Should I drop physics?

[keltingmeith]

So, currently I'm doing MTH1035, CHM1051, PHS1080 and ESC1011.
Next semester, I'm set to take MTH2015, MTH2222, PHS1022 and ESC1022.

One issue - I'm hating physics with a passion right now. I'm not motivated in any sense to do any work for it, and I dread going to physics lectures and labs.

I thought about maybe dropping physics and picking up another maths units (currently I reckon I'll do a major in pure maths and geoscience), but I have a feeling that filling up my first year with so much maths instead of keeping it broad might not be the best of ideas...

So, what do you all think I should do?

[alondouek]

So, currently I'm doing MTH1035, CHM1051, PHS1080 and ESC1011.
Next semester, I'm set to take MTH2015, MTH2222, PHS1022 and ESC1022.

One issue - I'm hating physics with a passion right now. I'm not motivated in any sense to do any work for it, and I dread going to physics lectures and labs.

I thought about maybe dropping physics and picking up another maths units (currently I reckon I'll do a major in pure maths and geoscience), but I have a feeling that filling up my first year with so much maths instead of keeping it broad might not be the best of ideas...

So, what do you all think I should do?

There are a few things to use as a baseline consideration in these sort of situations. I find it helps to phrase them as questions:

• Am I enjoying learning this material?
• Can I see myself wanting to learn more about it in later units?
• Is it worth toughing it out for later, maybe better, units?
• Do I need this unit as a prerequisite for later units?
• Will my future study be impacted if I choose not to study this area?
• Even if they aren't required by the university, are the skills and theory taught useful to my main interests?
• If I do decide to replace this unit with another next semester, which one? How will that new unit benefit me more than the previous one?

These are some of the things you might like to consider; it should help you look at arguments for and against replacing physics a bit more objectively and pragmatically. If I were to offer one specific piece of advice, it would be to evaluate the unit's usefulness regardless of how interesting you find it. For example, stats is compulsory for most BSc students, and even though ~80-90% of people don't want to be there, it's something you need to understand if you're taking part in scientific endeavours.

Hope this helps!

[slothpomba]

If you hate it, do not stay in it. It is as simple as that. To do so would be like staying in a house whilst it burns to ponder your decision. I have taken many subjects i should have dropped or never taken, it has impacted me since.

[keltingmeith]

Okay, thanks for the advice, guys. At this point, I think that I'll be dropping physics, and I'll see how it goes for the first few weeks.

[innerproduct]

So, currently I'm doing MTH1035, CHM1051, PHS1080 and ESC1011.
Next semester, I'm set to take MTH2015, MTH2222, PHS1022 and ESC1022.

One issue - I'm hating physics with a passion right now. I'm not motivated in any sense to do any work for it, and I dread going to physics lectures and labs.

I thought about maybe dropping physics and picking up another maths units (currently I reckon I'll do a major in pure maths and geoscience), but I have a feeling that filling up my first year with so much maths instead of keeping it broad might not be the best of ideas...

So, what do you all think I should do?

I went through the same experience of doing PHS1080 while already having a strong mathematics background. As you know, the unit is algebra-based so that those who haven't done specialist mathematics don't freak out (in contrast, PHS1011 is calculus-based). I'm sure you've felt that your skills in calculus were rarely taken advantage of in this unit. I really hated the laboratories for PHS1080 and a lot of the lectures were boring too.

I did PHS1080 in semester 1 2012 and it annoyed me so much that I changed out of PHS1022. I came back to do PHS1022 (the unit that all mainstream physics students have to take) in semester 2 2013 because I realised I was interested in the content and it was relevant to my applied mathematics studies, no matter how boring the delivery may be. (In particular, I was interested in quantum physics and black holes, although you won't look at the latter unless you do astronomy/astrophysics.)

I also came back with a more positive attitude to laboratories, trying to learn as much as possible about the concepts the experiments were intended to teach rather than sitting around moping about how stupid and flawed the experiment design is.

I ended up loving PHS1022, especially given some of the great people I met in the labs, many of whom actually wanted to be there. If you like your calculus, you will certainly find this subject a lot more enjoyable than PHS1080. The quantum mechanics part at the end is largely about the Schrodinger differential equation.

PHS1022 is also intended to complement MTH2010/2015. Some concepts overlap between the two units, such as centre of mass, line integrals and a little bit of electromagnetism. Some of the tools you learn in MTH2015 will be applied in second year physics. For example Stokes' and Gauss' Divergence Theorems will be used to express Maxwell's equations in 'del' notation in PHS2022, which is personally my favourite mathematical proof. (In PHS1022, there will be an initial introduction to Maxwell's equations.)

Unfortunately, I left my physics too late and now I can no longer fit in the second year physics units since I am doing an astronomy minor.

If you change your mind, you may want to do some preparation to smoothly transition into PHS1022.

Here's an outdated, but still somewhat relevant info guide:
http://monash.edu/science/about/schools/physics/undergrad/phs1022-info.pdf

There are also some videos on PHS1011 and other stuff here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/MonashPhysics

It only requires a very modest amount of preparation to transition between PHS1080 and PHS1022 as a lot of the stuff they cover in PHS1011 (for example, a chapter on special relativity and  three chapters on thermodynamics) are not discussed in PHS1022. And it is made even easier due to your strong mathematics background.

If you do decide to commit to PHS1022, do the blackbodies experiment for the IDEAS practical in Week 9 or so! Assuming it hasn't changed, it is an absolutely brilliant experiment.

Hope this information helps in your decision!

• Am I enjoying learning this material?
• Can I see myself wanting to learn more about it in later units?
• Is it worth toughing it out for later, maybe better, units?
• Do I need this unit as a prerequisite for later units?
• Will my future study be impacted if I choose not to study this area?
• Even if they aren't required by the university, are the skills and theory taught useful to my main interests?
• If I do decide to replace this unit with another next semester, which one? How will that new unit benefit me more than the previous one?

A very insightful way to look at the issue!

[keltingmeith]

Woah, thanks for such an in-depth reply! But after this semester, I'm definitely not going into anymore physics. Hell, I'm really doubting if I passed (which I feel like is going to mean quite a bit of explaining to my course co-ordinator...). Still, it's good to know that it gets better, at least for my friends in 1080 who will be going into 1022.

Putting aside doubts about passing, I've got a little plan written down of what I intend to do over my undergrad, and there's barely much room even with physics dropped to finish a stats minor after this year.

[innerproduct]

Woah, thanks for such an in-depth reply! But after this semester, I'm definitely not going into anymore physics. Hell, I'm really doubting if I passed (which I feel like is going to mean quite a bit of explaining to my course co-ordinator...).

No worries. I highly doubt you failed. From what I can recall, I ran out of time at the end of the exam, left many parts completely blank and still got an HD overall (and I was nowhere near 100 for the in-semester assessment).

Putting aside doubts about passing, I've got a little plan written down of what I intend to do over my undergrad, and there's barely much room even with physics dropped to finish a stats minor after this year.

Sounds good. Remember to converse with course advisers thoroughly to ensure you aren't unintentionally closing off too many options for later years and beyond.

[BigAl]

Woah, thanks for such an in-depth reply! But after this semester, I'm definitely not going into anymore physics. Hell, I'm really doubting if I passed (which I feel like is going to mean quite a bit of explaining to my course co-ordinator...). Still, it's good to know that it gets better, at least for my friends in 1080 who will be going into 1022.

Putting aside doubts about passing, I've got a little plan written down of what I intend to do over my undergrad, and there's barely much room even with physics dropped to finish a stats minor after this year.

If you've done enough in the labs, you should be fine. I would put phs1011 and 1022 at the same difficulty level...if you are good at maths, basically the quantum mechanics section of the exam is a free mark for you.

[kev0]

Hi,

i am currently a tutor for PHS1080 in the exact semester you were enrolled in and chances are, i would've probably had you for a few classes (unless you are part of the the 2 groups I didn't get rotated into).

as a bit of background, I completed my honours degree in physics, as well as a major in mathematics and i can tell you upfront that physics in Monash is metaphorically a crawl in the deep end of a mud pool. with the pool pretty damn deep at first 2 years, and shallower in the 3rd, and relatively enjoyable at honours.

out of all the people doing physics, i reckon the phs1080 students have it the hardest. they are thrown with minimal knowledge of physics and are expected to be somewhat up to date when it comes to 1022. essentially they are "accelerated" class of physics, so i can understand if you find the content, new and frustrating.

my passion in physics lies in high energy particle, and unfortunately for me monash is not extremely well equipped when it comes to teaching this area. i believe their expertise lies in optics and condensed matter where the staff available plus student groups are quite large.

ALL IN ALL, if you are seriously fascinated by quantum googlyness, strange greek notations stacked upon each other, deep unanswered questions of the universe, the crawl through the mud pond is worth it.

[keltingmeith]

Hi,

i am currently a tutor for PHS1080 in the exact semester you were enrolled in and chances are, i would've probably had you for a few classes (unless you are part of the the 2 groups I didn't get rotated into).

This means you could be any of one tutors, so I think I know which one you are, hahah.

out of all the people doing physics, i reckon the phs1080 students have it the hardest. they are thrown with minimal knowledge of physics and are expected to be somewhat up to date when it comes to 1022. essentially they are "accelerated" class of physics, so i can understand if you find the content, new and frustrating.

If its any consolation, the labs were a saving grace. My biggest issue (which I did put out in my evaluation) is that I just felt completely ill-equipped to actually do any of the physics they were teaching us. It's one thing to be able to regurgitate theory (which I became quite good at ), it's a completely other thing to actually understand what's happening and being able to apply it situationally. Labs basically taught the theory and then showed how it works in a given situation, which was quite nice - unfortunately, only about half the labs actually coincided with what we were learning in lectures, and what few marks I got on the exam were probably from the few times that the theory was the same...