- #1
cryora
- 51
- 3
I'm a Physics major and am starting on my early major courses (Classical Mechanics and E&M, and an Abstract Algebra course as an elective). I've already taken an upper div Linear Algebra course and a Math Methods course (though the latter, which covered topics in Linear Algebra, Fourier Analysis, and Linear Differential Equations) seemed more like a review. I feel like certain math topics I will have to learn as I am taking Physics courses (Bessel Functions, Legendre Differential Equations, Laplacian in Polar/Cylindrical Coordinates for instance).
Anyhow, I feel like I'm worrying too much about coursework and not enough about finding undergraduate research opportunities, internships, or building up other skills (like programming or electronics). At the same time, I feel kind of overwhelmed with the current course load (also taking a German class), so fitting these other things into my schedule seems complicated. I often hear that coursework should only be a small part of your university experience (like 10%), though for me, it feels like at least 75%. Networking, and the building of soft-skills are other important things I feel may be neglecting. But really... it's just impossible to do everything, right? Something's got to give.
I am interested in going to graduate school, though I am not 100% sure if it is the best decision. As of right now, I don't know very much about the more exotic topics of physics like Plasma, Elementary Particle Physics, Condensed Matter, Solid State, etc., so I can't tell if I will like them. There are undergraduate courses devoted to these, but I won't be able to get to them until I finish up the core prerequisites for them.
I realize that, from some of the other threads in this section, that going to graduate school in for Engineering is also an option should the Physics Ph.D not be the right choice. Or, I can try to see if I can find work after getting my Bachelors, though I'm not too fond of the idea of ending up just being a "programmer."
Another thing about me is that I am 25, which is kind of on the older side, so things like a prospective family life and other "take advantage of your youth while you still have it" concerns come into play. I was reading a career guide book for physicists, and it said in the beginning that one of the things you need to keep from being a thorn in your side in this journey is "Sex. Enough said." and that when it comes to building relationships, "You're on your own." I'm not kidding haha. I go to a large university, where kids go to parties and never shut up, rather than a specialized technical institute, so these things are in fact an everyday problem for me. :( I'm not very social, and when I try, I sometimes scare people away or get excluded for not being able to fit in (or making social enemies by threatening other people's sense of social security with my presence) or have to deal with things like jealousy and inferiority/superiority complexes. I'm not a psycho/sociology major so I don't know very much about these things, but I can certainly feel it when people are sucking up my energy as I can't concentrate (I don't really want to get into the specifics in public). I've been reading quite a bit about things like relationships, body language, social bullying, etc. so I do have some working knowledge.
I suppose advancement through the military is another option for me, as I'm currently in the Army Reserves with one deployment under my belt, so perhaps I can go through OCS when I graduate. However, I feel that if I go this route that I'll be abandoning all the hard work I did studying Physics to do something that may be entirely different (leading troops, staff duty). The military is a world of its own, with its numerous acronyms, TM's, FM's, AR's, etc., so if I do decide to make a career out of it, I would have to cram all of this military stuff into my head.
Thanks for reading this long-ish post and I appreciate any suggestions or food for thought you might have.
Anyhow, I feel like I'm worrying too much about coursework and not enough about finding undergraduate research opportunities, internships, or building up other skills (like programming or electronics). At the same time, I feel kind of overwhelmed with the current course load (also taking a German class), so fitting these other things into my schedule seems complicated. I often hear that coursework should only be a small part of your university experience (like 10%), though for me, it feels like at least 75%. Networking, and the building of soft-skills are other important things I feel may be neglecting. But really... it's just impossible to do everything, right? Something's got to give.
I am interested in going to graduate school, though I am not 100% sure if it is the best decision. As of right now, I don't know very much about the more exotic topics of physics like Plasma, Elementary Particle Physics, Condensed Matter, Solid State, etc., so I can't tell if I will like them. There are undergraduate courses devoted to these, but I won't be able to get to them until I finish up the core prerequisites for them.
I realize that, from some of the other threads in this section, that going to graduate school in for Engineering is also an option should the Physics Ph.D not be the right choice. Or, I can try to see if I can find work after getting my Bachelors, though I'm not too fond of the idea of ending up just being a "programmer."
Another thing about me is that I am 25, which is kind of on the older side, so things like a prospective family life and other "take advantage of your youth while you still have it" concerns come into play. I was reading a career guide book for physicists, and it said in the beginning that one of the things you need to keep from being a thorn in your side in this journey is "Sex. Enough said." and that when it comes to building relationships, "You're on your own." I'm not kidding haha. I go to a large university, where kids go to parties and never shut up, rather than a specialized technical institute, so these things are in fact an everyday problem for me. :( I'm not very social, and when I try, I sometimes scare people away or get excluded for not being able to fit in (or making social enemies by threatening other people's sense of social security with my presence) or have to deal with things like jealousy and inferiority/superiority complexes. I'm not a psycho/sociology major so I don't know very much about these things, but I can certainly feel it when people are sucking up my energy as I can't concentrate (I don't really want to get into the specifics in public). I've been reading quite a bit about things like relationships, body language, social bullying, etc. so I do have some working knowledge.
I suppose advancement through the military is another option for me, as I'm currently in the Army Reserves with one deployment under my belt, so perhaps I can go through OCS when I graduate. However, I feel that if I go this route that I'll be abandoning all the hard work I did studying Physics to do something that may be entirely different (leading troops, staff duty). The military is a world of its own, with its numerous acronyms, TM's, FM's, AR's, etc., so if I do decide to make a career out of it, I would have to cram all of this military stuff into my head.
Thanks for reading this long-ish post and I appreciate any suggestions or food for thought you might have.