Physics and programming...

[The.Midget.]

Ello there,

I'm going into my senior year next year and we're in the process of choosing our classes. I've taken Programming I, where we pretty much worked in Microsoft Visual Basic and Alice (and I really didn't like that at all <3 ), and now I'm in Programming II or Advanced Programming, where we are using XNA and C#. Now, next year I'm taking Oracle, and hoping I pass the exam to get certified. But now onto my question.

I want to take Oceanography next year because it's an easy class, and it will be the only easy class I have. Everything else is AP or advanced in some way, but that will be my science class and only Physics and Astronomy are the only other things I can take. Now I know Oceanography nor Astronomy aren't important to programming, and if it is well, I'm surprised. But is Physics? I don't want to take it because I want at least one leeway class, but if it's going to help me later on down the line I would rather take it now and swallow all of my dislike for it later on. Even though coloring is fun, because that's all anyone ever does in Oceanography, I'll forget all about it if I really need to.

Thank you,
Midget

[EvilLlama]

You don't need physics unless you're going to be a physics programmer or are going into graphics where you'll need to know how light behaves. However depending on where you go to school, if you decide to take physics at your college you may find it's too focused on astronomy/particles/relativity which is not really applicable anywhere but attracts more students because it's more philosophically interesting. The AP is well rounded at least.

That said, getting good grades is important, especially junior/senior year. It may be wiser to take the easy class and just look for a college that has relevant physics classes in case you change your mind. Also keep in mind that employers don't care what you took in highschool and most people forget the majority of what they learned there anyways.

[Adrir]

Nobody can tell the future. If you ever make a game about the ocean or a game about space then those classes might be useful.

[tsloper]

Ello, "The,"
Your question was unclear -- and your quest to take something because it's "easy" doesn't impress.
Personally, I'd take Astronomy. Because that's one of my passions. Not because it's "easy."

[DTR]

I must disagree.

I would take easy courses from college to boost my grades and learn the hard stuff on my own free time.

Colleges and universities tend to go beyond the call of duty with theoretic knowledge, which in itself is good and fine but at least I can accomplish much more with free time and free hands, without wasting my time in branches of research I can determine to be fruitless considering my goals.

[tsloper]

Originally Posted by DTR

I must disagree.

I assume you're replying to what I wrote. Of course, I could be assuming wrong -- you could be disagreeing with ANY one of the above posts (it's impossible to tell).

IF you are replying to what I wrote, then how could you possibly justify disagreeing with what I would do? I said that I would study astronomy because it's my passion. You're not inside my head. It's not for you to agree or disagree with that.

If you are disagreeing with my not being impressed by the OP's desire to take a course because it's easy, you can't disagree with that either. I'm impressed by what I'm impressed by. It's not for you to agree or disagree with that, either. I have perfect freedom to be impressed by what I'm impressed by. You have no say over what goes on inside my head.

...wasting my time in branches of research I can determine to be fruitless considering my goals.

I disagree with this whole idea. One's passions are NOT a waste of time. Worrying about wasting time following passions is what's a waste of time, and it injects negativity into one's otherwise good life.

[DTR]

You are entitled to your beliefs naturally.
As you are with the fruits they produce.