Physics makes me feel really worthless

[symbolipoint]

Honestly right now I don’t really know how I feel about the stem field. I started out very motivated and proud that I was working toward something in stem. but now i feel just apathetic towards my degree. I don’t hate it but I also don’t love it like before. I don’t know if it’s because I’m struggling or maybe burnt out but I’m questioning my interest in the major and at times it makes me feel pretty bad.

... and maybe you are NORMAL and other students in your field and at your level feel the same way.

 

[gmax137]

I got decent marks in physics 1,2, 3 but that was because I studied a lot

Read that aloud every morning three times

 

[Zap]

I don't know anyone who has said "I wish I didn't know all this useless physics stuff" Of course they would probably not be in my circle!

I don't regret learning the math that accompanied my physics degree. I probably apply the math everyday, but I've never once applied or found any use in the actual physics that I learned lol, outside of physics classes. Then again, I never became a physicist, so that's likely why. It was fun at the time, at least in undergrad, to study physics. I would even sometimes feel like I was tripping on some sort of mild high while learning physics, but it just didn't turn out to be very useful for me, after all. And the grad school thing was just a horribly dreadful experience.

Anyway, how old is OP? Did he say? It's very common to go through this kind of thing at some point in college, especially in your younger years. I would recommend getting more involved with your education, getting involved with your classes and interests, becoming a tutor and doing research, talking to professors, and things like that. It's really important to meet the right people that will motivate, inspire and have a positive influence on you. If you don't meet people, or meet the wrong people, you will be demotivated, and your chances of failing will increase.

Having good friends, or at least a peer group of some kind that you can compete with, and who will push you to improve yourself, was important for me to become more motivated. If you have loser friends, you will likely become a loser yourself.

Getting involved will help you to meet more motivated people. When I became a tutor, I started meeting people who got straight As, tutored in 3 or 4 different subjects, and were publishing papers at the same time. I never did all of that, but it did push me. Seeing people work hard makes you want to work hard, too.

I was able to stop bad habits, even quitting cigarettes, by simply hanging out with different people.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

I don't regret learning the math that accompanied my physics degree. I probably apply the math everyday, but I've never once applied or found any use in the actual physics that I learned lol, outside of physics classes. Then again, I never became a physicist, so that's likely why. It was fun at the time, at least in undergrad, to study physics. I would even sometimes feel like I was tripping on some sort of mild high while learning physics, but it just didn't turn out to be very useful for me, after all. And the grad school thing was just a horribly dreadful experience.

Anyway, how old is OP? Did he say? It's very common to go through this kind of thing at some point in college, especially in your younger years. I would recommend getting more involved with your education, getting involved with your classes and interests, becoming a tutor and doing research, talking to professors, and things like that. It's really important to meet the right people that will motivate, inspire and have a positive influence on you. If you don't meet people, or meet the wrong people, you will be demotivated, and your chances of failing will increase.

Having good friends, or at least a peer group of some kind that you can compete with, and who will push you to improve yourself, was important for me to become more motivated. If you have loser friends, you will likely become a loser yourself.

Getting involved will help you to meet more motivated people. When I became a tutor, I started meeting people who got straight As, tutored in 3 or 4 different subjects, and were publishing papers at the same time. I never did all of that, but it did push me. Seeing people work hard makes you want to work hard, too.

I was able to stop bad habits, even quitting cigarettes, by simply hanging out with different people.

I’m 20 years old

 

[Zap]

I dropped out of college at 20 years old LOL. Don't make my mistake. I ended up going back a few years later and eventually graduated, but I basically wasted a few years of my life and I'm a few years behind all of my peers. Not the best feeling in the world, but it could be a lot worse! Physics and mechanical engineering are probably of the most versatile degrees you can get, so just getting the degree will be of some kind of benefit in some way, even if you decide you don't want to be a scientist anymore.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

Yea I’m sure I’ll stick to stem because it’s the only field I’m really interested in. Also I have a question about grad school. Is it true that they care more about 3rd and 4th year grades then the first two years. Because mg first year was good but my 2nd year has been rough so I’m kinda worried about my chances of get into grad school.

 

[onatirec]

Yes, my impression is that the later, more recent years are weighted a bit more heavily. But there are a lot of factors in grad school acceptance, many which might be unique to the school (see also accelerated undergrad/grad programs, etc).

I've had a few classes that I really struggled with. What helped me through them was working many many problems until the process/assumptions felt very natural. I'd find sets of problems and solution guides, and work them out one at a time all the way through. Then follow the solution guide until I found an error in my work and once again try to work through the problem on my own again. Rinse and repeat. Don't just read solution manuals. Don't just read the book derivations. Practice the entire solution process on your own.

Dynamics is one of those classes where there's no substitute for practice.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

I give up on dynamics to be honest and I’m just going to not worry about it. I’ll just take a 50 in the class and just focus on more other course. That class is way too hard and time consuming and I just can’t be bothered with it anymore.

 

[Zap]

You can't drop the class?

Even if it's past the drop date, you still might be able to drop it if you talk with the department head, or someone with authority at your school. Often times, you can do whatever you want, if you can get someone in power to sign off on it. But, if you go below full time, you may not be eligible for financial aid during the next semester.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

You can't drop the class?

Even if it's past the drop date, you still might be able to drop it if you talk with the department head, or someone someone with authority at your school. Often times, you can do whatever you want, if you can get someone in power to sign off on it.

I’m not sure if it’s too late to drop, but I don’t want to take longer in my degree. I already failed a important class last semester. I’m sure I’ll pass just not with the best mark. I know I need to change my self pity mindset over the break and hopefully things will workout better.

 

[Zap]

Well, you said you were going to take a 50, which would not be passing.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

Wdym? A 50 is a pass, I’m from Canada.

 

[symbolipoint]

Wdym? A 50 is a pass, I’m from Canada.

Is that 50, for 50% score overall in the course? Not passing no matter where you are. If this is an important class or one you need for your degree, you need to repeat it. Next time through, you should do better in the course.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

Ummmm a 50 has always been a pass where I grew up. An overall gpa of 60 is out of probation but an 50 in a course is a pass.

 

[Eclair_de_XII]

60 is out of probation

50 in a course is a pass

Those numbers do not seem to line up. You pass with a fifty-percent, but if you do pass, then you're still on academic probation?

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

Like if you have a 50 in one class it’s a pass, but if you have less than a 60 average overall with all of you’re classes combine than it’s probation. I think the second condition is only for certain majors like stem

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

Gonna be completely honest, I’m not sure why but I really can’t seem to put in the effort in dynamics right now. Every time I try I just get frustrated and just go do something else like play video games or go on my phone. Ik terrible altitude but it just seem so much easier and almost comforting to just wallow in self misery and jus self pity. I really do envy people who have more natural talent than me and are naturally smarter, must be nice. I guess I’m just super childish and just being extra for no reason.

 

[symbolipoint]

Is that 50, for 50% score overall in the course? Not passing no matter where you are. If this is an important class or one you need for your degree, you need to repeat it. Next time through, you should do better in the course.

Ummmm a 50 has always been a pass where I grew up. An overall gpa of 60 is out of probation but an 50 in a course is a pass.

Those numbers do not seem to line up. You pass with a fifty-percent, but if you do pass, then you're still on academic probation?

We who may live in a different territory possibly do not understand those numbers meanings. The units are doubtfully in percentage.

 

[symbolipoint]

... I really do envy people who have more natural talent than me and are naturally smarter, must be nice. I guess I’m just super childish and just being extra for no reason.

What you may not yet know of some of those super smart talented students is, what kind of effort they have been giving to their academics; what kind of prior preparation they had before you met them; and maybe what kind of support they may receive from their family members.

 

[Zap]

Scoring 50 out of a total of 100 points is passing?

The system I'm familiar with says that 60-100 out of 100 is passing. Though, 60-69 out of 100 is not really passing in a lot of cases.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

Scoring 50 out of a total of 100 points is passing?

The system I'm familiar with says that 60-100 out of 100 is passing. Though, 60-69 out of 100 is not really passing in a lot of cases.

Well regardless what system, I’m literally just scraping by. With any other class 2 hrs of work and I’d learn stuff. With this class I literally just spend 2 hrs just figuring out how to start it. Literally never felt so helpless in an class before. What’s the point of trying when I’m not going to get anything out of it?

 

[Jarvis323]

Nobody here has taken a class that was graded on a curve?

In my intro to circuits course, 40% (before the curve) was an A.

 

[symbolipoint]

The O.P. did not say how the grading was done and did not say exactly how his quoted number is related to other numbers in that score. This means, some viewers here wonder, and some assume one way or another.

Sometimes professors may grade on a curve or use some set of results tell him what the class'es average is and use the data from the class to find where he might like to assign for letter grades A, B, C, D, F.

Some academic institutions insist on a strict letter grade issuance according to 90 to 100% for A; 80 to 89% for B,... and like that. 60% or below is F.

 

[Sophrosyne]

Honestly right now I don’t really know how I feel about the stem field. I started out very motivated and proud that I was working toward something in stem. but now i feel just apathetic towards my degree. I don’t hate it but I also don’t love it like before. I don’t know if it’s because I’m struggling or maybe burnt out but I’m questioning my interest in the major and at times it makes me feel pretty bad.

There is a great business book I read once, called The Dip, which you may find interesting and is applicable to gaining technical expertise and mastery in any field, whether it’s physics, playing a particular sport or musical instrument, or doing surgery. It’s a short book and a nice read for someone in your situation:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1591841666/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Basically, it says that when we first start out in any worthwhile endeavor, we often find ourselves with “beginners luck”- we ride high and feel empowered. We are cheered and are encouraged by others.

However, then we hit “the dip”: The real hard work and nitty-gritty of actually gaining real proficiency and professional expertise in that field. It is always hard and painstaking, and this is where most people quit. They have a mindset that if it doesn’t come easily to them, then that must mean they are not talented at it. Not true. Most people have to work very hard to gain actual expertise in any worthwhile endeavor.

If you can ride it out and survive the dip, then you will emerge on the other side riding even higher as someone respected for having achieved expertise in something where few other people can.

 

[Pipsqueakalchemist]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1591841666/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Basically, it says that when we first start out in any worthwhile endeavor, we often find ourselves with “beginners luck”- we ride high and feel empowered. We are cheered and are encouraged by others.

However, then we hit “the dip”: The real hard work and nitty-gritty of actually gaining real proficiency and professional expertise in that field. It is always hard and painstaking, and this is where most people quit. They have a mindset that if it doesn’t come easily to them, then that must mean they are not talented at it. Not true. Most people have to work very hard to gain actual expertise in any worthwhile endeavor.

If you can ride it out and survive the dip, then you will emerge on the other side riding even higher as someone respected for having achieved expertise in something where few other people can.

Yea I heard about the dip before. It’s just for some reason the idea of studying and working seems so unappealing to me right now. I used to be a really hard working student but now I just don’t have any drive to work. I still want to stay in my major but my work ethic is just non existent at this point. I often think to my self that I wish everything would be easy for me and that I wouldn’t have to work to learn and contribute to science which I know isn’t realistic and a very dumb view but it’s how I kinda feel right now.

 

[Sophrosyne]

Yea I heard about the dip before. It’s just for some reason the idea of studying and working seems so unappealing to me right now. I used to be a really hard working student but now I just don’t have any drive to work. I still want to stay in my major but my work ethic is just non existent at this point. I often think to my self that I wish everything would be easy for me and that I wouldn’t have to work to learn and contribute to science which I know isn’t realistic and a very dumb view but it’s how I kinda feel right now.

That’s the dip.

It’s kinda like Navy Seals training. They put you through the most physically, emotionally, and mentally grueling exercises and situations. Many people do not have the stamina, fortitude, and mental toughness to make it, and drop out of the program. They figure out it’s just not worth it for them. It just becomes a question of how bad you want it.

 

[Twigg]

It’s just for some reason the idea of studying and working seems so unappealing to me right now. I used to be a really hard working student but now I just don’t have any drive to work. I still want to stay in my major but my work ethic is just non existent at this point.

Trust me, it's not just you. I had the same feelings in grad school after getting my butt handed to me by a toxic research group. Don't beat yourself up over it, and try to give yourself the opportunity to recover. It might take longer than you'd like. If you can, take it easier and/or fewer classes for a semester or two. If your circumstances allow it, taking an extra semester isn't the end of the world.

Also, not wanting to work hard isn't always a bad thing. There are a lot of people in STEM who don't value their labor highly enough, and throw away their hours cheaply just for competitiveness's sake. (Not judging anyone for doing so, and I certainly have been / will be guilty of doing exactly this.) There's something to be said for respecting the value of your labor. Now you know what your hours are worth to you

Make sure to take some time and enjoy your time off! Once COVID is under control in your area, maybe try and get together with friends. Taking care of yourself is priority #1!

 

[bob012345]

I assume the semester is over now. What eventually happened with you and the Dynamics course?