I am currently taking IB Physics 2 at my high school. IB Physics 1 was a breeze. We learned about position, velocity, acceleration, circular motion, and some types of energy. It was a very engaging class and I had an amazing teacher. The only downside was that I knew IB Physics 2 was coming. The same teacher taught IB Physics 2, so that was not the issue. The topics in IB Physics 2 were the problem. They were astronomically harder.
My teacher had assigned some summer work on thermal power stations and particle physics. I diligently took notes and worked problems over and over hoping they would finally stick in my brain. However, when I tried to figure out how much energy was produced from 100 g of uranium-235, something was not clicking. I was ready to just put the binder away and watch Grey’s Anatomy, but I sat at my desk and kept calculating with Rihanna in the background to keep me going.
Test day came faster than I could get ready. I sat down at my desk, pencil and calculator in hand, data booklet open, ready to roll. My teacher passed out the test, I read the first problem, and my heart sank. I could not even figure out the first question! And it was multiple choice! For the next hour and a half, I struggled through the test, at that point only hoping for a few questions right.
My teacher had the test ready next class. My palms were sweaty and then my paper slid onto my desk. I flipped it over and saw 61. A 61! After all that work! My friends in the class got a 100 and I was stuck with a 61. Nothing is more humbling than being dusted in a footrace, and that is what this felt like. I stayed after school in office hours every day that I could trying to work on test corrections until I understood all of my mistakes. I will not know for a few more weeks what score my re-test will be, but I feel more confident in myself knowing that I can put in time and effort to subjects that I struggle with. But, I also am grateful for my friends who push me to work hard, even when I stumble.
