For many science students, required physics courses in first or second year can feel like a major obstacle. Within biology, chemistry, and life science programs, it’s common to hear students say they’re overwhelmed by physics’ abstract concepts, mathematical demands, and problem-solving focus—especially when their strengths lie more in memorization-heavy courses like biology.
This article offers a set of strategies designed specifically for non-physics majors to help you study smarter, stay organized, and approach physics with more confidence.
1. Track Your Progress with a Spreadsheet
In a full course load packed with subjects like chemistry, calculus, and biology, it’s easy for physics to slip under the radar. One of the most helpful tools I used was a simple spreadsheet—made in Google Sheets or Excel—to stay on top of topics and track my understanding throughout the course.
Use a color-coding system (green to red) to indicate your comfort level with each topic. I also recommend writing down concepts you’re unsure about so you can bring them to your TA, professor, tutor, or study group. Having everything in one place makes your study sessions more efficient and ensures you’re never blindsided before an exam.
2. Use Flashcards for Active Learning
The biggest challenge in physics isn’t always understanding one individual topic—it’s remembering how to approach a wide range of problems, formulas, and concepts that often overlap. That’s where flashcards and active recall come in.
Rather than relying on passive review, create flashcards that:
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Test your understanding of core concepts (not just definitions).
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Help you differentiate between similar formulas or problem types.
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Reinforce learning points from previous mistakes (more on this below).
Instead of diving deep into flashcard strategies here, I’ve written a separate article with detailed examples of how to make physics-specific flashcards:
👉 [How To Use Anki to Ace Physics - Article]
3. Find a Tutor or Study Group
Physics problems can be time-consuming and frustrating—especially when you're stuck for hours without making progress. This is where finding a tutor or joining a motivated study group can make all the difference.
I was lucky to find an excellent tutor who I was comfortable with and felt secure even asking “dumb” questions to. That willingness to expose my weaknesses allowed me to build my understanding from the ground up—brick by brick. The key is showing up prepared with specific questions from the week’s lectures or problem sets. This maximizes the value of each session.
Here’s how I made the most of my sessions:
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Throughout the week, I noted down confusing problems from lectures or assignments.
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I came to each tutoring session prepared with these questions for review and clarification.
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I practiced solving problems daily, not just before tests.
If tutoring isn’t a feasible option for you, check whether your school offers any free peer tutoring programs as many universities do. Or, form your own study group with motivated classmates. Collaboration can be just as effective when done right.
4. Explore Multiple Learning Resources
Even if you have a great professor, it’s often helpful to hear concepts explained in different ways and from different perspectives. Every teacher frames topics differently— and you never know which explanation might finally make a topic click.
In my case, I stopped attending lectures entirely and relied mostly on online videos and textbooks. While I don’t necessarily recommend skipping class unless you’re extremely disciplined, I do suggest experimenting with outside resources to find what works best for you.
Here are some of the resources I used and recommend:
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The Organic Chemistry Tutor (YouTube) – Great for step-by-step problem solving walkthroughs.
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Chad’s Prep (YouTube + Physics course) – Clear explanations of concepts with practice questions.
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Eugene Khutoryansky Physics Videos (YouTube) – Excellent for building conceptual intuition through animated visuals.
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College Physics 2e by OpenStax (textbook) – A free, comprehensive textbook with practice problems.
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Glaser Tutoring Company’s Solution Manual (YouTube) – Offers detailed solutions to the OpenStax questions.
Mixing and matching resources helped me build a more complete understanding of the subject—especially when a single explanation didn’t quite stick.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a non-physics major struggling with physics, you’re not alone—but you can succeed with the right strategies. The key is to stay organized, actively reinforce your understanding, ask questions, and seek out help when needed. By combining structure, repetition, and support, you can not only survive your physics course, but thrive in it.
Got questions or want to share your own experience? I’d love to hear from you!
Zach