Problems studying physics

1. Not studying.

You need to work really really hard to pass this class. At least 15 hours a week.

2. Sitting in a cafe going through the textbook line by line with a highlighter.

This class takes a lot of thinking and concentration. You need to be sitting in a quiet place with pen and paper solving problems. That's the ONLY way any learning is going to take place for physics.

3. DO NOT follow the med school motto "When in doubt, memorize!".

There is very little memorization in physics. A little, but nothing compared with biology or chemistry. It's all about learning how to solve problems. You can memorize all you like, but that ain't goin' to teach you how to juggle.

4. Not allowing oneself to be confused by a problem and immediately giving up.

Again, you will never learn to juggle if you did that! Spend at least 15 minutes trying to figure out a problem without looking at the solution, and without asking someone else for a hint.

5. Common complaint: "You said the exam would be just like the homework. It's not!. It's totally different! I did all the homework problems and understand each one, but I still couldn't do this exam. That's like totally not fair!"

Nobody's being tricked here, except the person that really thinks that they "understand" all the homework. Understanding physics is NOT the same as memorizing. Understanding Spanish isn't about memorizing a Spanish sentence and then the corresponding English sentence. How would you ever understand a sentence you haven't seen before? What this means is that the student here hasn't yet mastered the procedures and concepts behind these particular problems. Don't give up! Eventually, with enough perseverance, you will be able to master these things. In the mean time, study really hard and follow the advice given here.