Motivating Yourself to Study Physics | In Search of Motivation

[Augustkl]

Hi there!

A couple years ago, I failed my physics exam taken in upper secondary school (Norway), which has led me to having to retake the subject. I realize that I likely failed due to being lazy and tired of school.

But a lot has changed since then, and I really do wish to learn physics. In fact, I wish to learn everything there is to learn. The problem is that I can't find any motivation to do so.

I've come to realize that I can accomplish anything with relative ease, but only if I find the motivation. This has opened doors for me, and has led me to learn about philosophy, psychology, politics, music, geography, and more. All of these things help me grow and improve as a person socially.

Having studied physics for two years at school in the past, I still haven't found that same reward. Sure, I would be able to understand how the universe works, but it's not something I think can help me in the long run, looking away from completing my diploma of course. Physics is not a subject I've been particularly fond of, but I'm very open to be convinced.

Tldr: I'm looking for motivation to help me study physics. What can it teach me that I will come to value in the future?

Thank you!

 

[Dale]

I wish to learn everything there is to learn. The problem is that I can't find any motivation to do so.

This doesn’t make any sense to me. The second sentence contradicts the first.

 

[Augustkl]

This doesn’t make any sense to me. The second sentence contradicts the first.

What I'm trying to convey is that studying and learning physics is going to take a lot of work. Being motivated would certainly help me a lot. I understand how you could think those two sentences contradict each other, but I've struggled with studying my entire life. Of course I wish to receive my diploma, but physics is such a big and scary subject to jump into, and I'm looking for something that will spark my interest.

 

[berkeman]

I'm looking for motivation to help me study physics.

I don't know what kinds of work you have done outside of school so far, but I can tell you that the summer jobs I had during high school and the first couple of summers between university years helped to motivate me a lot to study hard to get my degree and do really well in school. Hard physical labor can be a pretty strong motivator to work hard in school. Some of those jobs included:

• Digging ditches in hard ground by hand in the middle of the hot summer
• Stringing barbed wire fence on hillsides building livestock pastures (steep hillsides)
• Busing tables in a restaurant
• Unloading 18 wheel trailers (heavy loads) in the summer heat

Physics is not a subject I've been particularly fond of, but I'm very open to be convinced.

Have you considered other majors? Maybe some engineering discipline would fit your interests more. Have you looked at any EE or ME classes to see if the subject matter and projects look interesting?

 

[Augustkl]

Have you considered other majors? Maybe some engineering discipline would fit your interests more. Have you looked at any EE or ME classes to see if the subject matter and projects look interesting?

The problem here is that it's too late for me to change the subject. I'm retaking my physics exam to complete my diploma, which will then let me study attend a university. I'm confident that I will succeed on the exam regardless, but preferably, I'd like find something that sparks my interest.

 

[Choppy]

There isn't that much we can say that's going to really motivate you, because motivation for something like studying physics has to come from within. In my experience the best way to kindle that passion is through self exploration.

Make sure you take the time to read up on the things that interest you. Not just assigned reading, but the stuff that you really want to know about. Sometimes it starts with popular science type articles, and then progresses further when you start to ask questions like 'how does that really work?' As you mature academically you'll be able to read scientific review articles.

Something else that can help is taking on your own projects. And this can mean different things to different people. You could for example program a simulation of something like planetary orbits or a chaotic pendulum. You could join or start a local astronomy club. You could try to volunteer at a local radiation therapy facility. Simply trying to force your way through a subject without deadlines or external evaluation tends not to work too well for most people. I find it really helps to have a specific program that you care about to focus on.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

The problem here is that it's too late for me to change the subject. I'm retaking my physics exam to complete my diploma, which will then let me study attend a university. I'm confident that I will succeed on the exam regardless, but preferably, I'd like find something that sparks my interest.

It may sound harsh. But it is called being an adult. Not sure why you made such a post. Either you study and pass the physics test or you do not. Sometimes as adults we must do things we don't really enjoy... You will have a hard time in life, if you do not learn this lesson soon.

 

[gmax137]

Freshman physics 1, such as ballistic trajectories, can seem pretty mundane. Students wonder, what's the point of these exercises? Well, solving the equations to find the trajectory allows you to predict the future! What other class offers that? In other subjects you study facts, or ideas, and this is important. Talking about what you think is one thing, but talking about what will happen next is in another league completely. That should be motivation, it is for me, anyway.

 

[gleem]

Your problem seems to be like that of a person who wants to be a craftsman and is trying to select specific tools to learn to use without knowing how they will be used or what they are used for. Physics like many subjects provides "tools" and skills that are applicable to many tasks. If you do not know the tasks then how do you make a selection? Add to that knowledge of your personal strengths and weaknesses and you can refine your search. Finally you will be able to compete as effectively as possible although there is no guarantee of success.

 

[Mark44]

Well, solving the equations to find the trajectory allows you to predict the future! What other class offers that? In other subjects you study facts, or ideas, and this is important. Talking about what you think is one thing, but talking about what will happen next is in another league completely. That should be motivation, it is for me, anyway.

Excellent point, and this was a major motivation for me years ago. One of the main uses of physics 300 and 400 years ago was to be able to predict the paths of the planets. Einstein's work on relativity and the effects of objects with mass (like the sun) allowed him to predict that the transit of Mercury would be slightly less than would the case if the light from Mercury traveled in a straight line. On a more mundane level, a study of physics allows engineers to design a bridge, and predict that it won't collapse under the weight of a 40 ton truck cargo.

 

[Marisa5]

I'm looking for something that will spark my interest.

Your issue is nonsensical and you're being dramatic. You have to study the things that will be on your exam and then you will be done with physics if you want to be (unless there is a weird requirement I've never heard of when you get to university). If you can't find motivation then drop out of school and do something else, you're taking up a spot for someone who wants to be there.

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