Doubt vs. Discouragement: A Physics Student’s Calculus Story

Overcoming discouragement means recognizing that another person’s doubt about your ability is not evidence of your limits. The author failed a calculus test, dropped the course, and was told by a classmate he couldn’t succeed in physics. He retook the class the next semester and earned a high B.

Key Takeaways

• The author dropped Introductory Calculus after struggling through three exams on the same day, including U.S. History and English tests.
• A classmate directly told the author he could not complete a Ph.D. in Physics because of his calculus struggles.
• The classmate who discouraged him finished the course with a mid-C grade.
• The author retook Calculus the following semester and earned a high B.
• The author registered as a Physics major after high school, drawn partly by an interest in social sciences he set aside for math and science.

Why Doubt and Discouragement Are Different

Doubt is a natural part of decision-making. Questioning a past choice helps inform future decisions when a similar situation arises. Discouragement, by contrast, often comes from outside voices telling someone they cannot achieve something, and it can damage a person’s confidence and self-esteem when it is unwarranted.

Choosing a College Major

In high school, the author had no clear plan for what to study in college. He considered engineering, shaped by the expectation that “all Asian males should become engineers or doctors.” Despite a strong interest in the social sciences, he leaned toward math and science because that was the direction he felt pushed toward. After graduating, he registered as a Physics major.

Preparing for Introductory Calculus

At registration, the author signed up for Introductory Calculus while unsure whether he was adequately prepared. To close that gap, he went home immediately, gathered calculus textbooks, and worked through the basic concepts before classes started.

Struggling in the Classroom

A fellow student in the calculus class was consistently rude and argumentative, disputing nearly everything the author said. To avoid conflict, the author chose to sit as far from him as possible in the room. He scored so-so on the first two tests but was determined to improve on the third.

Managing an Overloaded Test Day

The third calculus exam fell on the same day as a U.S. History exam and an English exam, forcing the author to divide his preparation time across three subjects. He walked into the calculus exam unshaven, stressed, and running on little sleep, and found he could not recall material he had studied.

After leaving the exam frustrated, he called his father and sat on the edge of a sidewalk near the student center, questioning whether he had what it took to pursue Physics. He ultimately dropped Calculus that semester, though his professor allowed him to keep attending class.

Confronting Discouragement Head-On

After learning that the author had dropped the course, his classmate told him directly, “You say you want a Ph.D. in Physics, right? Well, you know Georgia Tech has a really tough Physics program and you have problems with Calculus. You can’t do it.” The author responded, “And who says I can’t? There were many before me and many who will follow. I struggle for a while but I’m not alone. You are no one to tell me what I can and cannot do.”

The Outcome

The classmate who dismissed the author’s chances finished the calculus course with a mid-C grade. The author retook Calculus the following semester and earned a high B, a result he counts as one he is proud of.

The lesson from this experience is straightforward: don’t let someone else’s discouragement define what you can or cannot achieve. Whatever goal you’re pursuing, the setback of one bad test or one dismissive comment doesn’t determine the outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between doubt and discouragement?

Doubt is a natural response to decision-making, where you question a choice and use that reflection to inform future decisions. Discouragement is often externally imposed, such as someone telling you that you’ll never accomplish something, and it can be uncalled for and damaging to confidence and self-esteem.

Why did the author drop his Introductory Calculus class?

He struggled through the third exam, which fell on the same day as a U.S. History exam and an English exam. He walked into the test exhausted and unable to recall material he had studied, which led to his decision to drop the course that semester.

What did the classmate say to discourage the author?

The classmate told him that Georgia Tech’s Physics program was too tough for someone who struggled with calculus, and that he couldn’t complete a Ph.D. in Physics. The author pushed back immediately, refusing to accept that judgment.

How did the author eventually perform in Calculus?

He retook Introductory Calculus the following semester and earned a high B, a grade he says he is proud of, directly contradicting the classmate’s earlier prediction.

What happened to the classmate who discouraged him?

The classmate who told the author he couldn’t succeed ended up finishing the calculus course with a mid-C grade himself.

What is the main lesson of this story?

The core lesson is not to let other people’s discouragement determine what you believe you can achieve. A single difficult test or a dismissive comment from someone else does not define your capability or your future outcome.