Preparing for University: Balancing Academics and Social Life in Physics

[Mulz]

In about a month I will be studying physics in university after graduating from high school.

Are there general advice you guys can give me? I don't know what to expect and I'm anxious about failing.

What should I do meanwhile during the holiday, and during school time? Should I simply study everyday or what? I'm actually clueless as of what to do in order to do well.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

make sure you have a grasp of high school mathematics, pre-cal and under. If you do, proceed to learn basic Calculus. Alternatively, if possible, you can postpone taking the Calculus based physics your first semester. This will allow you to have completed Calculus prior to the first physics class. Secondly, when you take the Electricity and Magnetism portion of physics, you will have already completed Calculus 2.

 

[Yosty22]

Often, the hardest part about some of the introductory physics problems is figuring out what you're being asked and how to proceed with a solution, not necessarily the solution itself. Don't worry about failing, but I agree with MidgetDwarf: you definitely need a really solid grasp of all of the math you did in high school as well as some calculus. It sounds so obvious, but the biggest thing for me when I was doing my undergrad studies (starting my Ph.D. this fall, so I'm in a similar boat of starting something new) is to just do practice problems. Don't just do the problems that are assigned for homework (obviously do those too), do some problems that aren't assigned. Get a really good grasp of how to do all types of problems you can find and get the hang of doing some much more difficult problems than the ones you are assigned. That way, when it's time for exams, nothing can surprise you and be way more difficult that what you were exposed to.

 

[Asteropaeus]

Embrace student life. Focus on the social aspects. And not the crazy parties. Become friends with people who (have the potential) to be well-rounded, are ambitious, do well on exams, but also have a rich social life and healthy mature relationships.