Painfully LOUD professor **Vent and need advice**

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My physics professor(I am a Physics, Bio, Math triple major) is painful to be around. I foolishly signed on to be his assistant in another physics class he teaches, he is the adviser for the physics club(of which I am president), and I wind up with a block of solid him for hours upon hours three days a week and meet with him for an hour on a fourth. Any advice for dealing? Not only does he speak super loud, but he forces eye contact and gets even louder. And hovers. And treats me like a moron 90% of the time.... I shut down nearly every day. I took an earlier physics class with him and still get a twinge of panic/anxiety when a term from that class pops up. He is one of those people who thinks if you don't finish every other word for him and look at him at all times that you do not understand. I can't learn from him. He puts weird overemphasis on parts of some of his words and it is mentally exhausting.

I am very overwhelmed. HOW DO I COPE? I cannot force myself to listen when he gets loud. I LOVE physics, I shouldn't be traumatized every time I go to class... Almost at my breaking point to be perfectly honest.

It sounds like he might LIKE you. Since it seems you cannot easily extricate yourself from his presence, have you considered disclosing to him? He might appreciate your candor and trust and your relationship might improve. Especially because you're not complaining about his knowledge or overt behaviors, but something he would consider more subtle like his volume level. As a prof, he's probably used to "projecting" his voice to reach the back of the classroom. Perhaps he just needs a gentle reminder to turn that off.

Just remember that it's not what you say, but how you say it. You have a good resource here (an involved professor), give it a good fight and think carefully about the approach!

We have had already the "I am bad with social cues" talk, but I didn't fully disclose. I think he is bipolar. Obviously I won't mention that part to him, but he did say that he also had trouble with social cues.

Maybe I should tell him. I told him about my dad dying and he has only been understanding. He is very very smart and keeping him as a possible reference is a good idea. I have a meeting with him tomorrow morning. Hopefully that wont be enough time for me to talk myself out of this.

I can't even think straight after spending time around loud people like that.

This may sound silly, but have you thought of earplugs? There are many that can be discreetly hidden in your ears. I'd talk to him about it and tell him you have sensitive ears. I'm sure he'll understand. If you don't want to talk to him, I bet the earplugs would do you well.