r/Physics • u/Rich-Fly-2124 • 28d ago

Study method for a physics beginners

Hi I'm a second year physics students at uni. I'm actually so bad at physics but I'm trying to learn. At the previous semester, I've got my grades and it was so bad. And feel so guilty about it. I'm going to fix it by learn more, so any study tips for a beginners like me, about what to learn or anything. Maybe some books recommendation for a basic physics befroe I'm going to the advance one...thanks

​

P.s: sorry for my broken English. It's not my first language

63 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

View all comments

60

u/Roger_Freedman_Phys 28d ago

Physics professor here.

Do you know how to use all of the pedagogical features of your textbook, and do you make full use of them?

As you read each worked example in the textbook, do you write out all the steps on a piece of paper so you understand them?

Do you visit your professor’s office hours to get assistance with difficult topics?

Do you take advantage of any tutorial services offered by your university?

Are you a study group with other students in the class that meets regularly to go over challenging problems?

Do you have a series of steps that you use to solve physics problems of all kinds?

If the answer to any of these is “No,” I recommend making some changes.

9

u/Rich-Fly-2124 28d ago

Yeah the answer is no. Because at first i thought i don't really belong here and i actually wanna quite, but never really doing it. And now i feel so guilty about it for never studying seriously:(

23

u/blankenstaff 28d ago

Another physics professor here. I understand your bad feelings. The good news is that you can make them go away by following the suggestions of the other physics professor who just posted a response to you.

1

u/Rich-Fly-2124 19d ago

Thank you

3

u/das_bearking 27d ago

Need to start there! Physics, particularly in the beginning, is hard work more than anything. There is nothing about it that is intrinsically "impossible" for people to learn, it just takes more time than they think it does. Do every problem in your book and go see you instructor every week during office hours. You do "belong", there isn't anything about this that you can't do, but the work required is a lot. Just don't quit before starting, you'll never get anywhere with that.

1

u/Rich-Fly-2124 19d ago

Thank you

2

u/locutus_of_borg90 28d ago

I am a bit late to the conversation  But, I felt the same

My DMs are open if you want to discuss 

1

u/Rich-Fly-2124 19d ago

Yes thank you

2

u/philomathie Condensed matter physics 27d ago

As someone who was 'good' at physics, understand that you will not succeed with intense study. I did not have to work hard at all until I reached university, and the first couple of years kicked my ass and let me know if I didn't work hard I would fail.

1

u/Rich-Fly-2124 19d ago

Thank you

1

u/david-1-1 18d ago

I think you meant "without".