F = MA is Newton’s Second Law of Motion, but for me, it turned into a different kind of disaster—the rocket never even left the ground.
For more than a year, I had been preparing for the F=MA Physics competition. Since Loudoun County Public Schools doesn’t offer AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, I decided to self-study the subject alongside Mechanics. By May 2024, I had taken both AP Physics C: Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism exams—and scored 5 on each. I felt ready.
But then disaster struck, without warning. I had assumed the Academy of Loudoun would host the F=MA exam, and I even sent inquiries about it. No one replied until the Friday before registration closed, when I was told to contact a teacher at a different high school. By then, it was already too late.
I scrambled to check other test centers, only to find that none could accommodate me. The rules had changed—F=MA competition no longer allows for-profit test centers to host the exam. With that, all my preparation and effort came to nothing.
Looking back, I know the fault was mine. I should have researched the rule changes and test locations much earlier instead of relying on assumptions. Lesson learned: in physics and in life, momentum only builds when you prepare in advance.
Still, this isn’t the end of my journey. Missing F=MA is disappointing, but I’ll keep pushing forward. There are more opportunities ahead to test what I’ve learned. Maybe I’ll do better next time—not just in physics, but in planning too. If anything, this experience is a reminder that setbacks are experiments in disguise. Each one provides data to refine our next launch.
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