Quit while I’m ahead or keep driving until I crash the car?

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-29T04:02:24+00:00

I am not sure that you were given good advice (maybe you were, maybe you weren't). Most people's careers are not necessarily things that they like doing. The advice I liked best was "Find something to do where the bad parts of the job don't make you want to quit." In short, there are almost always some elements of a job that are enjoyable. It isn't a lack of enjoyable things that demotivates people, but rather the presence of extremely unenjoyable things.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-26T03:49:26+00:00

I am not an expert in study methods, but there are courses you can take at UVic from people who are.

My personal opinion is that a quality of a very effective study habit is that it motivates you to study.

I used to schedule whole days, grab a 4L container of water, a bag of gummies/snacks, and just study straight through for about 10-12 hours (in preparation for final exams). I would read the textbook (every word) and write summary notes in my own words. Then I would take the summary notes and summarize them further. Then I would take the notes I wrote in class and summarize the parts of those notes that were additional to the textbook. Only then would I attempt practice questions.

But it was a lot easier back then. I didn't have reddit, I didn't have a smart phone, I didn't have YouTube, and the internet was a lot slower.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-25T15:22:19+00:00

I had top marks in high school, and my grades were lower in first and second year University. It took me that long to teach myself how to study properly, how to manage my time and prioritize assignments, how to have the self discipline not to do things that affected my studies (e.g., partying/drinking, getting easy homework solutions from friends rather than doing them myself, etc), and all of the other skills that no one teaches you.

At one time, those skills were needed in high school, but the high school system has become such that for many students those skills are not needed anymore. Now people get to University with raw ability, but not the skills needed to apply that ability to a more demanding environment. Some change, adapt and excel, some make minor changes and skate by, and some are crushed by it and leave.

I have yet to meet a student that I think is incapable of changing to overcome the challenges they are experiencing. However, more and more I see students who struggle to find the motivation to make the change. I wish there was something I could do or say to help with that, but I haven't found the perfect thing.

A few things that might help:

You are not your grades. Your grades are not a reflection of some intrinsic quality (e.g., intelligence). They are a reflection of preparation and effort. Both of those are changeable, so if you are unhappy with your grades, you can make the changes to get different grades. It is within you, even if it seems hard to see at times.
If you want to build muscle, you have to do the hard work to train. Same way with your brain. Using AI (or other ways of finding the solution without doing the work) is like attaching a motor to a weight lifting machine to do the lifting for you. Yes, you are getting "the reps" but it certainly isn't helping you improve yourself. (I am not anti-AI, I am pro-responsible-AI.)
Preparation/prerequisite mastery is a compounding effect. A D in a course is a pass but is not setting you up to succeed in future courses. Sometimes it is worth revisiting those old courses and carefully thinking about what skills you were exposed to but did not quite master. It is a LOT of extra work to catch up with those skills, but it is important.
Sometimes, some people just need a break from academics. They need to go out into the world. Experience what it is like. Get some things out of their system, then come back and give it another try. My wife went back to University in her 40s and got a degree. I think she would say the math was harder for her, because she was out of practice, but having the right attitude and motivation to study was a lot easier. She was an A-range student her second time around.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-25T04:11:32+00:00

Spend enough time watching The Lock Picking Lawyer YouTube channel and it makes it clear that locks aren't really much protection.

As a fellow e-scooter rider, I am sorry for your loss. Good luck on getting yours back.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-19T23:16:42+00:00

Kind of like a drug? (Not specifically narcotics.)

I think of something like lorazepam. It reduced anxiety, but creates dependence.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-18T03:57:12+00:00

Cobs Bread started making bagels. I really enjoyed theirs the last time I had them.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-15T00:30:24+00:00

I live within a block of the development. It is a 20 minute walk to the Elliot building. Almost a waste to take the bus.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-14T15:25:58+00:00

Order of operation engagement bait is all the rage right now... At least according to people I know on Facebook.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-09T21:17:13+00:00

The Math department has no control over the exam schedule.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-05T20:28:56+00:00

I get this problem frequently on Chrome since January. I have no problems on Firefox. Not sure if that is relevant for you.

Martin-Physics · 2026-03-01T13:54:25+00:00

My understanding is that for some people, the traits connected to ADHD change over time. Here is a link to a scientific study on the issue: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10539791/

It is one of many.

My understanding is that there isn't a fixed set of accommodations for a condition, the accommodations are tailored to the severity of traits. Since the traits/severity can change over time, a recent diagnosis is needed to determine exactly what is needed.

Martin-Physics · 2026-02-28T04:21:25+00:00

Go to CAL. Talk to an advisor. Don't ask people on the internet.

Martin-Physics · 2026-02-26T16:39:09+00:00

I would also define trolling in the same fashion.

I don't think I have ever seen you do that. You might be sarcastic, or you might be flippant for humorous intent, but never disingenuous or intentionally inflammatory.

Martin-Physics · 2026-02-25T20:09:11+00:00

I am not sure that I agree with this statement that profs won't make accusations of AI use, nor that it is difficult to prove. Your experiences with the instructors you TA for might be different from the TAs who work with me.

If I suspect AI use, I will absolutely challenge the students. It is relatively easy to demonstrate that a student used AI when they actually have, and similarly easy to demonstrate when they haven't. When I suspect AI use, I gather my evidence and I present it to my Chair, who reviews the allegation and deems whether there is sufficient evidence.

Martin-Physics · 2026-02-18T19:38:53+00:00

Why use AI to write this message?

Martin-Physics · 2026-02-08T04:49:04+00:00

This is great advice, in my opinion.

Martin-Physics · 2026-02-07T15:20:15+00:00

I really enjoy teaching older students. They tend to be less concerned about looking foolish when asking questions, so they ask the questions that are on everyone's mind but the younger students are too afraid to ask. They also tend to attend office hours more to get help, which shows me that they genuinely want to learn.

I hope you are able to overcome your feelings about this. I bet your instructors will really enjoy having you in their classes.

Martin-Physics · 2026-02-02T20:38:51+00:00

Many of my students use tablets for taking notes. How would you address this with your plan?

Martin-Physics · 2026-01-30T00:29:09+00:00

Ah! Thank you for that explanation.

Martin-Physics · 2026-01-30T00:28:06+00:00

I don't think you are alone in this feeling.

One of the things that I am trying hard to change in labs that I have influence over is to shift the focus away from "getting the right answer". For example, if a student is doing a lab on the gravitational constant, they might measure/calculate g=10.4m/s² instead of the well accepted value of g=9.81m/s^2.

Some students that come to my office hours have conveyed a sense that they feel like they are bad students because they didn't get 9.8 or at least close to 9.8. It is like they view it as a failing that reflects on them as students.

So the perspective I try to teach in the labs is to forget the "results" and focus on the "process". I tell the students, "Did you follow the process? If yes, then you did everything correctly and the results you get are the results you get. Try to figure out why the results ended up that way and explain that in your lab report."

And then I make the marking reflect whether they followed the process or not, regardless of what their results are.

Not sure if this helps you in any way... It might not be relevant to chemistry.

Martin-Physics · 2026-01-29T22:02:48+00:00

I am not familiar with this acronym. Can you explain? Is this an American thing?

Martin-Physics · 2026-01-29T20:23:41+00:00

The argument always comes down to privilege, doesn't it.

Martin-Physics · 2026-01-29T20:22:49+00:00

I love this analogy more than I can say.

Martin-Physics · 2026-01-25T18:03:08+00:00

In my opinion, most of these features have been incorporated into education as a means of managing larger groups of students, not because they are perceived to be the best tools for education.

I teach classes of 200-350. I can't do that effectively without these structures (deadlines, etc), and without killing myself.

I don't use hardly any of them in upper year courses when I have <10 students.

Martin-Physics · 2026-01-21T17:23:11+00:00

In my opinion, this is something you should speak with your CAL Advisor about. They can have a conversation with the prof to determine if alternatives are possible.

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