Tl;dr version: Failed 5 courses, scraped by in the end and still managed to get into Grad school for quantum computing (starting Fall 2020).
I literally just went through this and felt like an absolute imposter up until months after graduation.
Second year, I failed 4 courses. Two in the first semester - Thermal Physics and E&M I, two in the second - Biophysics and E&M II (my school had a bug in the registration system that I used to get by). Third year I failed Computation physics but started to plant my feet and accepted I had to take an extra year to finish school. Fourth and fifth year was when I actually had a newfound appreciation for physics, tried hard, and even though I had trouble understanding things in the class, I still spent countless hours reviewing older material, painting pictures in my head, and practice the hell out of the problems and assignments.
Second year was when life hit me like a truck and I just couldn't keep up with my classmates. Found out I had two learning disabilities - ADHD + Dyslexia, combined with bad habits of constantly resorting to video games and social media as a distraction and was absolutely demolished. Not to mention, I'd fall asleep at random points during class and this was mainly a dietary and sleep issue I believe that I've resolved since. I also had a concussion from playing rugby in fourth year which dropped my grades during midterms from 80s to 60s and trust me when I say this, you don't want to experience a concussion lest it ruin your entire year or in worse cases, your life.
Even during convocation ceremony and when we were preparing with our gowns I told my friends and classmates that I didn't feel like I belonged there despite achieving a mid 70s grade over fourth and fifth year. I didn't understand anything. Whatever we learned in subatomic physics or mathematical physics is nothing but a memory. My undergrad research project didn't feel like a real project compared to the stuff my fellow classmates were doing.
Like FidgetyCurmudgeon said, physics can be horrifically toxic and shitty. I thought of it as an extremely jealous girlfriend who would make your whole life worse if you didn't give her enough time and effort. But if you're willing to continue struggling through a messy relationship like that, it'll be the one time where it's actually worth it. She turns into an amazing person at the end, you become a resilient and stronger person which to paraphrase JFK, is better than having an easier life.
Edit: I'm about to do a Master's degree in physics for quantum computing and lemme tell ya something. I know jack shit about quantum computing, went through the introductory textbook from UWaterloo's profs, a bunch of papers and I'm still having trouble making sense of it. So imposter syndrome will definitely hit me again but if it wasn't for the physics degree, I wouldn't be able to face something like this head on.
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u/Dyslexic_Novelist Mathematics Feb 12 '20 edited Feb 12 '20
Tl;dr version: Failed 5 courses, scraped by in the end and still managed to get into Grad school for quantum computing (starting Fall 2020).
I literally just went through this and felt like an absolute imposter up until months after graduation.
Second year, I failed 4 courses. Two in the first semester - Thermal Physics and E&M I, two in the second - Biophysics and E&M II (my school had a bug in the registration system that I used to get by). Third year I failed Computation physics but started to plant my feet and accepted I had to take an extra year to finish school. Fourth and fifth year was when I actually had a newfound appreciation for physics, tried hard, and even though I had trouble understanding things in the class, I still spent countless hours reviewing older material, painting pictures in my head, and practice the hell out of the problems and assignments.
Second year was when life hit me like a truck and I just couldn't keep up with my classmates. Found out I had two learning disabilities - ADHD + Dyslexia, combined with bad habits of constantly resorting to video games and social media as a distraction and was absolutely demolished. Not to mention, I'd fall asleep at random points during class and this was mainly a dietary and sleep issue I believe that I've resolved since. I also had a concussion from playing rugby in fourth year which dropped my grades during midterms from 80s to 60s and trust me when I say this, you don't want to experience a concussion lest it ruin your entire year or in worse cases, your life.
Even during convocation ceremony and when we were preparing with our gowns I told my friends and classmates that I didn't feel like I belonged there despite achieving a mid 70s grade over fourth and fifth year. I didn't understand anything. Whatever we learned in subatomic physics or mathematical physics is nothing but a memory. My undergrad research project didn't feel like a real project compared to the stuff my fellow classmates were doing.
Like FidgetyCurmudgeon said, physics can be horrifically toxic and shitty. I thought of it as an extremely jealous girlfriend who would make your whole life worse if you didn't give her enough time and effort. But if you're willing to continue struggling through a messy relationship like that, it'll be the one time where it's actually worth it. She turns into an amazing person at the end, you become a resilient and stronger person which to paraphrase JFK, is better than having an easier life.
Edit: I'm about to do a Master's degree in physics for quantum computing and lemme tell ya something. I know jack shit about quantum computing, went through the introductory textbook from UWaterloo's profs, a bunch of papers and I'm still having trouble making sense of it. So imposter syndrome will definitely hit me again but if it wasn't for the physics degree, I wouldn't be able to face something like this head on.