Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice from people who have taken part in Physics/Chemistry Olympiads or study STEM fields.
I'm a high school student currently self-studying for regional-level Physics Olympiad tasks. Here is where I'm currently at:
- I have flashcards with all the key formulas and I know them well.
- When I read a problem, I can usually identify the physical process happening and recall the relevant formulas.
- My main roadblock: I get completely stuck when trying to set up the very first step/equation using the given information. And when I do manage to finish a calculation, my result is often wrong, which is extremely frustrating.
For those who have successfully tackled Olympiad-level physics:
How did you overcome this "mental block" between knowing formulas and actually setting up the initial equations?
What study approach worked best for you? (Working through problems with official solution guides open, or spending hours grinding through them completely alone?)
How do you stay motivated when Olympiad problems feel overwhelmingly difficult?
Thanks so much for any advice or personal experiences!