Written by: Sharla Horton March 3, 2025 Evelina Gustafsson is a College of Science Ambassador and a Mathematics major at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Evelina Gustafsson is a Mathematical Sciences major in the College of Science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She has written the below blog that reflects on her journey from growing up in Sweden to traveling 4,700 miles to study at UAH. Growing up in Sweden, I enjoyed so many different things: mathematics, chemistry, physics, soccer, creative writing, hiking, biology, social sciences, traveling, weightlifting.... The list goes on and on. During my last years of high school, I struggled to figure out what to do next. I knew I wanted to continue playing soccer on a high level and start working towards a degree, but I also wanted to explore the world. So, when I discovered the opportunity to go to college on the other side of the world and still play soccer, I got excited. Eventually, I was recruited to play soccer here at UAH, and even though the decision to leave my family and everything I ever knew was very hard, it has been an amazing journey. So, did I want to study math? Physics? Engineering? Biology? Something totally different? The question answered itself after my first math class here at UAH. It was a late class, and since I was not really used to the new time zone yet, it felt like 2 AM. To top it all off, I never had a math class in English before, and it was tough to understand even the most basic terms and definitions. Nonetheless, after that class, I knew I was going to major in math. An upper-level math course is a strange place where no competition exists, only support and community. The material always seems very challenging and overwhelming at first, but after hours of listening, trying, and helping each other out, it all starts to make sense. I am currently in my fourth semester, and I know the material will only get harder, but instead of feeling scared and anxious, I am beyond excited. As a kid, I dreamed about being a researcher, probably in a white lab coat and lab glasses, which rarely is the case in math research. However, one of my highlights during these four semesters has been the opportunity to do undergraduate research! Doing research is all about thinking, realising you are wrong, rethinking, rethinking, rethinking, and eventually getting somewhere. But it is also extremely rewarding. Doing research is all about exploring the unknown and challenging yourself. I have really enjoyed my research experience and early this semester I had the chance to travel to Seattle to present my results. The trip made me realize that I am exactly where I want to be. - Evelina Gustafsson