Back from festive holidays. Hope you all had a good time.
Previously, I have talked about how certain subjects, those depending on written language, long descriptive sentences, rote memorization, were difficult for me. There were other subjects like say Drawing, Science, Geometry, Geography those I came naturally, I would rather explain problem-solutions by drawing than writing or speaking. I used to sketch weird things since early childhood, probably ideas that I used to keep thinking up on. Pappa used to look at my fingers and say you would become an artist when you grow up. Though drawing was only good enough for conveying my message but the sketches were definitely not beautiful, my drawing class notebook used to have a funny element to them, which luckily my teacher liked - but I sucked in coloring and my friends used to point that out - that after doing a good work I mess up with colors.
I appeared for Elementary exam (I guess 6th or 7th std) , after finishing my paper, the examiner asked me to draw for girl sitting behind me. I didn’t pass that but the girl did!
Pictures helped me understand much faster, Science, Geography and Geometry have those a lot and hence were the subjects I liked and could do well in.
Another aspect is I “think” in pictures (this is also part of various learning styles which I will write about later in the series). Not only still pictures, but I can manipulate those images in my head, rotate, invert, mirror, transform and modify. That’s really a very powerful gift that was found to be useful much later; firstly, in Jr College with Calculus, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Biology to a certain degree but most critically in Engineering.
First year of Engineering had two Engineering Drawing subjects, D1 and D2 as we used to call them - the most dreaded ones after Applied Mechanics for most of the students. I used to hear stories of difficulty levels from seniors, cousins, etc. and how certain submissions can NOT be done and a thing called GT (Glass Tracing) was a must. GT involves taking a bucket, with a 40 watt light bulb in it, covered with a large glass sheet/panel, then taking completed drawing submission by someone good and placing over the glass and then placing your blank sheet and trace out the lines exactly - it’s like a manual line photocopy.
I NEVER needed that!
I had missed a few initial lectures of D1 (probably ill) so lagged and somehow managed to pass the exam. Also, was definitely not among the favorites of the professors too.
In the second semester, with D2, which involved complex 3D drawing, with Top, Side, Front views, perspective, birds eye, missing view, development of surfaces and I could go on. I know many who were simply terrified by D2 but it was ultra simple for me. All the things listed were simply transformations which I could perform in my head and have a general idea of the solution and then it was simply penciling on paper with exact dimensions.
Still wasn’t noticed by the professors (Nakhate and Dingare). Once they conducted a mid-sem surprize test, it was difficult I guess, I think I was the first one to leave the room. I gave the answer sheets to the profs, they looked at each other and one exclaimed in a sarcastically “झेपला नाही का ?” (“was it difficult?”); though I felt sad by the prejudiced comment, I politely said, “No, I have completed it”. With a rather surprised look, they checked the solutions and then asked “Did you know the questions already?” I said “No” and left. That incident actually acted as a positive reinforcement, I realized that what I was thinking about myself being different (and at-times being way better at something than others) was true. That day onwards the profs’ behaviour towards me changed :)
In the final exam of D2, there was one problem, with a twist and was very difficult for me to solve; I solved it but with just a few minutes left to the final bell (and I out of low-confidence), I showed it to our class topper who was in row next to me, his facial expressions changed and I realized he had missed it. I think I got pretty high marks, probably within the top few, something to be proud academically - which was not usual for me.
This special ability helped me in other so called “difficult” subjects like Applied Mechanics, Strength of Materials, which involved application of science of motion, strength, to various situations, objects, materials, structures. The visualization ability enabled me to “SEE” forces, torques, velocities in action - which was kind of hard to tell others but helped me solving problems.
There was one incident which I haven’t yet forgotten. Based on on Applied Mechanics, I was conducting a thought experiment. What would happen when a bullet is shot from the back of the aeroplane in exact opposite direction with exact same speed of the aeroplane. I asked and told friends/room-mates that it would fall straight down (vertically). No one believed and I was mocked/teased and a few also joked behind my back :( (one well-wisher told me that). I could not convince friends in-spite of using simple equations. That hurt me a lot then - the fact that I am still writing about it shows how much. Many years later, I accidentally came across an experiment conducted by myth-busters about same concept, it proved I was right. (I even posted about it here - https://www.facebook.com/virendra.mane/posts/10206581610649984). The fact that Mythbusters had to take this up was it must have been a much talked about puzzle to be proved practically.
This all gets extended towards my interests in (Astro) Physics, Cosmology; Theory of Relativity is extremely difficult to visualize though that 2D trampoline with heavy ball curving “space” is what people think is what actually happens, but it is way more complex than that - I think I have been able to visualize it with very intense brain efforts a few times - after understanding myself I don’t think about it again - and frankly it's impossible for me to explain in words to others.
Today when I look back, this visualization ability has been a boon to me, in my academics, career (programming), business and general life. Though I still feel under/un-appreciated I am coping with it much better now.
If you see someone like this, do talk to her/him and try to give a conducive environment to do better in.
I am always available for sharing my experience and be of assistance in some way
(Sharing to create awareness about Specific Learning Difficulties (#Dyslexia, #Dysgraphia, #Dyscalculia) and a bit of #ADD / #ADHD, hope it helps if you see someone with similar traits)
🙏Viru
