Physics, how I hate thee

I'm taking Physics I right now and having the time of my life...haha not. I actually hate it with a fiery passion. I don't want to hate it, but I'm not doing too well in there so that's why I despise it. I worry because I know this is one of the most 'basic' classes to build upon the engineering foundation and if I don't grasp these concepts then I start invoking the slippery slope thinking that if I don't do extravagantly in physics I will ultimately fail at achieving my goal... but that's another story.

This is actually my first physics class I've ever taken. I was encouraged by adults who shall remain nameless in high school to stay away from the sciences. So I did. Looking back, I should have probably started off with a more general physics class, rather than the required Calculus based Physics class that I am taking right now. That way I could have grasped the concepts more fully and perhaps perform better.

So, as I usually do when things are not going as planned, I try my best to analyze what 'went wrong' or what could have helped the situation. Excluding my (low) intelligence quotient in this evaluation (which may have a considerable impact on this outcome), here are some things that may be beneficial in the future:

1. Choose a good teacher.

In my personal opinion, I believe a student's success is strongly tied to the teacher's performance, especially in a subject as conceptual and abstract as Physics, students probably will need a professor that can adequately explain to alleviate rather than create confusion. In my university's case, I've noticed that they do not publish the names of the physics professors scheduled to teach in upcoming semesters which is a hindrance for prospective students (but I attribute that to the department admitting a well known fact that they physics faculty is sub-par). I always go to http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ to just get a general idea of the professor's teaching methods, and the general perception that students have of the teacher and the class.

2. Own a good textbook

In addition to having a teacher who actually teaches, I believe using a textbook that is easy to follow and explains concepts and problems as simply as possible is integral. In this situation, I believe my textbook is horrendous for introducing basic physics concepts. There are very few diagrams, and the notation that the authors adapt are different than the mainstream.

3. Own several good textbooks/Supplemental books

During my first run at college for my business degree, I never had to cross reference materials/facts/information/concepts just to make sure I'm understanding the information correctly. However, for this class alone I have...3 books I use for reference: my husband's physics textbook (which is a lot better than they one I'm using), a Barron's AP Physics study guide, and a Physics Made Easy study guide from B&N. I use my husband's former physics textbook for learning concepts better, and I use the other two for practicing problems.

4. Utilize Online Materials

If you thought that the 3 supplemental study guides would satiate my high confusion level, you're wrong. I often turn to the internet for help and they have some pretty awesome sites up, especially in Physics!

- http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/index.cfm - Created for K-12 but discusses physics concepts at the simplest level possible. Always great to check your basic understanding before moving on to the more 'complex' materials.

- http://www.dctech.com/physics/ - A great site for practicing problems.

- http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/honors/P173HP/p173_probsets.htm - More physics problems to work out

- http://www.lulu.com/items/volume_11/159000/159798/4/print/301.pdf -

Study guide for Physics