[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

Oh, I’m very well aware of this, I’ve faced these situations in the past, but the thing is, I solve a ton of problems, including medium to hard problems, also after some rigorous practice, I become good enough to visualize the path I’ll take to solve easy problems and become efficient enough to solve them in my head.

Only the very hard problems, where I have no clue how to tackle them and have to bang my head on the wall for 2-3 hours, get the better of me. I always end up seeing the solution, and then I just take notes and make sure that if the same or a similar problem pops up (which rarely happens), I’m at least able to find my way. But that never happens, I usually end up forgetting the method or approach due to lack of practice. I feel like even if I read the theory very well and learn the derivations by heart, I still won’t be able to complete those problems. Maybe it has to do with reasoning and general IQ, but I’m not sure.

[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

The thing is that I’ve always struggled with passive learning, like watching lectures or reading theory books, because they don’t keep me as engaged, to make them fun I used to first understand what the lectures trying to teach me and then I'd make notes on my own understanding, but at the same time, I prefer doing problems since it forces me to think actively. I’ll definitely try to stay mindful of the structured material.

[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

What u said reinforces my confidence in sticking with my approach! Thanks :)

[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

Thanks for the reassurance, i'll keep doing what am doing. :)

[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

My current goal is more aligned with being efficient at solving problems, especially in the context of exams or competitive settings, so I guess that leans more toward the 'engineer' approach.

[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

It’s reassuring to hear that focusing on problem-solving isn’t necessarily a drawback, as long as I’m prepared for a wide variety of questions. I think I’ll stick with my method for now and revisit theory selectively when I feel gaps or curiosity arise.

[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago

My immediate goal is to become as efficient as possible at problem-solving, especially for exams or competitions. But I do wonder if this approach might leave gaps in my understanding in the long term.

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I have a unique way of studying that seems to work well for me, but I’m curious if it’s a good long-term strategy.

Whenever I start a new topic in physics or math, instead of diving into the theory or derivations, I first skim through a variety of solved problems to get a sense of the types of questions typically asked. I take notes on the key concepts and methods I encounter, focusing on recognizing patterns across different problems.

Once I’ve built a mental "map" of the topic through problem-solving, I attempt unsolved problems using my notes and keep adding new observations as I go. By the end, I feel confident about most question types and can solve them quickly. After that, I might revisit the theory with a sense of curiosity, wanting to understand the "why" behind the formulas and patterns I’ve observed.

This approach has helped me become faster at solving problems compared to my peers. However, I sometimes worry that I might miss out on deeper conceptual understanding, especially for rare, extremely challenging problems.

The reason I lean toward this method is that I tend to forget theoretical details over time, but problem-solving strategies stick with me much longer. It feels like I develop an intuitive "second brain" for tackling problems.

So, is this a valid way to study? Or should I switch to the more conventional approach of learning theory first and then solving problems?

[-] leonine@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 week ago

Bro, won in life, now doing sidequests

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One more try maybe? (sh.itjust.works)
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Achilleis NOOO (sh.itjust.works)
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leonine

joined 1 month ago