How to get a degree in Physics.
Some general advice to help you through your Physics / STEM degree (UK).
Embarking on a journey in physics is both exciting and challenging. When I started my degree in Physics at Cardiff University I was just happy to be there and the initial feelings of impostor syndrome were already starting to sink in. I finished at Cardiff with a high 2:1 with a Master’s in Physics and Astronomy while only finishing my A-levels with B’s. In this “guide” I’ll explore some essential advice that may help you navigate through your journey in Physics. In hindsight, the advice I give here may strongly apply across most University degrees, especially any STEM degree.
Go back to basics.
Before diving in with your first semester take the time to revisit the fundamentals. You have likely been enjoying your summer for the last 3 months so may need a gentle reminder of the basics. Simply open up your old A-level notes or textbooks and remind yourself of some simple calculus, algebra, mechanics and statistics . Especially in the case of a Physics degree, I would highly recommend re-visiting basic statistics such as probabilities and distributions. Statistics and calculus will be your main mathematical tools throughout your degree so you will undoubtedly revisit these topics as part of your course but it’s good to stay ahead of the game. Find an afternoon or two to do this roughly a week before you start this will be enough to get your brain into gear.
Ask that question.
While sitting in your lecture you will undoubtedly have a question, but like most people you may not have the confidence to put your hand up. That’s fair enough but do not let this stop you from asking that question… listen… no matter how stupid you think it is. You may think the lecturer is going to be sarcastic with you or laugh at you but they won’t, it is their job to listen and help you. It is an insight for them as well as you in how they can teach better. They will gladly spend the time with you to help you understand. If you don’t have the confidence to ask this during a lecture or even at the end while everyone is leaving simply write an email. Furthermore, each module usually has a question forum or a study session where you can freely ask questions with a lecturer or course demonstrator. The only way you will understand something is by asking questions.
Engage with the course.
This next bit is an extension of my last point. As well as lectures, your course will likely have additional resources such as text books and optional problem sheets. If you want to get a good grade in your courses you should at the very least skim these resources. If there are problem sheets, you don’t have to do all the questions but spend 10 minutes trying to solve one of the questions. Through solving that problem you have forced yourself to engage with the literature and make your brain work. Trust me, this will make it easier when coming back to revise for the exam.
Do coding.
Most STEM courses will have some sort of coding lab/course. Coding is one of those things people either love or hate, either way you need to pass the module. I think the main problem people face when learning to code at University is that the coding problems are usually in the context of their subject (in my case Physics) which automatically makes it harder to break into. To solve this problem I tried to code things that weren’t related to Physics. For example, I built a rock, paper, scissors game in Python. I then went on to build a series of small programmes until I became comfortable writing code to solve problems. This is probably one of the best things I did at University as it meant I found the coding aspects of my degree far less daunting and it was a skill to add to my CV (knowing how to code pays well).
Conclusion.
A degree in physics (or any STEM subject) is a rewarding journey that requires perseverance and hard work. By solidifying your foundations, asking questions, problem solving, and taking the time to learn new skills, you can maximise your chances of achieving a 2:1 or higher. Most of all, have fun with your degree, especially in your earlier years, reward yourself by going out, meeting new people and trying new things. You’ll miss those years, I promise you.
About the Creator
Louie Leverett
I have no idea what I am saying.
My website: www.louieleverett.co.uk
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