Physics seems to be the only science giving me trouble- advice?

[virtualmaster999]

Hey everyone,

So my last pre-req is physics, which I'm currently taking now as a junior. It is stressing me out A LOT though. I've never had this with any other science class. It just feels so confusing and different. I guess maybe it's because I'm used to memorizing in a lot of science classes but damn this bothers me a lot. I did amazing with bio/gen chem/orgo/biochem...now physics and im like wtf. I have the best physics teacher at the school and I'm taking alg based, and I didn't think it would be this confusing still. It's not so much that it's hard at this point, just hard to understand. I had a quiz the other day and on one long question, I just got stuck and my mind went blank and i started getting nervous. Never had this. I don't know how to make this class bearable and I want to make it straightforward. The concepts aren't hard, just confusing to me. Any advice on what I should do? I always practice every day, do the problems, go to office hours, etc. What works best? Thanks in advance!

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[kimothy_777]

I don't think you are unique. Many bio/sci majors struggle with physics. It's why engineers are... well, you know.

The math part of physics is the easy part. It's understanding the concepts. When you fully understand the concepts, you can throw out the distracting info in a question and you just know which formula 'makes sense' to use. Start with trying to thoroughly understand what unique situations each formula works for. Practice tonnes of questions to solidify that understanding. Know how to draw a picture, and label the variables in the correct place. Some of the toughest questions are quite easy once you know where to label 'force normal', for example.

You can also try working backwards, if its going to be a multi-step question. Figure out what formula you need for your final unknown. If other variables are missing for that formula, you'll need to figure out what you can do with the information provided, to be able to eventually use that formula.

Practice practice practice...

If you don't get an A, or even a B in one or two classes, its not the end of the world. Just do your best. In the end it will minimally affect your GPA, given you've done well in your other pre-reqs.

 

[shaidester]

Physics is one of those classes that require an excellent professor. If the professor cannot teach, good luck learning on your own. Like every class though, you need to expose yourself to many questions for the exams.

 

[swindoll]

Oh goodness, I was about to create a similar thread, and then I saw this one... On top of challenging material (for me at least), I also have no motivation whatsoever to open my books...

 

[jeffity]

Physics is one of those classes that require an excellent professor. If the professor cannot teach, good luck learning on your own. Like every class though, you need to expose yourself to many questions for the exams.

Amen to all of this. This is what I've gathered too. Most who struggle have someone terrible instructing them. It sounds terrible to say this, but at my undergrad, accents caused a little bit extra of a hurdle for people, no matter how brilliant the instructor. Use the internet to sort of teach yourself or figure out foggy concepts. Youtube is fantastic. Also, get creative and find some quizzes and exams (with answers) from other institutions so you can test yourself. MCAT study prep is good too...because they're actually tested on it. I see physics as a 'get through it and be done with it' sort of subject. Sure, I'd love to grasp physics always and forever, but it's not practical when I'm not using it (in depth, anyway). So take tips and tricks they might you for MCAT. I used to listen to Examcrakers while in the car while in doing pre-reqs -- full of tiny snippets of explaining basic concepts in the sciences, including physics.

 

[Blake1e]

Hey everyone,

So my last pre-req is physics, which I'm currently taking now as a junior. It is stressing me out A LOT though. I've never had this with any other science class. It just feels so confusing and different. I guess maybe it's because I'm used to memorizing in a lot of science classes but damn this bothers me a lot. I did amazing with bio/gen chem/orgo/biochem...now physics and im like wtf. I have the best physics teacher at the school and I'm taking alg based, and I didn't think it would be this confusing still. It's not so much that it's hard at this point, just hard to understand. I had a quiz the other day and on one long question, I just got stuck and my mind went blank and i started getting nervous. Never had this. I don't know how to make this class bearable and I want to make it straightforward. The concepts aren't hard, just confusing to me. Any advice on what I should do? I always practice every day, do the problems, go to office hours, etc. What works best? Thanks in advance!

Damn, I had the opposite situation. Physics was my thing, in high school I took AP physics in my junior year then a more advanced course senior year of high school at a college nearby. All my physics teachers (including college) stunk at teaching, I learned on my own, it was fun to me, like a game. But I had a hard time switching gears and having to sit in one place for hours to memorize bio textbooks while in zombie mode, where I had to learn how to shut off my brain b/c the material is easy to grasp and you dont need to think nearly as much.

As for your problem, what works for me is to just sit with it and figure it out and teach yourself. But you have to curb your panicking, you need to be in control and confident that youre smart enough to handle this measly little intro science course (a good idea is to think of this class as something puny and babyish, rather than something big and scary). Also, you could always have a friend in the class thats doing well teach it to you.

 

[dbd]

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics