How Physics Shaped Me by Jaiyla

How Physics Shaped Me by Jaiyla - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

Academically, school is normally second nature to me. This recent school year has made me rethink what I know about my academic capabilities, and how I can improve and sharpen my skills. There were many topics this year that challenged me, but more than anything, AP Physics 1 was what really tested what I thought I knew about science as a whole.

From the moment I signed up for that class I knew that I was up for a challenge. The problem was, I didn’t know just how big of a challenge I was facing. The first few weeks of the class were fairly simple. I was able to do much of the work on my own. As the year progressed, the content became much more heavy and I saw that I was falling behind my peers. No matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to grasp the content we were learning, and on that, I wasn’t alone. I tried many ways to study, flash cards, games, practice tests, you name it, I tried it. No matter what I did, I was always barely passing exams and homework. Like many students, I turned to Artificial Intelligence to help with homework and help me study for exams. The benefits of that resource were short lived, and I started to understand the subject less and less every time I used it.

One day, I was at a track meet, talking to one of my coaches, and I was telling him about how hard the class is, how I don’t understand the content at all, and that I didn’t understand why I needed physics if I was going into the medical scene. He then pointed out that it’s not the content of the class, but how you get to understanding; your critical thinking skills. I had never thought of that before, and with AP exams on the way, this new way of thinking was something that I would have to adapt if I wanted to succeed. I began to stop using AI as a crutch, and began to rely on only myself. It was a struggle at first, but I began to make progress. My exam scores started rising and so did my confidence. I was able to solve problems that previously I wouldn’t have even tried to do by myself. I still needed help, as no one is perfect and everyone needs help eventually. Turning to my peers and seeing how they critically thought enlightened me on how to solve problems and get to the answer on my own. Then, it was finally time for the AP exam, I was nervous, but still confident. I took all the time given, and was very confident that I scored at least a 3. A few days ago, we got our scores back, and sadly, I did not score well.

Although I didn’t pass the AP exam, the time I was in my physics class was not in vain and did not go to waste. I now understand just how important critical thinking skills are in academics and I know how to use them to achieve my academia goals. The experience of taking AP Physics 1 was one that I will not forget, and will serve as an example of what I need to do better in the future.