Advice for succeeding in graduate school?

[BDT]

I am a first year graduate student in physics, a subject I am quite passionate in, but I am struggling to succeed this term. There is a few issues I've been dealing with. First, I haven't been able to get as good as grasp on the content as I was able to in the past. I'm taking three core courses this term, and they have all been kicking my ass. E&M in particular has been rough, as I feel I understand the lectures and examples shown by instructor, but once I get to working through problems I just can't seem to do it. I've been told repeatedly that you don't really know how to study and learn physics until you get to grad school, but I got here and didn't learn how to study more effectively. I utilize my professor when I need help, but I'm worried that I will fail once I hit the finals and can't ask for help. Is there any advice that anyone can give on how to study more effectively and be able to handle the harder problems presented in graduate textbooks?

Second, I can't seem to keep my focus as well during class. Maybe it is the online structure or the fact that I haven't had access to SSRI's in a hot minute, but its harder for me to focus on these classes for hours that I have them each day. Is there anything you have tried to keep focus on these courses?

Any advice or habits that I could use to help me succeed would be helpful, I really don't want to fail out of this program.

 

[PhDeezNutz]

E&M statics or dynamics?

one thing that helped me in grad statics was realizing that the Green’s function approach to solving potentials is merely the method of images but integrated. At least that’s the way I see it, others may disagree.

 

[gleem]

Maybe it is the online structure or the fact that I haven't had access to SSRI's in a hot minute,

SSRI's are what I think they are and you are not telling us everything?

 

[fresh_42]

Second, I can't seem to keep my focus as well during class. Maybe it is the online structure or the fact that I haven't had access to SSRI's in a hot minute, but its harder for me to focus on these classes for hours that I have them each day. Is there anything you have tried to keep focus on these courses?

I used to write them down parallel to what I heard and saw on the board, and worked them out afterwards, i.e. wrote them a second time in a way, that I could read them like a personal textbook with all questions answered. But this is a personal thing: I can memorize a subject far better if I had to write it.

Here is an article about how to write a proof, but I assume it is basically the same if it is e.g. a circuit to be analyzed, or a force problem to be solved:
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/how-most-proofs-are-structured-and-how-to-write-them/
The core idea is: follow a step by step method, an algorithm if you like. This comes in quite natural, as those problems have all a given description, the start, and a final conclusion, the finish line. It's the way in between that has to be found.

 

[hutchphd]

If you feel you need medication, perhaps you should seek medication from a reliably knowledgeable source?

 

[Dr. Courtney]

One key to my own success in grad school was not taking more than two core courses at once.

Another key to my own success was re-taking undergrad courses in E&M, Stat Mech, QM, and Classical Mechanics before attempting grad courses. That's right, I didn't take any grad courses at all my first year, other than research.

Finally, I minimized distractions to optimize study time. I took great care picking locations and times where I could apply a very high level of focus.

 

[Vanadium 50]

(1) If you require prescription medication to succeed, you should get a prescription.

(2) You have listed two problems: an inability to work the exercises, and an inability to focus in class. Which do you think is the cause and which the effect?

 

[PhDeezNutz]

(1) If you require prescription medication to succeed, you should get a prescription.

(2) You have listed two problems: an inability to work the exercises, and an inability to focus in class. Which do you think is the cause and which the effect?

2) is a very important point that cannot be stressed enough.