Other Should I Drop Physics? Advice & Ideas

AI Thread Summary
Modern physics captivates with its complex and often absurd concepts, sparking a passion for understanding the universe. Many students feel challenged by the math and mental exercises involved, leading to concerns about their abilities and future success in the field. It's common for undergraduates to doubt their potential for graduate studies, but strong performance in foundational courses typically translates to future success. A genuine curiosity about the nature of reality is emphasized as a more important motivator than simply finding the ideas entertaining. Engaging with peers can alleviate feelings of isolation and reinforce the shared struggles within the physics community.
Felix Gonzales
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
I love physics. Well, modern physics mostly, still physics though. It's amazing seeing how much there is we don't know and how we got to understand what we do know today. I think the concepts are crazy, cool and fun. If I didn't know better, I'd say modern physics truly sounds like pure fiction because of the "absurdity", if you will, of some of the concepts in it. That's why I love it! It's like watching a movie in which the climactic scenes never end and only continue to rise. Okay, you get the idea, I really love physics. Though that doesn't mean I'm superb at it. I don't have an issue with the math as of right now (barely starting my third year). I'm currently taking analytical mechanics and intro to modern physics. I don't feel my imagination is up to par with others. I feel that this is and will continue to hold me back throughout college and possibly my career, depending on what I choose to do with my life. Does this become easier? Is it one of those things where the more you study and practice physics, the easier it will get? Because some mental exercises are kind of difficult for me and I don't know if that's a matter of lack of experience or lack of talent.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It's easy to feel discouraged when things doesn't seem to work out, and yet at the end, they do. Many undergraduate students feel they won't do well on graduate courses just because they don't yet understand the Mathematics involved. If you do well on your undergraduate program, you probably won't do bad in further programs. Anyway, I don't know if the fact that you are in Physics because the ideas seem to you crazy or cool is a good basis. You should, in my very own opinion, go into Physics if you are passionate of unravelling the nature of matter, time... hence reality. 90% work, 10% talent (I don't know how to measure it, but maybe, and I just say maybe, with an IQ>110).
 
  • Like
Likes Felix Gonzales
Wastrophysicist said:
I don't know if the fact that you are in Physics because the ideas seem to you crazy or cool is a good basis. You should, in my very own opinion, go into Physics if you are passionate of unraveling the nature of matter, time... hence reality

Oh yes! I constantly find myself asking questions about what I'm learning, either asking "what if..." style questions or questioning the material itself, and I am driven to find the answers. Most of the time, because of the level of my schooling, it's questions that have already been answered though which is a little bit of a buzz kill. I studied physics because I feel that once you strip away our possessions, like money, the only thing that matters is the universe. In my opinion, the universe is the only thing that matters and the only thing that will ever matter in the entirety of time. I know other things are important as well like art and politics, but I feel that what encompasses physics will push our world forward (alongside other STEM fields of course). I realize by this point I probably sound like a mega nerd so I'll end here but I would like to thank you for your reply. I appreciate the help!
 
You should hang out with other physics majors. My classmates and I often commiserate with each other over how we feel like idiots all of the time. You are not alone in your struggle.
 
Bit Britain-specific but I was wondering, what's the best path to take for A-Levels out of the following (I know Y10 seems a bit early to be thinking about A-levels, but my choice will impact what I do this year/ in y11) I (almost) definitely want to do physics at University - so keep that in mind... The subjects that I'm almost definitely going to take are Maths, Further Maths and Physics, and I'm taking a fast track programme which means that I'll be taking AS computer science at the end...
After a year of thought, I decided to adjust my ratio for applying the US/EU(+UK) schools. I mostly focused on the US schools before, but things are getting complex and I found out that Europe is also a good place to study. I found some institutes that have professors with similar interests. But gaining the information is much harder than US schools (like you have to contact professors in advance etc). For your information, I have B.S. in engineering (low GPA: 3.2/4.0) in Asia - one SCI...
I graduated with a BSc in Physics in 2020. Since there were limited opportunities in my country (mostly teaching), I decided to improve my programming skills and began working in IT, first as a software engineer and later as a quality assurance engineer, where I’ve now spent about 3 years. While this career path has provided financial stability, I’ve realized that my excitement and passion aren’t really there, unlike what I felt when studying or doing research in physics. Working in IT...

Similar threads

Back
Top