, I finally decided on accounting and statistics because I will get to combine all of the things that I love — procedural mathematics, problem solving, and creativity. I’ll have independence in my workspace but also collaboration with others, times to follow steps and others to think outside the box — ultimately, I’ll be doing what I love. What more could I want in a career?
Sure, I may get questions about my academic interests, my career choice, and the path I’m following in my life, but all the reasoning of support I need is the fact that I love this field and believe I will be fully satisfied with my studies and resultant career. World of accounting, here I come:)
Peace and Blessings,
CG