Physics. UGH.

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vivapuff

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I just needed to say that. Can I get an amen?
 
... Nope.
 
I originally read the title as "Physicians. UGH."
 
I used to hate physics too--that is, until I realized my approach was all wrong! 😳 At first, I tried to memorize strategies for answering the different types of questions instead of learning the underlying concepts. Once I stopped doing that, I stopped struggling; however, that is not to say that it wasn't hard work! I aced both physics I and II during the summer (4 weeks for each course), and I now work as a tutor at the college's learning center.

When it comes to physics (and a lot of other subjects!), Khan Academy is a lifesaver. 👍
 
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Don't let these people get you down...........PHYSICS SUCKS!!!!!!!
 
I am not looking forward to physics. I took an introductory physics class once, and it was the toughest class I ever took in college.
 
kinokoboy said:
Don't let these people get you down...........PHYSICS SUCKS!!!!!!!
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lol

I don't understand how the science which is pretty much the underpinning for all of the other hard sciences just plain and simply SAWKS! But here we are.
 
^there's always at least one of you in every physics class.
 
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7175pank said:
lol

I don't understand how the science which is pretty much the underpinning for all of the other hard sciences just plain and simply SAWKS! But here we are.
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Your avatar blew my mind.
 
Docility said:
I used to hate physics too--that is, until I realized my approach was all wrong! 😳 At first, I tried to memorize strategies for answering the different types of questions instead of learning the underlying concepts. Once I stopped doing that, I stopped struggling; however, that is not to say that it wasn't hard work! I aced both physics I and II during the summer (4 weeks for each course), and I now work as a tutor at the college's learning center.

When it comes to physics (and a lot of other subjects!), Khan Academy is a lifesaver. 👍
Click to expand...

Also, good advice! I'm trying!!!
 
I think it depends on the prof. I had probably the best prof in my UG and G career as a CC physics teacher...
 
HipChick said:
I think it depends on the prof. I had probably the best prof in my UG and G career as a CC physics teacher...
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Really really agree here...when I look back at HS, my physics class was insanely easy, but boring and altogether just the least interesting science. The teacher was just lame. My bio teacher was hard, and made the course interesting, but she was a tool, and chemistry was the hardest by far but also the most interesting AND the prof was cool.

When I was figuring out what I wanted to take in college, it was chemistry all the way, Bio only when it was really interesting, and I avoided physics like the plague.

Regretting that now that I know I want to go into medicine, so I hope my Physics profs turn out to be cool this time around!
 
Second semester Physics gets better. I might need to retake my first semester C though, "ugh" 😀
 
Amen! My professor isn't much help and it's too late to change sections....looks like between the book and th tutor center- I'll be teaching it to myself. Last class, as soon as the "lecture" started, no less than 6 people got up and walked out...
 
CajunMedic said:
Amen! My professor isn't much help and it's too late to change sections....looks like between the book and th tutor center- I'll be teaching it to myself. Last class, as soon as the "lecture" started, no less than 6 people got up and walked out...
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Are we in the same class?! That happened in my Physics class when school started, people just started walking out of the class after the very first example. Class started out with 40, now only 18 of us remained. It's the very first time my prof taught in a CC and even though he seemed really smart and nice, he took too much time expanding ideas in physics which many I guess got lost in the process as I did. I am very afraid for this class, and I too, took AP physics, just missed the exam in HS so had to retake it for college. 👎
 
Physics is about understanding and simulating phenomena in your mind. Then applying formulas accordingly. It is not not not not not a math test. Treating it like a math course will not get you higher than 80 on an exam, usually. I havent studied physics in 4 years (and i still love it a lot, 800/800 SAT II physics) that i barely needed any revision on my tests to score >11 ps consistently. My other major would have been civil engineering if I didn't love the engineering of the human body so much. You just need to practice a lot (thats where its similar to math) to get a hang of the suitable formulas, and visualize to know what's going on. Physics is about analyzing concepts to apply, and to do that, you gotta have an understanding of what is really happening.
 
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AshPreMed said:
Physics is about understanding and simulating phenomena in your mind. Then applying formulas accordingly. It is not not not not not a math test. Treating it like a math course will not get you higher than 80 on an exam, usually. I havent studied physics in 4 years (and i still love it a lot, 800/800 SAT II physics) that i barely needed any revision on my tests to score >11 ps consistently. My other major would have been civil engineering if I didn't love the engineering of the human body so much. You just need to practice a lot (thats where its similar to math) to get a hang of the suitable formulas, and visualize to know what's going on. Physics is about analyzing concepts to apply, and to do that, you gotta have an understanding of what is really happening.
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This.

It's easy to memorize things such as Kinetic Energy = 0.5mv^2 but I can't even begin to tell you how much easier it is to actually do equations when you have a fundamental understanding of *why* that is (if you understand integrals, I'd recommend looking up the proof). And don't worry, I only got a B+ in Physics I and C+ in Physics II but I still love it.
 
I agree, that is why my prof rocked. He taught us how to THINK not just chug and plug. that was his main purpose. The first exam i tried chug/plug, 75%, then i started applying and thinking about how physics is all around us, especially at my job. From then on it was As. I ended with the highest grade on my final exam but an A- in the course. But easily the one that "got it" the best, daily I tried to think about an application in the "real world" that I learned. Or read or had a question on. But I'm weird like that.
 
.
 
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brownbaglunch said:
Mastery of physics helps your understanding of all the rest of the sciences. I fall back on my physics knowledge in Bio/Orgo all the time.
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That doesn't make it exciting. Math is also useful in chemistry, but that doesn't make it an interesting study for all chemists.

I understand basic physics, I just find it very very boring. To me, chemistry teaches me to understand/predict things that I couldn't comprehend before. Intro physics teaches me equations which poorly describe motion that I already intuitively understand. 😴

Don't get me wrong, there is some really cool s#!t in physics...but they won't let you learn it until you slog through what is, in my mind, the LEAST interesting of the basic science concepts.
 
Sitting down and doing physics homework is a pain-in-the-ass for me. I dread doing the problems after I read the chapter because I know I am lost without the solutions manual. However, I look forward to the homework with gen chem and o-chem because I know I will understand the material most of the time and I rarely need to consult the solutions manual if I'm stuck.
 
I took my first Physics course EVER this past summer. I aced it, but only after I starting watching the tutorials from www.freelance-teacher.com. My teacher was pretty much useless. I learned from this guy's videos and doing problems in the textbook. Ditto what other posters have said...understand the concepts and it will go much better. Good luck!
 
Fuji Diamond said:
I took my first Physics course EVER this past summer. I aced it, but only after I starting watching the tutorials from www.freelance-teacher.com. My teacher was pretty much useless. I learned from this guy's videos and doing problems in the textbook. Ditto what other posters have said...understand the concepts and it will go much better. Good luck!
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Ooooooh thanks, I'll have a looksie!
 
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ShyRem said:
Loved physics. Remember, it's only there to explain mathematically what you already know happens in real life.
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Haha, that's just a (more eloquent and less disparaging) rewording of what I said earlier...as the primary reason that I DON'T like intro physics! :laugh:

It's funny how different subjects appeal to people in completely different ways!
 
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