During my Summer@Brown session, I took the mathematics course Number Theory. We started with a couple of axioms of the integers and after three weeks, we built up our proofs to ultimately prove a major idea of Number Theory: Quadratic Reciprocity. The structure of the course was deliberate, for our teacher made us ponder on whether or not mathematics is 'built' or 'discovered'. It was truly fun and exciting learning about the integers and applying our ideas, trusting that we proved them correctly, although personally, the proofs were very difficult. It was equally as fun learning and talking about certain historical facts of mathematics; I specifically recall that there was one mathematician who believed one of his mathematical breakthroughs was evidence of the existence of God. The fact that Number Theory, according to my teacher, is not yet entirely applicable to the real world is astounding to me. Furthermore, as a number theorist, my teacher generally does mathematical research accompanied with teaching the material, hoping to engage more students in the field; perhaps in the future number theory will be more applicable to the world. This makes me realize that I don't necessarily have to pursue a prestigious field; I can and should pursue a field that is personally intriguing and one that I do not mind exploring deeply.  The program also made me realize that I get along well with cities, for I quickly understood how to travel around campus and the area around it as well. It further reassured me that mathematics is the field I want to pursue, that intuitively, I immerse myself in almost anything dealing with math. I would definitely recommend Summer@Brown to a friend because the program offers both rigorous academic work and a diverse community along with plenty of social activity. The students are very friendly and open, and it helps one motivates one to continue being active in the community.  My advice to future students attending Summer@Brown is to be open and involved with the community. This will make the academic and social experience fun, exciting, and memorable. 

My first day of Summer@Brown went fairly well. After our orientation, we met up with the people in our dorm floors and our R.A and had dinner. I had my first day of Number Theory in the morning the next day and it was pretty challenging yet interesting. The teacher made it clear that we were to learn from each other most of the time, with short lectures at times. With FIFA World Cup 2014 this summer, we had the option to watch the exciting games, or also play the sport ourselves. Overall, my first two days were relaxing. 
The fact that for the majority of class we learn by discussing the problems in groups is surprising. This implies that we can learn/teach one another and learn from one another without teachers or textbooks, although we can also get stuck on certain problems. Eventually the teacher provides a solution or solutions to the problems we're interested in. The friendliness of the students in the program combined with their intelligence is also surprising. Although Brown is an open campus, the campus is generally peaceful. 
The picture is our Jameson floor; "The BroSquad"

I am most excited about exploring a high-level mathematics course that is beyond calculus. Number theory, according to the great mathematician Gauss, is the queen of mathematics and therefore, in order to fully understand mathematics, one needs to first understand number theory. My goal while attending Summer at Brown is to fully learn and understand concepts within  number theory and at the same time explore student life at Brown University. I am nervous about staying at a distant campus, since for most of my life, I have studied and lived in New York. A challenge I may face would be the curriculum itself, but I will overcome the challenge by speaking to classmates and professors about the specific material I do not fully comprehend.

Thank you so much for your generous contributions to my campaign. Your selflessness will allow me to further pursue my passion for mathematics through the number theory course at Brown University. With your help, I will be able to explore both college-level math that will ultimately help me succeed in AP Calculus my senior year of high school and a potential future ivy league school that I may be qualified to apply to. Your generosity and your donations are equally greatly appreciated. Thank you.