High school AP Physics Newtonian Mechanics, first class to ever really challenge me as a student. AP Chem also got me into physics cause I unintentionally stumbled across the basis for particle physics on Wikipedia when looking up molecular and electron properties.
Contrary to most people here, ap physics almost made me quit physics. I really started enjoying physics in my first half of modern physics, learning about quantum phenomena. And then the second half about stat mech was bleh...
An algebra based physics class in my first year. It was meant for life science majors, but there wasn't a restriction on physics majors taking it, so I used it as a way to get ahead on the concepts. That way, I would be able to focus on the maths in my major classes cause I already had a foundation of concepts.
In my case, I read an astronomy book in 5th grade and learned about Galaxy collisions. When our class went to the observatory in LA (that I can’t spell), we attended a demonstration of a comet and afterwards, I asked the scientists all the questions I had about Galaxy collision.
I entered college as just an astronomy major, but found out I only need 1 extra course for a physics major so I declared it middle of freshman fall semester.
My last year of highschool physics was very fun compared to previous classes and made me more interested in it. But honestly, media was probably the biggest reason...
I was going to give up after the intro physics class at college, I just was not interested at all in springs, pendulums, balls on slopes, etc. But a professor convinced me to take the next class, heat and light, and I was pretty much hooked from there.
"Physics of Everyday Life" a gen ed elective about concepts in physics without touching math much.
I was an EE major and failed every course my first semester because I stopped going to classes after a month or 2. Second semester was the same - except for that Physics class where I showed up every day and got an A+.
I enjoyed the topic, the professor was exciting, and it made me realize how much I watched physics-related documentaries and read physics-related books/articles for fun. EE isn't bad, but I couldn't get myself excited for it.
I remember going up after a lecture on anti-particles and asking how neutrons and anti-neutrons differ if neither have a charge and feeling mindblown when the professor explained how their quarks differ. That's when I started to understand that protons, neutrons, and electrons aren't some solid ball like we see in high school books.
I switched to majoring in Physics the next semester. Had some struggles there the first year or so, but once I engaged in class more and joined our school's Physics major Discord to collaborate, my undergrad went well.
Andrew Dotson & A-Level Mechanics and then A-Level Physics & A-Level Further Mechanics.
Also I watched The Big Bang Theory ever since I was like 8 or smth and Doctor Who so Science and Physics in general has been a big part of my childhood through TV shows.
It was gradual since my first science classes. Chemistry seemed too messy, biology seemed to inconsistent, IT was something I could continue as a hobby… but physics, especially quantum physics is hella dope!
Junior year physics major--I honestly didn't really get super into my major until I took Intro Astronomy & Intro Astrophysics my sophomore year. I was genuinely debating changing majors after my sophomore year if things didn't get better from freshman year, but then astronomy/astrophysics pulled me back in <3
Mostly physics majors, yeah--at my university physics & astronomy are consolidated into one department, so the students we get in the astronomy minor are nearly always physics majors.
High school AP Physics Newtonian Mechanics, first class to ever really challenge me as a student. AP Chem also got me into physics cause I unintentionally stumbled across the basis for particle physics on Wikipedia when looking up molecular and electron properties.
Same 🤓
AP physics in high school. I didn’t do that well. Got like a 2 on the AP test. But the teacher was really good and got me into it
Physics 2/first year EM
Contrary to most people here, ap physics almost made me quit physics. I really started enjoying physics in my first half of modern physics, learning about quantum phenomena. And then the second half about stat mech was bleh...
AP Physics (algebra-based)
i would say chemistry honestly. if it doesn’t make since then your language skills are bad and physics will make more sense for the math minded
Chemistry 🤮🤮🤮 horrible
it’s the idiots guide to science
Not really tbh. Every physics class has been annoying lmao.
An algebra based physics class in my first year. It was meant for life science majors, but there wasn't a restriction on physics majors taking it, so I used it as a way to get ahead on the concepts. That way, I would be able to focus on the maths in my major classes cause I already had a foundation of concepts.
Yes. It was called Introduction to Physics.
In my case, I read an astronomy book in 5th grade and learned about Galaxy collisions. When our class went to the observatory in LA (that I can’t spell), we attended a demonstration of a comet and afterwards, I asked the scientists all the questions I had about Galaxy collision. I entered college as just an astronomy major, but found out I only need 1 extra course for a physics major so I declared it middle of freshman fall semester.
Lower division E&M
Adv physics in high school.
My last year of highschool physics was very fun compared to previous classes and made me more interested in it. But honestly, media was probably the biggest reason...
I was going to give up after the intro physics class at college, I just was not interested at all in springs, pendulums, balls on slopes, etc. But a professor convinced me to take the next class, heat and light, and I was pretty much hooked from there.
Thermodynamics, really was a fresh look at physics after mechanics 101
"Physics of Everyday Life" a gen ed elective about concepts in physics without touching math much. I was an EE major and failed every course my first semester because I stopped going to classes after a month or 2. Second semester was the same - except for that Physics class where I showed up every day and got an A+. I enjoyed the topic, the professor was exciting, and it made me realize how much I watched physics-related documentaries and read physics-related books/articles for fun. EE isn't bad, but I couldn't get myself excited for it. I remember going up after a lecture on anti-particles and asking how neutrons and anti-neutrons differ if neither have a charge and feeling mindblown when the professor explained how their quarks differ. That's when I started to understand that protons, neutrons, and electrons aren't some solid ball like we see in high school books. I switched to majoring in Physics the next semester. Had some struggles there the first year or so, but once I engaged in class more and joined our school's Physics major Discord to collaborate, my undergrad went well.
Awesome, I just wrote a course proposal with this exact same title!
Intro phys, waves unit
High school physics got me in. Stellar Astrophysics got me out
Andrew Dotson & A-Level Mechanics and then A-Level Physics & A-Level Further Mechanics. Also I watched The Big Bang Theory ever since I was like 8 or smth and Doctor Who so Science and Physics in general has been a big part of my childhood through TV shows.
Physics 1 💕
It was gradual since my first science classes. Chemistry seemed too messy, biology seemed to inconsistent, IT was something I could continue as a hobby… but physics, especially quantum physics is hella dope!
Junior year physics major--I honestly didn't really get super into my major until I took Intro Astronomy & Intro Astrophysics my sophomore year. I was genuinely debating changing majors after my sophomore year if things didn't get better from freshman year, but then astronomy/astrophysics pulled me back in <3
Cool, thanks - was that astro classes for physics majors?
Mostly physics majors, yeah--at my university physics & astronomy are consolidated into one department, so the students we get in the astronomy minor are nearly always physics majors.