Learning physics in HSC can branch off to numerous applications and courses to set up for a student's university of choice. Unfortunately, not every student has an affinity for the more arithmetic-heavy science subject. Modern syllabi for HSC physics are no longer unlike the traditional format that focused on extended analysis and lack of mathematical rigour. As curriculums and lecturers adapt over time, students should also follow the shift in reprioritising their approach.

How to increase your appreciation and proficiency in physics

Like any field of learning, physics will be easier to understand if you have a general idea of what it's trying to teach. Breaking down its lectures into easy-to-digest components is an excellent way to appreciate the subject and discover the right approach to learn it.

If you want to master the ins and outs of the HSC physics curriculum, here are three study habits you should adopt:

1. Focus on understanding concepts

Although it may sound commonsensical, having a deep understanding of physics' concepts can make it easier for you to digest the subject's arithmetic components. If you don't understand the root of how interactions between forces and objects work, you'll end up memorising textbook definitions instead of learning its applications to future topics.

While in class, ask about why certain interactions and processes occur instead of simply accepting it as a fact. Since physics applies to real-time scenarios, it would help to ask for situations where laws and principles can apply.

2. Take effective notes

Nothing beats the old-school method of taking notes with a pen and notebook. However, it's a surprising reality that not everyone knows the best way to take notes for classes. Many people tend to take compressed versions of their lectures into short booklets. Although this can be an effective studying method, you shouldn't stop your writing there.

Keep in mind that all the lessons you'll learn in physics will, in one way or another, integrate into more complex topics later on. After having your first set of notes, you should be open to revisiting and revising it with updated insights from future lectures. Backtracking your notes allows you to understand how previous concepts connect to the latter parts of your curriculum. Afterwards, you must collate your notes into a digestible form that can reference the entire semester's worth of lessons.

3. Be mindful of your mistakes

Instead of simply analysing the lessons, you should also allot enough time to review your mistakes. Avoid memorising names, formulas, and computations without understanding what you got wrong on quizzes, tests and exams. A typical component of HSC physics is the integration of concepts for different scenarios requiring you to develop your problem-solving skills. Improving your intuition will depend on how familiar you are with your mistakes and understanding how you can approach a problematic item.

Conclusion

The more you are able to understand a subject's core principles, the more comfortable you'll be when learning it. Although you can power through and learn these concepts yourself, there's no harm in taking extra physics tutoring sessions. Doing so will give you a renewed perspective of the lessons you'll have to face in class. Instead of slowly adapting to the lecture's pace, you can focus more on familiarising yourself with the topics better.

At the Youth Growth Academy, we provide HSC tutoring in Penrith for Physics, English, Math and more! Contact. Book a trial subscription of our tutoring services today to experience how our interactive learning methods can solve your learning difficulties.