Midterm...

Egads! Tomorrow is my first midterm at Stony Brook.

Classical Electrodynamics is first, followed next week by Classical Mechanics and the week after with Quantum Mechanics. This past weeks have been really hard. I got a 20 out of 120 in the second homework in CE. Basically I did not worked on the problems enough to say anything about them. I gain some lost ground with the third one, 70/80. I also feel a better understanding of the third chapter's material (I never liked the method of images...) Anyways, the fourth problem set was again handed in poorly worked. This time I worked the problems, but could not solve any by the deadline. Oh well! I went through Jackson's and reworked some of the homework problems with the professor's solutions. I really do not want to fail this class, or ANY for that matter. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

At the same time I feel a bit desperate. A course in Classical Electrodynamics deals with the electromagnetic field (in vacuum and matter), radiation, waves and relativity. Besides for relativity, I find most of this topics a bit boring, I guess they describe tangible, everyday-objects. But I just do not care. My interest lies along quantum theory and strings. I should learn these topics, and get them right for at least once.

I have been feeling really stupid while working with the homework problems of all my classes. It is not about dealing with the math, but the physics is coming out a bit constricted from my mind. I think this are bad signs. Am I becoming a "physically" mindless mathematician? Maybe I need that type of thinking when working with abstract concepts. Still, I believe that physical intuition is important. I hope I do not fail as a physicist!

I do not want to fail.