- #1
AstraeaSophia
- 6
- 0
I'm having a very distressing problem and could use the advice of other physicists or physics students on this one.
Ever since I was little, I've been absolutely enamored with astronomy. The stars, space, planets -- all of it. I couldn't get enough. So obviously, when I entered into a university, I declared my major to be physics with a concentration in astronomy, and set to work.
And horribly, only one semester in, I'm starting to falter. It's difficult for me to sit down and do physics and math homework. My brain starts getting muddled with equations and formulas, and my normally swift analytical process just comes screeching to a sudden halt. I graduated with the highest possible marks from high school, and now...well, now, I feel like all that skill and that feeling of "it comes easily to me" has suddenly vaporized. I don't know what this is, but it makes me so sad. I don't want to think that me and physics are incompatible, because I don't think we are. I understand the concepts when I apply myself. I think it's just a lack of motivation to do the work, and that makes me feel awful. I really want to work in astronomy and planetary sciences when I'm done with school, and I would do anything to preserve that ultimate goal.
My questions:
Have any of you (or did any of you, when you were in school) run into this motivation brick wall? How did you overcome it? What are your best tips for motivating yourself when you start to get bogged down?
I'm open to any recommendations and advice that can help me stay on the physics track and help me do better. I'll even take the common sense answers that you think I might already know. No matter how silly or obvious it is, if you have a suggestion, please put it here.
Thanks so much! -- A.S.
Ever since I was little, I've been absolutely enamored with astronomy. The stars, space, planets -- all of it. I couldn't get enough. So obviously, when I entered into a university, I declared my major to be physics with a concentration in astronomy, and set to work.
And horribly, only one semester in, I'm starting to falter. It's difficult for me to sit down and do physics and math homework. My brain starts getting muddled with equations and formulas, and my normally swift analytical process just comes screeching to a sudden halt. I graduated with the highest possible marks from high school, and now...well, now, I feel like all that skill and that feeling of "it comes easily to me" has suddenly vaporized. I don't know what this is, but it makes me so sad. I don't want to think that me and physics are incompatible, because I don't think we are. I understand the concepts when I apply myself. I think it's just a lack of motivation to do the work, and that makes me feel awful. I really want to work in astronomy and planetary sciences when I'm done with school, and I would do anything to preserve that ultimate goal.
My questions:
Have any of you (or did any of you, when you were in school) run into this motivation brick wall? How did you overcome it? What are your best tips for motivating yourself when you start to get bogged down?
I'm open to any recommendations and advice that can help me stay on the physics track and help me do better. I'll even take the common sense answers that you think I might already know. No matter how silly or obvious it is, if you have a suggestion, please put it here.
Thanks so much! -- A.S.