A Mathematical Resolution

Erin drifted her eyes toward the ceiling, taking a momentary break from her relentless studying. For what seemed like the hundredth time, she wondered if becoming one of the best young mathematicians in the country was even worth sleepless nights and countless days poring over every resource she could find on the Internet. How did others do it? Why was she the only one who couldn't? Ever since the ninth grade, it had been Erin’s dream to represent the United States in the International Mathematical Olympiad, but much to her chagrin, she hadn’t even managed to get past the second qualifying round after two years of trying. She was stuck trying to improve her combined score from the first and second rounds as much as possible. Although it wasn’t her fault that her genetics hadn’t given her the amazing cognitive capabilities that all of her competitors had received, it sometimes felt like God was punishing her by making it near-impossible for her to solve problems quickly. Even in times when it felt like she was incapable of doing anything, the one quality Erin had always been proud of was her refusal to give up. She furrowed her brow, determination apparent in her eyes, and resolved to continue working for as long as she had to.