Switching From Theoretical Physics to Applied Mathematics

Just a small happy rant.

I used to find mathematical rigor and proofs genuinely repulsive. 😅 I cared about one thing: computing and building models. Physics was my main motivation, and I saw math mostly as a tool to get there. Then I picked up Davidson and Donsing: Real Analysis and Application, and something just clicked. The way the book connected rigorous mathematical ideas with practical applications completely changed my perspective. For the first time, proofs didn't feel like arbitrary exercises they felt like explanations for why tools and models are working. Now, don't get me wrong: I still don't enjoy proofs that seem to exist purely for their own sake (sorry, pure math folks you have my respect because that level of abstraction is seriously impressive). But proofs tied to real problems? Those are genuinely fun. What surprised me most was realizing how broad applied mathematics really is. It gives you a toolkit that can be used across physics, biology, chemistry, engineering pretty much anywhere people are trying to understand or model nature.

Any fellow applied math students here? I'd love to hear your story. What got you into applied math, and what keeps you motivated?

Note : used chatgpt for refining as English is my second language