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REALLY Struggling with A level physics,

I am in year 13 and currently really struggling with A level physics, I have tried and tried and tried and have never been able to do and it’s just making me depressed to the point whenever I think about it I get a panic attack. I’m at the point where I don’t even think I can get a D and myself esteem is really low. I got an A* in my physics at GCSE and a 6 at maths, and was really passionate about it until starting A levels and considered it my favourite subject.

I am really not sure what to do about it. I have tried going to my teachers about it, but they just make my anxiety worse and are EXTREMELY unhelpful and condescending. Does anyone have any tips/experience as to how to get my grades up and prevent failure. I am currently at a D sometime C/D grade looking to get a B or C?

Reply 1

Scotney

@Eimmanuel,@Joinedup @harrysbar Can you help here?

Reply 2

Joinedup

Sorry to hear that, what is it that you're unable to do?

I found the pace picked up for A level so you have to concentrate to keep up... and it's a working out subject rather than a memorising subject. The examples questions and exam questions are usually like puzles and you need to manipulate a formula and/or work out an intermediate result rather than plugging the given information in the question straight into a formula from the formula sheet.

One of the reasons teachers might seem dismissive is if they don't think you're trying hard enough - there are ways to ask questions that get you a better response than others. Give some specific idea about exactly where you started to struggle and if possible show some working. Course they could also just be unhelpful A-holes

Obviously no one's effective when they're feeling panicked so you'll have to train yourself to calm down by focussing on your breathing or some method. Also start doing homework early so you're not under deadline time pressure. If you get stuck on homework question and you started early you can just work around it and come back to it tomorrow .- sometimes you'll just have a spontaneous insight into something you were stuck on if you just sleep on in.

Reply 3

username4446940

Original post by Joinedup

Idk I just feel I am unable to do all of it, I learn all the content and think I know it then have a panick attack and mind blank to the point I just give up and waste a day, I know bits and bobs here and there but exam technique and motivation is kicking me in the ass. I feel like I missed some of the foundational basics and now it’s all falling apart. I feel like I am doing what you said though, trying to memories rather than learn. I try and do past papers and panic just sets in, I went through the entire physics textbook and did all the questions but came to the exam and got things wrong. Do you do A level Physics, do you know any resources I can use to help?? Shall I get a tutor?? How do I do it

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 4

Scotney

I know nothing about Physics but TSR has a A2 physics forum for this year and if you ask these questions there they may be better able to advise you. In terms of a tutor if you can afford it definitely do that. Loads of graduates are looking for tutoring jobs atm. One to one would definitely help you. Do not be so hard on yourself your year group have suffered badly through lack of teaching over the pandemic and Physics is notoriously hard in the step up to A level. Hope this helps. :console:

Reply 5

Scotney

Okay had a little look around site and people are suggesting Snap Revise for basics then Physics and Maths Tutor. Com. Best I can do.

Reply 6

username4446940

Original post by Scotney

Okay had a little look around site and people are suggesting Snap Revise for basics then Physics and Maths Tutor. Com. Best I can do.

Thank you so much I will check that out

Reply 7

Scotney

@Ghostlady could you offer extra any help here. Thanks.

Reply 8

ASL10

I'm in your year, and I am doing Physics, so hopefully I can help. I would definetely say spend a lot of your personal time looking at your A-level subjects in general. I know it has definetely helped me, and I would say I spend a lot of my time on my laptop looking at my subjects, mostly Physics as there is a lot of knowledge to be learned and the internet has so much of it, and also using books to help with homeworks has helped(there are 'sciencey' books and more worded books for this). Also, look at past papers, and not just the mark schemes, but also the examiners reports, you will find there are some really useful general tips on physics to appreciate that we don't learn in class. But I would overall say spending lots of time revising is the most helpful thing you can do ( I know it seems obvious but I mean a lot of time, like regularly spending a half of your time out of college revising)

Reply 9

Ghostlady

Original post by Lolamondayy

Original post by Scotney

@Ghostlady could you offer extra any help here. Thanks.

Its been a really difficult year for last years 13 and this years 13.
My youngest is in year 11, and she has been feeling similar about her GCSE's . I think all year 11 and 13's have had it hard what with gaps in education and then having to play 'catch up' and rush through sections which should takee longer to work through and absorb.
Currently were are going through all the things my daughter does know, and consolidates it into notes and mind maps etc. Its the stuff she does not know shes having to work through. Please do speak with your teachers. I know its hard, but they are there so if they can answer the more harder things. Then post the easier questions on TSR. Im sure theres some physics students on here that are happy to collaborate together and work through questions.
Primrose kitten can be pretty good on the sciences on you tube. And im sure theres some other ones on you tube too :smile:

Reply 10

username4446940

Original post by ASL10

Thank you so much for replying, I will start doing that, i really REALLY want it, but also feel like I am self sabotaging at times, so that really helped, it’s nice to hear from someone who is in my year and currently studying A level physics that can help me because I don’t have many of those so thank you again, how many practice paper do you think I should be doing a week to help?

Reply 11

ASL10

Original post by Lolamondayy

Well unfortunately there are only 2 of the new spec currently available (for AQA anyway) but the physics itself probably hasn't changed that much on any of the exam boards so all past papers are probably worth looking at. I would say even looking at one a week and answering as many as you can, then revising, and about 2 or 3 weeks later having another crack can really help in understanding exam questions. I know this sounds quite strange because if you have a look at where you went wrong then it's easy to say "Oh I get that now" but having a couple of weeks away from those questions, then revisiting them, will really give you a feel for whether you understand the process of solving a question, and you'll get a feeling if you understand it or not. This is something that I'd actually say works even better for maths, but I would say it definetely helps for Physics as well. This is what is working for me, so hopefully it'll help someone else : ) You can do as many as you want, but only if you're really committed to stretching yourself as far as possible for the end goal and can stay consistent, otherwise just start off with 1 and see if you can do more from there, the main thing is consistency.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 12

cloudypink

Original post by Lolamondayy

Thank you so much I will check that out

Make sure you don't pay full price for SnapRevise - they always have discount codes for your first time! QSTUDY10 seems to work according to people at school :smile: