- #1
motai
- 365
- 2
I'm not exactly sure where to begin. I feel woefully unprepared right now, despite my best efforts. No matter how hard I try, I always end up coming short. Recently in Calculus class we got into variable work and I am trying to understand it (doesn't do that great of a job at describing physics) and some of the problems can be extremely difficult, even though I devote a lot of time to the subject and try to best of my ability to understand it.
Even though I keep up with my homework every night (and even go beyond and do extra problems to better understand the material and not just try to get an A) I still feel as though I am not prepared, specifically that a strong background in basic calculus is not enough sustain me in college. I'm not even very fast at doing the problems (I was brought up to approach problems slowly and methodically), something that may be to my disadvantage come AP test time. Not good enough.
Recently in Calculus class I was the only one who didn't advance on with the homework assignment, trying desperately to understand the concept before jumping into the problems (even asking inane thought questions which at the time seemed rather cool and interesting), yet despite this studiousness still coming up short.
My online algebra physics class is a good example of my missed concepts. It doesn't do that great of a job at explaining things and I think that I am wasting my time. It is very watered down and doesn't even get to some of the more advanced topics, and states laws without mathematically deriving them. I have a feeling it will come back to bite me when I actually start taking mechanics courses in college. At this level that I am in right now, I should be able to at least understand mathematically some intermediate Newtonian mechanics (tension, friction, etc.) but yet I am not. Never good enough.
Heck, my precalculus class last year skipped over vectors, and trying to learn it by myself somewhat (it is much easier with a tutor or a teacher), but I know that I need it for sure in college. All of these important concepts that I am missing.. I feel like I am being slowly left behind, despite my best efforts to teach myself.
I realize that undergraduate physics builds the base for everything built up upon that, and if I am not ready for that... I don't know what I am going to do.
I hardly think that my studious work ethic alone can get me through. Lacking and biting off more than I can chew.
Even though I keep up with my homework every night (and even go beyond and do extra problems to better understand the material and not just try to get an A) I still feel as though I am not prepared, specifically that a strong background in basic calculus is not enough sustain me in college. I'm not even very fast at doing the problems (I was brought up to approach problems slowly and methodically), something that may be to my disadvantage come AP test time. Not good enough.
Recently in Calculus class I was the only one who didn't advance on with the homework assignment, trying desperately to understand the concept before jumping into the problems (even asking inane thought questions which at the time seemed rather cool and interesting), yet despite this studiousness still coming up short.
My online algebra physics class is a good example of my missed concepts. It doesn't do that great of a job at explaining things and I think that I am wasting my time. It is very watered down and doesn't even get to some of the more advanced topics, and states laws without mathematically deriving them. I have a feeling it will come back to bite me when I actually start taking mechanics courses in college. At this level that I am in right now, I should be able to at least understand mathematically some intermediate Newtonian mechanics (tension, friction, etc.) but yet I am not. Never good enough.
Heck, my precalculus class last year skipped over vectors, and trying to learn it by myself somewhat (it is much easier with a tutor or a teacher), but I know that I need it for sure in college. All of these important concepts that I am missing.. I feel like I am being slowly left behind, despite my best efforts to teach myself.
I realize that undergraduate physics builds the base for everything built up upon that, and if I am not ready for that... I don't know what I am going to do.
I hardly think that my studious work ethic alone can get me through. Lacking and biting off more than I can chew.