Course Resources » Advice » General advice

We will discuss all these points during the semester, but here is a synopsis:

• Find *your* motivation for this class. Are you knowledge driven? Are you achievement driven? Is this class merely a hurdle for you? Figure out these motivations and use them to your advantage.
• You will do better in the class if you try to genuinely enjoy the material and engage with it. #physicsrocks... seriously
• Work out problems on paper, in pencil, and to a neat algebraic answer. When you are finished, review your strategy. Ask yourself if the answer makes sense. This strategy will help you think like a physicist.
• Try not to fall behind; the class is cumulative, and it can be difficult to catch up.
• Do not be afraid to go down the "wrong road" when solving a problem. Taking some wrong turns will make you more efficient at taking the correct ones in the long run.
• Action can precede motivation. This piece of advice cannot be stressed enough. Many of us wait until we "feel" like doing certain work (or absolutely must!)... this pattern forms the source of procrastination. However, you will find that often just beginning to do the work produces the motivation. When you are not in the mood to do homework or study but you know it needs to be done, just start doing it. Most of the time, you will say "this is not so bad" and feel better.
• Insight comes from having done the problem before.
• Find your physics voice!