I Hate Astrophysics
TLDRThe speaker, a physics major in college, recounts their challenging experience taking an astrophysics course, 'Physics of Galaxies,' due to its advanced content and the professor's unexpected demands. Despite their initial struggles and the class's difficulty, they managed to perform well until the final group presentation, which focused on the professor's own research area. The speaker received a lower grade than expected after a rigorous questioning period, leading to frustration and a sense of unfair treatment, as the course negatively impacted their academic prospects.
Takeaways
- 🎓 The student had completed all required physics major classes by the start of junior year but faced challenges with additional electives.
- 📚 An agreement with the physics department required the student to take extra physics electives despite having tested out of the first year.
- 🤔 The student felt that advanced physics topics required advanced math, which was not their strong suit, leading to reluctance in taking certain courses.
- 🚫 The math courses that could have been used as physics electives were locked behind a real analysis math sequence, which the student found unnecessary.
- 🌌 The student chose to take an astrophysics class called 'Physics of Galaxies' without any background in the subject.
- 😣 The first class experience was overwhelming, with the student realizing they were underprepared and one of the few non-seniors in the class.
- 📝 An informal assessment early in the course highlighted the student's lack of knowledge in astrophysics, leading to further apprehension.
- 👩🏫 The professor reassured the student that their lack of experience was not a concern and encouraged them to continue with extra reading.
- 🌠 The course covered a variety of physics topics, including the study of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) and its properties, such as supersonic turbulence.
- 📈 The final project was a significant portion of the grade and involved a group presentation on active astrophysics research, which added to the student's stress.
- 😤 Despite putting in considerable effort and receiving initial approval from the professor, the student faced intense questioning and a lower grade than expected.
Q & A
What was the narrator's situation at the beginning of their junior year in college?
-At the beginning of their junior year, the narrator had already completed all the required classes for the physics major and only had a few physics electives left before graduation.
Why did the narrator have to take two more physics electives than normally required?
-The narrator had to take two more physics electives as part of an agreement made with the head of the physics department to test out of the first year of the major.
What was the narrator's issue with the advanced physics electives?
-The narrator's issue with the advanced physics electives was that they required advanced math, which was not covered in the undergraduate courses, making the courses difficult to understand.
Why did the narrator consider taking math courses for their physics electives?
-The narrator considered taking math courses because they believed it would provide the necessary mathematical background to understand the advanced physics topics.
What was the narrator's experience with the real analysis math sequence?
-The narrator found that all eight math courses accepted as physics electives were locked behind the real analysis math sequence, which they felt was unnecessary for most of these courses.
What was the narrator's first physics elective class, and why did they choose it?
-The narrator's first physics elective was a class called 'Physics of Galaxies'. They chose it because they saw the word 'physics' in the title and knew nothing about astrophysics, thinking it couldn't be that bad.
How did the narrator perform on the first informal assessment in the 'Physics of Galaxies' class?
-The narrator performed poorly on the first informal assessment, as they could not answer basic questions about galaxies and related concepts.
What was the main reason the circumgalactic medium (CGM) does not collapse in on itself, according to the narrator's astrophysics class?
-The main reason the CGM does not collapse in on itself is supersonic turbulence, which keeps the gas clouds from falling due to the low speed of sound in space and the generation of shock waves.
What was the final project for the 'Physics of Galaxies' class, and how did it affect the narrator's grade?
-The final project was a 30-minute group presentation on a topic of active astrophysics research, which accounted for 50% of the grade. The narrator and their group received a lower grade than expected due to the professor's difficult questioning and criticism.
What was the impact of the narrator's grade in the 'Physics of Galaxies' class on their academic prospects?
-The grade in the 'Physics of Galaxies' class lowered the narrator's cumulative GPA to 3.797, disqualifying them from applying to the Goldwater scholarship, which required a 3.8 GPA or higher.
What did the narrator discover about their professor's involvement with the presentation topic?
-The narrator found out that their professor was a leading expert in the field of the presentation topic and was currently conducting research on it, suggesting that the professor knowingly gave them a difficult topic.
Outlines
🎓 Struggles of a Physics Major
The speaker, a physics major in college, describes the challenges faced during their junior year. Despite having completed all required physics classes, they were left with several electives that seemed to be a waste of time due to the lack of necessary math background. The speaker's experience with an astrophysics class, 'Physics of Galaxies,' was particularly daunting, as they had no prior knowledge of the subject and were one of the few non-seniors in the class. The initial assessment highlighted their lack of understanding, but with encouragement from the professor, they decided to persevere.
🌌 The Unexpected World of Astrophysics
The speaker delves into the complexities of their astrophysics class, detailing the study of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) and the phenomenon of supersonic turbulence that prevents these gas clouds from collapsing. Despite the difficulty, the speaker managed to grasp the material and even related it to their friends' aerodynamics studies. However, the final group presentation on 'feedback' in astrophysics research posed a significant challenge, as the group dynamics were less than ideal and the workload was unexpectedly increased.
💥 The Unforeseen Twist in Astrophysics Class
The speaker recounts the experience of their final presentation, which turned out to be a test of endurance and resilience. Despite initial approval from the professor, they faced a rigorous questioning session that left them dazed. It was later discovered that the presentation topic was closely related to the professor's own research, suggesting that the group had been set up for a difficult task. The speaker's frustration peaked when they received a lower grade than expected, which impacted their academic prospects, leading to a strong dislike for astrophysics.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Physics Major
💡Electives
💡Void
💡Advanced Topics
💡Real Analysis
💡Astrophysics
💡Circumgalactic Medium (CGM)
💡Supersonic Turbulence
💡Group Presentation
💡Feedback
💡Academic Advisor
Highlights
Student had completed all required physics major classes by the start of junior year.
Student had an agreement with the physics department head to take extra physics electives.
Advanced physics topics require advanced math, which was a challenge for the student.
The student regretted their decision to take extra physics electives.
Undergraduate physics electives often lack crucial content without the necessary math background.
The student initially wanted to take math courses for their physics electives but faced sequence requirements.
The student felt the university's course requirements might be a way to make students take more classes and spend more money.
The student chose an astrophysics class called 'Physics of Galaxies' despite having no background in astrophysics.
The first class revealed the student was underqualified and one of the few non-seniors.
The student struggled with the course material and was the only non-astro major.
The professor reassured the student that their lack of experience was not a concern.
The student found the astrophysics class to be one of the most difficult they had taken.
The final project was a group presentation on active astrophysics research, worth 50% of the grade.
The student faced challenges in forming a group for the presentation.
The professor's interrogation during the presentation was unexpectedly difficult.
The student received a lower grade on the presentation than expected, affecting their cumulative GPA.
The professor's criticisms seemed targeted towards the student's group, which was later discovered to be the professor's area of expertise.
The student felt the class had unfairly impacted their academic opportunities, such as the Goldwater scholarship.
The student expressed a strong dislike for astrophysics due to their negative experience in the class.
Transcripts
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