I really felt college level math (abstract algebra, groups, monoids and such) was abstract painting in hieroglyphics, until I made a full turn into programming where you start to speak about abstract patterns that makes absolutely no sense (iterators, monads) at first, then I felt that this way of thinking seemed to be about finding your own solutions by being "mathematical" in the way you model your problem. Then abstract algebra started to feel like 'math + generics' and I went into re-reading my college textbooks. I still don't understand more than 15%, but I feel I have a chance.

I agree about the way its taught, teachers either forgot their own learning process, or they're all very advanced brains aiming at younger advanced brains that can unfold the possible application behind the abstractions.