Would appreciate advice for first-year chemical engineering undergrad

[ChEtobe14]

Hello,

As mentioned in my title, I am currrently a freshman studying Chemical Engineering. I chose chemical engineering because I am a thinker, someone who wishes to attempt to solve some of the world's most critical problems through the use of my acquired knowledge in engineering and chemistry. However, engineering obviously requuires the understanding of physical pheonomena and thus physics is an integral part in understanding engineering coursework- especially in chemical engineering through fluid mechanics, momentum transfer, heat transfer, etc.

The issue lies with the fact that I am not competent at all in physics. To be honest, it is a very itneresting science, one that as I am spending more time with am beinging to appreciate it more, unlike back in high school when I used to hate it. However, I literally spent 186 hours studying for this past exam in Physics-Modern Mechanics, only to reciece an 'F' on the exam. I am frustrated. I have spent so much time, redid 400 plus homework problems, did an extra 335 practice problems, read, reread, and memorized formulas for nothing basically. I talked to my professor about it and we looked over the exam together. He and I both came to the conclusion that my major problem is that I am not looking at the essence of the physics being protrayed in the figure. I was amazed at how much information I actually knew and had a very detailed discussion about every problem, which made me feel good but still not enough to compensate for the sadness of my exam score. Basically he said I need to know how to think physics. It is very hard for me because I have always been taught in a certain manner, and now to try to think in a more abstract way is going to take a while. I considered dropping the course, since I did horribly on both 1st and 2nd exams, but my professor said that he is willing to work with me closely from now to the end of the semester, but that I need to give it more. I don't see how that could even be since i have been sleeping 2 hours, neglecting my other coursework and stressing out every day about how am I going to pass the exam. I feel like I am giving it the most that I can. But he did make one more remark that makes me reconsider dropping the course, you have to learn it sooner or later and that if others can think like this then why can't I.


The grading scale in this course (if it helps any) runs like this:

Labs- 15% (I currently have the maximum points possible here)
Homework- 15% (I currently have 86% of the maximum points possible here)
Recitation- 15% (I currently have the maximum points here)
In-Class Quiz- 5% ( I currently have the maximum points here)

Exam 1 - 10% (I have 60% of the max points here)
Exam 2 - 10% (I have 55% of the max points here)
Exam 3 - 10% (have not taken this yet)

Final Exam 20% (have not taken this yet)



I am clueless on what to do. This also makes me worry about the next physics course that I must take for chemical engineering and also the chemical engineering courses themselves. I honestly don't want to give up chemical engineering, I know this is what I want in my life. I can to college to be an engineer, one who like I said can attempt to solve some of the world's most critical issues, but physics is a must-have physical science for enigneering- which clearly I am inept. Honestly, I have the drive to do what ever it takes for me to learn the material. But I need help on what I should actually do.

 

[General_Sax]

You need to calm yourself. It's not healthy to be as stressed out you are. Also you need to sleep far more than 2 hours a night. And you shouldn't neglect your other courses. That will come back to bite you in the *** -- if you let it.

How is a 55% an F? Is you class curved? What is the class average?

If those test marks are near the average, then you're stressing out for nothing.

P.S. you don't have to solve the world's problems, so try and take it a 'lil easier ;p

 

[Null_]

Is it in your curriculum to be taking Physics right now? If not, then I would either audit or S/U the class. Doing that, next semester when you take the class again, you will have already covered all of the material. If it would put you behind by doing that, then stay in the class and be prepared to work hard (which it sounds like you are.)

I'm also a freshman ChemE student struggling in Physics. I really enjoy it, but come tests I freak out. I got a B+ on the first one and a C+ on the second. My professor doesn't curve AT ALL, EVER, so I can see how you feel. I studied like crazy for the second one, and I got a 100% on his released test..the real test had different forces which we had to analyze..class avg. was 53. I'm saying that because the Py class I'm in is for engineering students only. With an average of 53, you see that some of America's future engineers (and I go to a top-20 school) are in a similar position that you are. They're looking at failing the class (see no curve policy above), but the drop date was Thursday and only a few people actually did.

I think that if you can learn the theory behind the problems and learn how to think in a logical manner that connects everything you've learned, instead of memorizing how to solve specific probles and specific formulas, then you can cut your studying time and effort down A LOT, and end up with much better results.

Feel free to P.M. me if you ever want to have a study buddy..we're probably covering similar things in a similar time frame. (I just had test 2/3 on Monday).

 

[ibnsos]

If your only getting 2 hours of sleep, that may be your biggest problem. There is such a thing as over studying, especially when lacking sleep.

I rediscovered this on my midterms last week and the week before. I had two tests on Friday in classes I do very well in, but did horrible on the tests. On Tuesday I had two tests on classes I feel I am lacking in but did extremely well on both. I noticed that I seem to get less sleep as the week progresses and by Friday I am already exhausted. Monday when the tests from Friday were returned I blew through the corrections, I know the material very well and just shot myself in the foot from lack of sleep.

 

[ChEtobe14]

You need to calm yourself. It's not healthy to be as stressed out you are. Also you need to sleep far more than 2 hours a night. And you shouldn't neglect your other courses. That will come back to bite you in the *** -- if you let it.

How is a 55% an F? Is you class curved? What is the class average?

If those test marks are near the average, then you're stressing out for nothing.

P.S. you don't have to solve the world's problems, so try and take it a 'lil easier ;p

A 55% is an 'F' based on the standard A=90%, B=80%, C=70%, etc. scale. And I had a feeling that was going to happen since I am starting to see that the coursework I did not look at is comming back to bite me really baddly in the ***. Unfortunately, now I have to find a way to complete the required readings I have missed due to my intense focus on physics. The class average was a 65% for Exam 1 and 62% for Exam 2, and so it will be curved. Thanks for your response, and you can rest assured that I will try to get more than two hours of sleep and not stress a lot especially since my doctor yelled at me for having such high blood pressure at a young age due to stress. So now I see life is fragile, and that i need to take care of myself too. But thanks once again for the advice, very meaningful.

 

[ChEtobe14]

If your only getting 2 hours of sleep, that may be your biggest problem. There is such a thing as over studying, especially when lacking sleep.

I rediscovered this on my midterms last week and the week before. I had two tests on Friday in classes I do very well in, but did horrible on the tests. On Tuesday I had two tests on classes I feel I am lacking in but did extremely well on both. I noticed that I seem to get less sleep as the week progresses and by Friday I am already exhausted. Monday when the tests from Friday were returned I blew through the corrections, I know the material very well and just shot myself in the foot from lack of sleep.

I understand. But see the thing is that I need to do well, but doing well also means taking more care of myself I guess. I can't afford to be putting off other courses and just spend a bunch of time (rediculously amounts) into one course which may just need me to study for about 2-3 hours a day and then let the information settle in my head rather than flooding it with a bunch of info. Thank you ibnsos for your advice, and for taking the time to respond to my thread.

 

[Ryker]

If your only getting 2 hours of sleep, that may be your biggest problem. There is such a thing as over studying, especially when lacking sleep.

I second getting more sleep, it's underrated.

Thanks for your response, and you can rest assured that I will try to get more than two hours of sleep and not stress a lot especially since my doctor yelled at me for having such high blood pressure at a young age due to stress.

And maybe change your doctor while you're at it.

 

[ChEtobe14]

I second getting more sleep, it's underrated.And maybe change your doctor while you're at it.

Ryker,

As much as I appreciate the time you took to respond to my thread, your comment seems erroneous to the nature of my thread. I have reason to believe that you may just be mocking the situation I am in, in which case I would prefer it if you did not leave a comment.

Thank you.

 

[Ryker]

Ryker,

As much as I appreciate the time you took to respond to my thread, your comment seems erroneous to the nature of my thread. I have reason to believe that you may just be mocking the situation I am in, in which case I would prefer it if you did not leave a comment.

Thank you.

I am not mocking the situation you're in, it just seemed ludicrous to me that a doctor would yell at a patient for having stress-related high pressure.

 

[ChEtobe14]

I am not mocking the situation you're in, it just seemed ludicrous to me that a doctor would yell at a patient for having stress-related high pressure.

Ryker,

Ok, I understand. And yes I too find that absurd, thus I am going to have to change providers. Now, would you have some suggestions on my opening thread?

I would like to appologize for the misunderstanding.

Thank You.