From differentiation to physics problems: developing intuition for model setup.

[StephenW]

I'm a first-year engineering student struggling with the conceptual leap from basic differentiation to applying calculus in physics problems, specifically related to optimization and related rates. I can solve textbook exercises by rote, but when faced with a word problem about, say, a changing volume or minimizing material, I completely blank on how to set up the equations from the description. For students who successfully made this transition, what study techniques helped you develop the problem-solving intuition to translate a real-world scenario into a solvable calculus model? How did you practice effectively, and are there any specific resources or problem sets that bridge the gap between abstract theory and practical application better than standard coursework?