Got accepted for MEXT scholarship, and I need some advice

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around Alejandro's acceptance of the MEXT scholarship and his concerns about preparing for his upcoming studies in Japan. He seeks advice on managing his study plan for mathematics and physics, as well as coping with anxiety related to his academic performance.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Homework-related
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Alejandro expresses anxiety about losing knowledge since he hasn't studied since August and seeks effective study strategies.
  • He plans to focus on mathematics from pre-calculus to Math II-II and physics topics including mechanics, waves, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and optics.
  • He mentions specific resources he intends to use, such as the Sears & Zemansky University physics book and Serge Lang's "Basic Mathematics."
  • Some participants congratulate Alejandro on his achievement and suggest he consider talking to a counselor to manage his anxiety, emphasizing that panic attacks can be treated.
  • There are supportive responses encouraging Alejandro to feel confident in his abilities and to enjoy his academic journey.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of seeking support for anxiety, but there is no consensus on specific study strategies or approaches to managing his preparation.

Contextual Notes

Alejandro's discussion reflects his personal feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about his academic readiness, which may not be fully addressed by the advice given.

Who May Find This Useful

Students preparing for competitive exams, individuals seeking advice on managing academic anxiety, and those interested in study strategies for STEM subjects.

Alejandro Ramos
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Hello, my name is Alejandro. And I posted here a long time ago asking for some help in preparing for MEXT scholarship exams, and you guys helped me so much and I am really thankful. I am happy to inform that I have been the only one who cleared those exams out of the 40 or so applicants in my country and I got recommended and accepted by the ministry of education from Japan. And that I'm heading there in april next year, and going to complete my undergraduate degree over there.
The thing is, the first year (Starting april 2017) is sort of a preparation year. So they prepare you to take the entrance exams in march 2018, and since I'm aiming for really difficult universities (most of the nationals) I'd like to be 100% prepared.

Now, I am honestly having an anxiety attack, hence I'm writing this right now (also to thank the people who helped me). The reason being that I haven't studied ever since I got the results back in August, now I like to think that I had a really good level back then. That's why right now I'm panicking because I feel that I got really dumb, and lost most of the knowledge I had. So I want to study in the best way possible until I go to Japan, so that I can be 100% prepared for the level that expects me there.

I just basically want to focus on two things besides studying japanese, which are Math (I want to study again from pre-calc up to Math II-II) and Physics (Mechanics, Waves, Thermo, Electromagnetism, Optics, etc) because I seriously feel like my brain is empty right now.

I need advice on how to manage my time and how to approach this mountain I have yet again put in front of me because I don't want to embarrass myself once I go to Japan.

I'm sorry for asking for "handholding" but I seriously need some advice right now, or at least someone to chat to to relieve some of my stress.

My plan is basically to:
-Eat the entire Sears&Zemansky University physics book (and perfect my knowledge on the subjects)
-Finish Serge Lang's "Basic Mathematics" in order to polish my knowledge on math, and do Calculus and some number theory.

Thanks!
Any advice you would give me is welcome! Sorry again for this.

(Also to keep in mind, english is my second language and I'm studying and have studied in english this whole time, so excuse me if I made any mistakes on this post)
 
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Alejandro Ramos said:
Hello, my name is Alejandro. And I posted here a long time ago asking for some help in preparing for MEXT scholarship exams, and you guys helped me so much and I am really thankful. I am happy to inform that I have been the only one who cleared those exams out of the 40 or so applicants in my country and I got recommended and accepted by the ministry of education from Japan. And that I'm heading there in april next year, and going to complete my undergraduate degree over there.
The thing is, the first year (Starting april 2017) is sort of a preparation year. So they prepare you to take the entrance exams in march 2018, and since I'm aiming for really difficult universities (most of the nationals) I'd like to be 100% prepared.

Now, I am honestly having an anxiety attack, hence I'm writing this right now (also to thank the people who helped me). The reason being that I haven't studied ever since I got the results back in August, now I like to think that I had a really good level back then. That's why right now I'm panicking because I feel that I got really dumb, and lost most of the knowledge I had. So I want to study in the best way possible until I go to Japan, so that I can be 100% prepared for the level that expects me there.

I just basically want to focus on two things besides studying japanese, which are Math (I want to study again from pre-calc up to Math II-II) and Physics (Mechanics, Waves, Thermo, Electromagnetism, Optics, etc) because I seriously feel like my brain is empty right now.

I need advice on how to manage my time and how to approach this mountain I have yet again put in front of me because I don't want to embarrass myself once I go to Japan.

I'm sorry for asking for "handholding" but I seriously need some advice right now, or at least someone to chat to to relieve some of my stress.

My plan is basically to:
-Eat the entire Sears&Zemansky University physics book (and perfect my knowledge on the subjects)
-Finish Serge Lang's "Basic Mathematics" in order to polish my knowledge on math, and do Calculus and some number theory.

Thanks!
Any advice you would give me is welcome! Sorry again for this.

(Also to keep in mind, english is my second language and I'm studying and have studied in english this whole time, so excuse me if I made any mistakes on this post)
Congratulations on the great performance and the honor. Well done! :smile:

Next, I'll leave the studying advice to others, but because I work in Health Care (part time in addition to my full-time Electrical Engineering R&D job), I think it could help you a lot if you talked to a counselor about this. It sounds like you are very smart and perform very well on exams, but sometimes experience moderate panic attacks. That is very treatable as a psychological condition (when it is at the light/moderate level), and you could benefit a lot from some of the techniques that the counselor can teach you.

You should feel good and confident about your amazing abilities, not worried. Enjoy your gifts, and make the most of them. It's time to get rid of the doubts in your abilities, and build on your wonderful gifts. Do-atashi-mahste. :biggrin:
 
Last edited:
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berkeman said:
Do-atashi-mahste. :biggrin:

Ganbare!
 
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berkeman said:
Congratulations on the great performance and the honor. Well done! :smile:

Next, I'll leave the studying advice to others, but because I work in Health Care (part time in addition to my full-time Electrical Engineering R&D job), I think it could help you a lot if you talked to a counselor about this. It sounds like you are very smart and perform very well on exams, but sometimes experience moderate panic attacks. That is very treatable as a psychological condition (when it is at the light/moderate level), and you could benefit a lot at some of the techniques that the counselor can teach you.

You should feel good and confident about your amazing abilities, not worried. Enjoy your gifts, and make the most of them. It's time to get rid of the doubts in your abilities, and build on your wonderful gifts. Do-atashi-mahste. :biggrin:
Thanks a lot! I will see into going with a counselor :).
 

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