Hi all. I’m currently in my 5th year as a physics major. I was originally Bio for 3 semesters and hated it. Had to take an algebra based physics pre-req and LOVED it. Aced the class and switched to Physics major.
I did well in many classes after that.
Physics I: A+
Physics II: B
Calc I: B
Calc II: A+ (set the curve on a couple of exams here)
But I really struggled greatly in D.E. and barely passed. From there, I’ve been miserable, and I’m at my wits end in Quantum Mechanics right now. I can barely comprehend any of the material and struggle immensely with the absurd myriad of riddles that physics homework tends to be.
Meanwhile, I watch friends who I know aren’t terribly bright make it through our tough engineering school. Though some do not get great grades, they get good co-ops that pay very well. I cannot help but be jealous. Additionally, I interned with a company this summer as a product technician, doing mostly fabrication and product assembly in a rapid prototyping facility. The work was very engineering oriented, and I worked closely with engineers. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
I know Engineering is hard too, but I’m fed up with all the theory in Physics and it has not been at all what I thought it would be. It feels like I spend HOURS AND HOURS just trying to simply comprehend the material and don’t get very far. I barely passed physics analytical mechanics, and I don’t think I can pass quantum mechanics.
I don’t know if I’m wasting my time in physics or if I should just stick it through. I’m already so far behind that the idea of switching scares me, but I don’t know what else to do about the fact that I’m hitting a wall this late in the game.