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Overwhelming amount of physics

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- Wed, 21 Oct 2015 20:39:25 EST Fd+bN9n4 No.77312
File: 1445474365700.jpg -(39332B / 38.41KB, 500x417) Thumbnail displayed, click image for full size. Overwhelming amount of physics
Student here, I'm taking a calculus based physics course and it's ruining my life. Literally spend the whole day, roughly 6-8 hours working on physics problems daily because of the overwhelming amount of work that goes into our grade. To the point that I have been neglecting my other subjects and my grades in those classes are slowly going down, except physics.

My question is, is there any tips or advice on how to juggle such intensive courses and exceed in all of them at the same time? I need to reevaluate my plan because I feel like if I spend less time on physics, my grade will go down since the material is so dense.

Stories of people in higher academia are appreciated. Also tips to unwind and not let physics ruin your life.

For example, I worked on 8 hours of crunching problems in my problem set all day. Now that I'm home, I feel the need to continue but my brain feels like mush.

PS.

I take adderall on the weekday and I don't have ADHD, just because I want to pass this class.
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Hamilton Gisslechuck - Thu, 22 Oct 2015 14:34:32 EST cM6rhCgJ No.77313 Reply
I got through calc based physics by regularly attending the physics help tutoring room.

You probably have one. That shits a hard learn.

I did neglect some of my simple classes because of that class, didn't do too hot in my easy courses but ended up acing physics.
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Studying tips, tricks, advice, and general stories - Thu, 22 Oct 2015 20:19:42 EST Fd+bN9n4 No.77314 Reply
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>>77313
That's how I feel. The material is so dense, but the learning portion is so rewarding once you understand the concept and make use of the formulas. Their is great pride in learning something so difficult, that I enjoy it if that makes sense.

Any who, I do attend the tutoring room which is where I spend the majority of the day. I'll just make sure I spend my time and learn how to portion out certain hours for certain classes.
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Shitting Doblingchotch - Thu, 29 Oct 2015 01:05:49 EST Fd+bN9n4 No.77337 Reply
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>>77315
No easy way to learn such a difficult course. In fact our first exam just finished and I did fairly well. It was because I lived in the tutoring room.

>>77316
I liked this idea so much that I am going to start a physics study group with a select few people who have the same drive to succeed and get a good grade.

I've realized in such a difficult course, there are many people in the class that are just trying to get by and suck the living life of anyone they see who has a comprehension of the subject, because of their lack in understanding the material.

I shall keep everyone updated on this situation.

Stories still welcome, ha~
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Reuben Gunnerforth - Sat, 14 Nov 2015 14:41:41 EST Fncbjjsg No.77365 Reply
>>77312
I don't know I just do it. I attend all the lectures and labs. I also found a couple of guys in my class, who wanted to learn physics. So, I formed a study group with them. A good thing about it is that I have to teach them physics myself, even though I am not good at it. I think that's how I'm getting better at it.
Try to find a study buddy!
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BMO - Tue, 08 Dec 2015 22:21:01 EST Fd+bN9n4 No.77416 Reply
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>>77365
Reporting alive and well. So I started getting a hang of balancing my semester now that finals are in bloom. I realized, portioning time, each day specifically to each course is the key, without letting your other classes take an arrow to the knee.

With that said, shits tough, but passable if your willing to study hours at a time.

Also I formed a study group with some friends, and it works out well. Will update again once finals are over.
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Charles Gommledale - Sun, 13 Dec 2015 20:11:50 EST ZKSIHF5a No.77432 Reply
>>77312
As a physics major I have a few pieces of advice.
First please don't assume the rest of the physics classes you take will be like introductory calculus based physics. I've literally heard professors at conferences discuss how they make their intro level classes extra hard to prevent too many people from majoring in physics.
Second are you actually being efficient about your work in this class? Are you reading the textbook, meeting with your prof to the point that you feel like you actually understand what you are doing? I know when I first took physics I often would look at the homework and literally try to find the equations that yielded the right answer. That is the absolute opposite of the way you should be handling it. Are you working with other people in the class? It might not hurt to try to meet up and compare work with people. If they suck, this will take more time, but if you find some other committed students it can be a real time saver.
Thirdly stimulants aren't going to help at all. At best they keep you awake longer and increase the rate at which you read. Worst case scenario it does neither of those things and increases your anxiety. I'd honestly try to stop using them.
Finally is spending 6-8 hours a day on a topic such a bad thing? I'm sure it seems like a lot compared to highschool. That said whatever you end up majoring/ or working on will involve you doing so for probably more than 8 hours a day. Is there any element of working physics problems you enjoy? I know that while I find it frustrating sometimes that my grades are on the line, I fucking love thinking about the math underlying my daily surroundings. While intro physics seems useless and hard, higher level physics can describe soft matter, semi-conductors, birds, how computers work, and so much more.
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Charles Gommledale - Sun, 13 Dec 2015 20:18:53 EST ZKSIHF5a No.77433 Reply
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>>77417
I also decided to major in physics after tripping while taking a relativity class.
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Samuel Seshshaw - Tue, 15 Dec 2015 22:22:54 EST ly2hktRC No.77437 Reply
>>77312
Posts like these make me thankful that I'm not a common imbecile that gets stumped deriving maxwell's laws.
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Sophie Niggerham - Sat, 19 Dec 2015 12:31:28 EST TXR5UTAn No.77444 Reply
>>77312
oh also pro tip, if you can get access to mathematica through your school you can use that shit to do all your deriving and algebra for you.
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BMO - Tue, 05 Jan 2016 00:54:59 EST Fd+bN9n4 No.77499 Reply
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>>77432
>Are you reading the textbook, meeting with your prof to the point that you feel like you actually understand what you are doing? I know when I first took physics I often would look at the homework and literally try to find the equations that yielded the right answer. That is the absolute opposite of the way you should be handling it.

Your absolutely right about that, I spend my first month doing it like that. But guess what nigga, I walked out with a B+, I wanted that A so bad, but I guess I'll get it next semester.
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name - Tue, 05 Jan 2016 01:33:01 EST 97gqDNib No.77500 Reply
just graduated with a degree in astrophysics from UC santa cruz. I got a C my first semester of physics at community college. You're fine.

P.S. screw mechanics
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Samuel Blatherson - Thu, 21 Jan 2016 18:49:25 EST Qhw9/k12 No.77547 Reply
>>77312
Classes like these are built to be extremely difficult and made to be frustrating and shitty, anon. Don't put too much of your personal worth into getting great grades in classes like this, just try to get a mastery of the material and work forward from there. Meet with your professor and go to the help room. 6-8 hours a day reeks of inefficiency, anon. Get some help, this stuff is a bitch to teach to yourself.
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Hamilton Ganninghere - Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:52:54 EST W06/MA+o No.77568 Reply
Double Math & Physics major chiming in. There's no shortcut. You signed up for 8 hours of work a day so what do you expect?

I don't even have access to adderall despite having mind enthusiasm. Shit sucks.
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Nigger Blinkinwater - Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:35:11 EST KI/L6/gT No.77580 Reply
>>77568
Dude that's what like certain groups would likely to support certain things
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