UNCOORD AIRSPACE INCURSION OF CLASS D AIRSPACE BEFORE THE STUDENT PLT GETS A LECTURE FROM TWR CTLR WHEN PLT FAILED TO ENTER THE TFC PATTERN IN THE PRESCRIBED FASHION AT APC; CA.

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ON MY SECOND SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT; I WAS PLANNING ON TURNING TOWARDS APC (NAPA ARPT) ABOUT 15 MI AWAY. HOWEVER; I ENDED UP TURNING MUCH CLOSER; AND WHEN I SIGHTED THE ARPT I WAS STILL AT 4000 FT AGL; AND PROBABLY ABOUT 3-4 MI AWAY. CONTACTING APC TWR; I WAS GIVEN; AND ACKNOWLEDGED; RWY 18L (L TFC) AS A RWY; BUT I MIS-VISUALIZED THE ARPT AND WAS SETTING UP FOR R TFC ON RWY 18R. THE TWR CONTACTED ME AND INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN AROUND AND TRY AGAIN FOR RWY 18L. I RESET UP FOR THE PATTERN CORRECTLY; HOWEVER I DID NOT CORRECTLY JUDGE THE DSCNT RATE AND ENDED UP TOO HIGH FOR A SAFE LNDG; SO I EXECUTED A GAR. TWR CONTACTED ME AGAIN AND REQUESTED ME TO GO STRAIGHT OUT AND 'GET MY ACT TOGETHER;' A COMPLETELY CORRECT ACT ON THEIR PART; AS AT THIS POINT; I WAS A BIT FRAZZLED. AFTER CALMING DOWN AND REENTERING THE PATTERN; I LANDED AND TAXIED TO TRANSIENT AT WHICH POINT GND REQUESTED ME TO PHONE THE TWR. I CALLED THE TWR AND DISCUSSED THE SIT. HE EXPRESSED THE UNSAFE NATURE OF MY ACTIONS (WHICH I AGREE WITH) AND WE DISCUSSED SOME CORRECT PROCS. ONE FOLLOW-UP ON TO THIS EVENT WAS AFTER GOING HOME AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO MY 2 AND 3 YR OLDS THAT I WAS PUT INTO A 'TIME-OUT' BY ATC FOR NOT PAYING ATTN. IN THE FUTURE I NEED TO BETTER VISUALIZE THE RWYS AND PATTERNS AS THEY WILL APPEAR FROM MY POINT OF VIEW BEFORE STARTING OUT; AND WILL TAKE MORE TIME TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE TWR WHEN I AM NOT WHERE THEY EXPECT. THESE WERE BOTH GOOD SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THE TWR CTLR AND WILL BE ADOPTED.