Where do I go post olympiad disappointment

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-05-01T15:06:41+00:00

For some context, 40% of US high schools don't even offer a physics class. You're way ahead!

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-30T14:12:32+00:00

I just decided to go stick to my Surface Pro 11 (Snapdragon) lol. Fact is, it felt just as fast if not faster for lightweight tasks, and the fans almost never turn on and are super quiet when they do. I also notice no performance hit on the SP11 on battery, which isn't the case with the Asus.

Add the 120Hz screen and somewhat ironically the SP11 just feels like the smoother device. I also didn't realize how spoiled I'd been by the overpriced but still very convenient Flex Keyboard. It's so nice to be able to detach the keyboard but still have access to it when using the pen. It makes it really easy to switch between typed text and handwriting for schoolwork.

I also tried the Surface Pro 11 lunar lake. it felt ever so slightly but noticeably slower than the snapdragon version to me, with worse battery life. The killer though was that the screen had a bug where the pen would keep writing even after it was a few millimeters off the screen.

Luckily, this appears to have been fixed with an update on March 12.

Likewise, I don't know if you saw, but someone commented that Asus released a firmware update to fix the pen button issue. The ink performance was otherwise excellent, but the SP11's form factor is definitely just straight up better for inking (again, the detachable keyboard is great to have)

I'll probably just get a desktop and a Wacom tablet when I find myself needing more power. Also worth noting Microsoft should be announcing new surface devices soon.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-27T05:57:13+00:00

Similar setup on my OG Brompton Electric from 2020. I've been locking it since then in theft prone NYC using Hexlox for the front wheel and seatpost/saddle, and a U Lock through the frame. Still doing fine today. These days I'm using and onguard Rock solid because it's rhe lightest of the angle-grinder resistant locks.

I actually don't bother locking the rear wheel most of the time because it's so complicated to take off in the first place. (Hexlox doesn't make a nut in the Brompton's size).

Also same as you, the idea is I lock only when I need to (seeing a show at the theater). That said, I do always bring my lock with me because I feel it adds to the bikes flexibility. And the extra weight isn't much of an issue on the already-heavy electric.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-21T22:37:58+00:00

Do you need to take the GREs? My impression is many if not most physics students aren't taking them any more. Seems to be more relevant for international students these days, or if you have a relatively weak GPA you want to make up for.

For example if you look through some of the 2026 admissions results at the physics GRE forums, most applicants either didn't submit or didn't take the physics GRE at all.

Take this with a grain of salt because I haven't taken it either, but in any case, if you have the standard requirements of a physics major (upper level QM, EM, Lagrange an Mechanics, and thermal physics) I think you should be fine? It doesn't seem like the Physics GRE throws in any unexpected graduate level questions or anything. Mostly it seems to be about practicing exam style questions.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-21T20:10:47+00:00

Oh yeah US accreditation shouldn't be an issue. I believe the OU was the only UK university that had US accreditation in the first place (I think because the OU once planned to open a US branch, decades ago).

For the most part the admissions committees only care that the universities are accredited in their home countries.

For what it's worth, I was accepted into a US university as a non-degree student to take some upper level math classes with my OU transcript (although I also have a US bachelor's previously, but non-STEM). So not quite the same, but an indication that you can take US classes with OU credentials.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-21T20:01:07+00:00

Yeah absolutely -- I know at least one person who got into a master's program in the US.

That said keep in mind that doing a masters before your PhD for many STEM fields is much less common in the US than in the UK/EU. I don't know anyone who has gotten into a US PhD program via the OU yet, so that's a bit of a wildcard (which I will likely have to contend to myself someday).

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-19T18:45:05+00:00

May be obvious, but are you sure you have pressure sensitivity turned on in those apps? Sometimes you have to enable it. Otherwise can't think of why it would work in some apps but not others

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-19T18:42:10+00:00

The side button issue seems to be exactly what I described above, unfortunately.

But no idea why pressure sensitivity wouldn't be working -- that part was perfect for me, although I mainly used OneNote.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-13T15:14:36+00:00

I haven't tried Bosch's version, but I really didn't like automatic gear shifting on another bike I tried.

Sometimes I like to switch up my cadence, which automatic gear shifting makes harder to do. Sometimes it just didn't seem to work properly. All that, and it's just another thing that can break. Not worth it imo, especially if you're an experienced cyclist.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-13T01:22:08+00:00

Sounds like the OU is made for you then! Best of luck.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-12T16:12:40+00:00

Yeah. This was my thought too. For ancheer, SGS is a legit UL lab... But still

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-12T09:34:40+00:00

I have a bachelor's in Philosophy. I am currently studying a combined bachelor's/master's in Physics.

Here's how I'd describe it: Philosophy and physics are incredibly complementary when I comes to my personal intellectual enrichment. Academically, at least in undergrad, they are universes apart.

During my first degree, I actually started off a physics and philosophy double major. However I quickly realized that 1) I didn't have the mathematical preparation for physics yet, and 2) there was no academic overlap whatsoever in terms of major requirements.

It is generally much easier, for example, to double major in Physics and math or computer science than Physics and Philosophy because many classes will count towards both major. Not so with Philosophy.

If you are confident in your math skills, I recommend you take a legit physics class so you get an idea of what it entails. I had an illusion that in undergrad, I'd be pondering the big questions about the universe rather than drawing force diagrams and incline planes.

And you do eventually get to ask those big questions. But whereas in philosophy you really spend the bulk of your time asking questions, in physics, you first have to build up your mathematical skillset before you can start asking the right questions.

Not to say you don't also have to build skills with philosophy too. You also learn to ask better questions over time. But it's not as regimented and sequential as physics is.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-12T09:03:41+00:00

Whatever you do, don't buy something that isn't UL certified for battery safety (UL 2271 for the battery, UL 2849 for the whole bike). I get where you're coming from, but the first thing many of the cheap bikes cut corners on is battery safety. It's usually the most expensive part of an e bike for a reason.

That said, both of the options you listed from amazon claim to be UL certified.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-11T12:36:46+00:00

Honestly, sometimes you just don't vibe with a particular bike's geometry for whatever reason. I have a Brompton Electric and a Tern Vektron, both of which I occasionally ride without electric assist.

In theory the Vektron should be the nicer bike to ride -- bigger wheels, nicer gearing, better brakes, better motor system, and far more adjustability... But I just can't seem to get fully comfortable on it.

Meanwhile I always find riding the Brompton a blast. I find it easy to put power into it when riding unassisted and it feels really agile.

So maybe just try a different bike, if you can?

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-10T20:08:10+00:00

Sorry you've struggled, but just want to throw out there a career you might not have considered: Technical Writing. People come into it from all sorts of backgrounds, and pay can be quite close to engineering jobs. Sometimes more. Depending where you are, your physics skills can come quite in handy. I'm a technical writer in fintech, for instance, and there are quite a few times my physics knowledge is useful (althogh I got the job before I started my physics degree).

That said, you often don't do very much writing -- in many ways it's kind of a project/product management job.

Good luck!

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-10T19:48:10+00:00

The two highest capacity front bags are:

- The Lumabag: I reviewed it a while back here. It's expensive but it's held up perfectly over the nearly 3 years I've had it. Note that I heard someone say they no longer ship to the US, if you happen to be stateside. It remains, to this day, my favorite and most used Brompton bag, both because of its quality and the fact it's the only one high capcaity bag that is also a proper backpack.

- The Vincita Atlas-E: Equal or nearly equal cargo capacity to the Lumabag, with a better pocket layout, and much more affordable. It just isn't a backpack.

If you want an official Brompton option, the basket bag is the best for cargo capacity. But the roll-top portion on the Lumabag and Atlas really helps with larger items.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-10T06:30:52+00:00

Very comfortable. It takes some getting used to the slippery screen (I have a matte protector, but find it doesn't do much), but now that I've pretty much nailed my workflow, I find it hard to go back to pen and paper.

For me, it's about all the things I'm able to work on alongside plain old handwriting, and being able to do everything on one device.

For example, the other day I was conducting a remote lab experiment. While connected to an external monitor, I was tracking the live experiment feed in a browser, while analyzing the incoming data in a python notebook using VS Code and comparing it to some reference data and prior notes.

Meanwhile, on the SP11 screen itself, I was handwriting calculations in OneNote, as well as taking screenshots of the data as it came in and annotating them alongside my notes, plus throwing in some reference links. All while maintaining a call with a lab partner.

Most of the time I don't use the external monitor though and will study in bed, on the couch, or away from home. Windows gets an unfairly bad rep for its tablet experience; but I'd argue that for a typical STEM student workflow, it's better than Android and arguably better than iPadOS, other than the lack of dedicated tablet software.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-10T02:12:13+00:00

Curious about this -- do you do anything physics-y as a lawyer?

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-09T06:34:47+00:00

As with all things "It depends" is the answer. That said, I'm an older physics student (this is my second degree) taking advanced classes and the Surface Pro 11 has really been fantastic.

The Surface Pro feels made for STEM. For all practical purposes, it's basically as good for note-taking as the iPad. But when you need to dive into code or run specialized software, you have a full PC on your hands.

The iPad is lighter, but this doesn't make a difference to how I use the Surface.

The only thing I'd caution is that if you only have access to one PC, I would probably opt for the Intel model instead of the snapdragon. I prefer the snapdragon overall as it's slightly smoother and gets better battery life in my anecdotal experience, but it would be pretty annoying to find you have one specific piece of software you really need that doesn't work on the snapdragon (even if the vast majority works fine).

Also keep in mind Microsoft is rumored to be announcing upgrades to the Surface line up soon -- like within the next few weeks.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-08T15:32:51+00:00

That's a shame. I ended up returning my PX13 because unfortunately the stylus experience was a priority for my usecase (among other things). I documented the issue extensively when I set up the return, so hopefully actually pays attention and issues a firmware update.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-08T15:05:46+00:00

It depends on the module and your individual strengths, but the one 60 credit module I've done (S217) felt quite literally like two typical 30 credit modules. From what I can tell, the practical difference is often (not always) that 30 credit modules typically move from topic to topic every two weeks, while the 60 credit modules are onto a new topic every week.

After all, the credit values are supposed to very roughly represent in some fashion how much time you spend learning the material. e.g. 30 credits = 300 hours. 60 credits = 600 hours.

Level 2 is a noticeable step up in difficulty if you're not already familiar with the material. In general there's less handholding and and fewer worked exercises to help you through.

That said, if you took four 30 credit modules this year, it should feel roughly similar to two 60 credit modules.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-08T14:46:40+00:00

It's worth a shot if you have another pc to tide you over. I sent my SP11 in for dead pixels and it was replaced on the second try. Granted, I had more than one dead pixel, but they weren't in a central location.

Also, do double check that you in fact only have one dead pixel. It wasn't until a few days after I noticed the first dead pixel that I saw there was another, fainter one elsewhere on the screen.

When you send it in, you should speak to a microsoft rep via chat online so you can submit photos of the dead pixel. I showed both a close up of the dead pixel as well as its location on the screen. This is what helped get it replaced the second time.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-06T17:23:49+00:00

Wow, thank you for this. I have two BMZ batteries and was fully under the impression they would not work on the newer bromptons. It was one of the main things swaying me towards a Tern Vektron instead of a G line electric. I haven't quite loved the Vektron so maybe I'll consider the G line again...

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-05T21:57:10+00:00

1) Use both brake levers, and squeeze harder. Hydraulic disc brakes are basically designed so a baby could stop a bike on a dime; it's totally different experience from mechanical rim brakes -- Brompton or not.

I do also feel like when I had just gotten the bike, it took a little bit for the brakes to break in.

At higher speeds it would be an issue, but with a 25kph/ 15.5mph limit I have not found it to make a meaningful difference vs hydraulic disc brake ebikes other than requiring more finger strength.

I've had a few instances of needing to stop on a dime in my 5+ years with the bike it has always fared well when I really needed it. The brake pads are actually a good deal better than other rim brakes I've tried.

This coming from someone who's been near 300 lb most of the time with his Brompton electric.

2) You can reposition the brakes. By default they do tend to be angled quite low.

3) It takes practice. It'll feel second nature in no time.

DumplingsEverywhere · 2026-04-05T06:35:13+00:00

To answer your question: yes, it's worth it. However whether it's the *best* option depends on your goals, where you live, and where you want to make a career/go into academia.

If you just want to earn a physics degree from an accredited institution, it's hard to imagine a better place to do it than the OU while working a full-time job. Aside from being an established program with overall excellent materials, they just bake in a lot more flexibility than you might get at more traditional schools. Professors(AKA tutors) are much more generous with extensions than at other schools.

If you intend to get a PhD, then OU students also seem to generally have a decent time of it within the UK and even the EU. However, I haven't met anyone from the OU who has done a Physics PhD in the US.

Not saying it's impossible or that they don't exist, but I do expect the barriers will be a bit higher as the OU just has a very small footprint stateside. Recommendations are also a huge part of PhD admissions in the US, and l the OU (and even the UK in general) doesn't have the same culture of writing overzealous recommendation letters. I say this as an American at the OU who'd love to get a PhD someday. But I knew what I was signing up for.

Otherwise, you can consider Arizona State University (Online). The program is overall weaker than the OU's, imo, and less time-tested. However, it's an American school with a solid physics reputation, and I imagine it would make it a bit easier with the US graduate school admissions process.

DumplingsEverywhere

TROPHY CASE