A C172 STUDENT PLT BECAME DISORIENTED; NORDO; LOST AND LANDED AT A NEARBY ARPT.

Narrative

I WAS ON A SOLO XCOUNTRY IN A C152. EVERYTHING SEEMED ALRIGHT AT FIRST; I WAS APPROX WHERE I SHOULD BE FROM MY FIRST CHKPOINT. AFTER A WHILE; I NOTICED THAT THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO HAD PRECESSED ABOUT 20 DEGS; SO I RESET IT TO THE MAGNETIC COMPASS. AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 40 MINS; I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT MY DEST; HOWEVER; I WAS NOT; AND I WASN'T SURE WHERE I WAS. I FLEW AROUND FOR ANOTHER 1 HR 20 MINS OVER A WELL POPULATED AREA. AFTER 2 HRS OF FLYING AND BEING DISORIENTED; THE AIR WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY TURBULENT AND I WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY STRESSED OUT AND FOUND MYSELF BEGINNING TO HYPERVENTILATE AND GETTING LIGHTHEADED. AT THAT POINT; I BECAME VERY CONCERNED WITH GETTING ON THE GND SAFELY. I WAS AWARE OF 2 ARPTS IN THE AREA BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THEY WERE. ONE HAD AIRLINERS IN THE PATTERN AND WAS OBVIOUSLY CLASS B AND THE OTHER WAS A MEDIUM SIZED ARPT WITH 2 RWYS. I DECIDED ON THE SMALLER; NON CLASS B ARPT BUT I DID NOT KNOW THE FREQS TO ESTABLISH COMS. IN MY DESPERATION; I JUST LANDED THE AIRPLANE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE CLASS D AIRSPACE AND I HADN'T COMMUNICATED WITH THE TWR. AFTER I LANDED; I CALLED THE TWR TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED AND TO APOLOGIZE. I THINK THAT IF I HAD BEEN KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE CORRECT USE OF THE VOR I COULD HAVE GOTTEN MYSELF HOME AND AVOIDED THE INCIDENT ALTOGETHER.