I failed my test

I have always loved science.

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science – you name it!

So, at the end of Grade 10, when we had to narrow down the number of classes and put a limit to the amount of AP’s we would take in grade 11, I was in a dilemma. I was absolutely confused about which science to go forward with. I eventually took all three sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics).

Amongst the three science courses I took in Grade 10, Physics was my favorite science so I decided to go ahead and take the next course in the category: the dreaded AP Physics 1!

The college counselors continuously warned me about how challenging the course is, and it is not just a high-level physics course, but a college level course that demands a lot of time and effort. In spite of being scared or demotivated by these precautions, I was ready to take on this challenge. This was me at the end of Grade 10.

Few months down the line, 18th August 2018 was the date of our first AP Physics 1 test. And I absolutely disliked it. I had never walked out of a classroom so confused and upset after giving a test. And when I received my results, it reflected my emotions during the test.

I failed that test. It was the first test that I failed. It was the first class that I ever struggled in. It was the first subject that I now disliked.

There was a lot going on in every physics class, and I definitely have been learning a bunch. Yet, most of the time, it was not really physics, it was just life lessons.

I have always worked hard to achieve good grades. But this was a real challenge. For the first time, I sat in a class and felt stupid. I had no clue about how to apply kinematics equations to the questions in the test, nor did I know how to figure out the forces acting on a pulley.

So, I decided to take on this challenge and work harder to get that A+ in this class. I watched videos on Khan Academy and read through the textbook for a minimum of 2 hours every day. I worked and worked until I was satisfied. 

And finally, there was my opportunity to achieve what I was working for, the cupcake drag lab. It was my last shot.

After all of the time I have dedicated myself to physics, my grades slowly started to reflect my hard work. However, I still have not reached the level of comprehension that physics needs. It is a real struggle, and I have not reached a resolution yet.

Now that I look back at my struggles, I have realized that I not only learned formulas or theories in my physics class but also the acceptance and acknowledgment that I was allowed to fail. Everybody is good at something, but nobody is good at everything. 

At the end of the day, I failed my AP Physics test, but I did not fail myself.

Edited by Victoria Lee