They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. In Sri Lanka, we call that “The Maths Stream.”
This is my first time writing down the full story. I’m not here to force-feed you a “5 Steps to Success” guide or sell you a course. Honestly, I don’t even know if this is a success story or a tragedy. It might be a bit of both. But if you are a student standing at the foot of a mountain that looks too high to climb, or if you are just curious how a confused teenager eventually became a Mechanical Engineer seeking a PhD, then this story is for you.
You can judge the ending for yourself. But first, we have to go back to the decision that ruined my sleep for three years.
The Decision: Why I Chose the “Suicide Mission”
In my country, the G.C.E Advanced Level (A-Level) exam is not just a test. It is a social filter. It determines your university, your career, and—according to typical Asian parents—your entire worth as a human being.
When you finish ordinary school, you have a choice. You can pick Arts, Commerce, Biology… or you can pick Physical Science (Maths).
I chose Maths. Why? Looking back, I wish I could say it was because I had a burning passion for calculus or a deep desire to understand the universe. But the truth is simpler: I wanted the challenge.
There is a myth that the “smart kids” do Maths. I fell for the trap. I didn’t realize that choosing this path meant signing a contract to give up my social life, my sleep, and my sanity for the next two years.
The Reality Check
The syllabus for the Sri Lankan A-Levels is notoriously deep. We study concepts in high school that American students often don’t see until their second year of university.
- Combined Mathematics: A brutal mix of Pure Maths and Applied Maths (Mechanics).
- Physics: The subject that makes you question if gravity is actually real or just a personal enemy.
- Chemistry: The silent killer.
I remember sitting in a tuition hall packed with 3,000 other students, listening to a lecturer on a microphone, feeling completely insignificant. The competition was suffocating. Only the top 1% get into the University of Moratuwa—the “MIT of Sri Lanka.”
I wasn’t a genius. I wasn’t the kid who got 100% on every test. I was just… stubborn.
How I Survived (The Strategy)
Surviving the toughest entrance exam wasn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It was about Endurance.
There were days I looked at a Physics problem and felt physical pain because my brain couldn’t process it. There were months where my scores dropped, and I felt like I had made the biggest mistake of my life.
But I learned a secret that I still use today as an R&D Engineer: Complexity is just a pile of simple things.
When a mechanics problem looked impossible, I stopped trying to solve the whole thing. I just drew the Free Body Diagram. Then I resolved the forces. Then I wrote one equation. I didn’t try to win the war; I just tried to win the next 10 minutes.
The Outcome
Fast forward to today. I am writing this as a graduate of the University of Moratuwa with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I’m working in R&D, designing thermal-fluid systems, and preparing for my next giant leap—a PhD in Australia.
Was the stress worth it? Sometimes, when I’m debugging a complex system or analyzing a thermodynamic cycle, I realize that the A-Level exam didn’t just teach me integration and differentiation. It taught me how to suffer efficiently. It taught me that I can be confused, tired, and scared—and still find the answer.
So, if you are reading this and you feel like you are drowning in coursework, take a breath. It’s not a sob story. It’s just the origin story.
Sasindu J. Mallawa Arachchi Mechanical Engineer (B.Sc. Hons, University of Moratuwa) | R&D Engineer
Sasindu is a Mechanical Engineer specializing in Energy Conservation and Thermal Systems. Currently working in R&D at Alta Vision Pvt Ltd, he writes about the gap between engineering theory and real-world application. In his free time, he writes fiction and shares his personal experiences to help others navigating similar paths.
