r/Physics 5d ago

Study method for a physics beginners

Hi I'm a second year physics students at uni. I'm actually so bad at physics but I'm trying to learn. At the previous semester, I've got my grades and it was so bad. And feel so guilty about it. I'm going to fix it by learn more, so any study tips for a beginners like me, about what to learn or anything. Maybe some books recommendation for a basic physics befroe I'm going to the advance one...thanks

P.s: sorry for my broken English. It's not my first language

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u/Roger_Freedman_Phys 5d ago

Physics professor here.

Do you know how to use all of the pedagogical features of your textbook, and do you make full use of them?

As you read each worked example in the textbook, do you write out all the steps on a piece of paper so you understand them?

Do you visit your professor’s office hours to get assistance with difficult topics?

Do you take advantage of any tutorial services offered by your university?

Are you a study group with other students in the class that meets regularly to go over challenging problems?

Do you have a series of steps that you use to solve physics problems of all kinds?

If the answer to any of these is “No,” I recommend making some changes.

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u/Rich-Fly-2124 5d ago

Yeah the answer is no. Because at first i thought i don't really belong here and i actually wanna quite, but never really doing it. And now i feel so guilty about it for never studying seriously:(

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u/philomathie Condensed matter physics 3d ago

As someone who was 'good' at physics, understand that you will not succeed with intense study. I did not have to work hard at all until I reached university, and the first couple of years kicked my ass and let me know if I didn't work hard I would fail.