Lacking Motivation in Pursuing Physics: My Personal Dilemma

[Poop-Loops]

I want to go into physics then go into applied physics in grad school. This has been my plan since I started college.

But, reading posts here I am thinking that I may lack the motivation. I mean, I love physics and almost like math (well... I love it as a tool and admire its elegance. But I find it to be long and tedious), but all I do is go to class and learn what the teacher tells me to.

Lots of people here study on their own, do physics stuff (like clubs) in their spare time, etc. I do none of that. All I ever do is school, work, and n my spare time I workout and play some guitar that I just started learning.

Another example is that I went to a nanotech seminar in school (required as a lab for chem...). Afterwards, some people including myself went down to talk to the guest speaker. I ask questions like "I want to do physics. Can I go into nanotech without major problems?" A girl starts jumping right into where she should go for grad school (we're in 2nd year college, this is a community college). Something I have not even thought about yet. Another guy starts asking about quantum computing and electron spin and stuff like that and I'm like "WTF?"

Right now I'm taking Diff EQ's and it's a breeze. So it's not like this is too hard for me or anything, I'm just not sure if I have the motivation for this. I mean, I THINK I do, but if everybody else is super enthusiastic about this and I just kind of lay back and take in information, I don't know if I should do it... does that make sense?

 

[michealsmith]

ok here's the general site u can look at .. http://www.interactions.org/quantumdiaries/this_week/05_31_05.html

don't look at that 1 yet ..its if u want to checkout extra stuff..but look at ... http://qd.typepad.com/37/2005/05/need_for_passio.html

tell me wat u think o.k .

 

[alfredblase]

Me reckons that the second link that michaelsmith posted sums it up nicely.

I especially like the bit about doing a victory dance when ur computer gizmo thingy works xD rofl

 

[Poop-Loops]

Well that answers that question...

Thanks. This gives me lots of hope for my journey ahead. :)

So basically people who do physics as a job (or student) and a hobby are the minority?

 

[Haxx0rm4ster]

I want to go into physics then go into applied physics in grad school. This has been my plan since I started college.

But, reading posts here I am thinking that I may lack the motivation. I mean, I love physics and almost like math (well... I love it as a tool and admire its elegance. But I find it to be long and tedious), but all I do is go to class and learn what the teacher tells me to.

Lots of people here study on their own, do physics stuff (like clubs) in their spare time, etc. I do none of that. All I ever do is school, work, and n my spare time I workout and play some guitar that I just started learning.

Another example is that I went to a nanotech seminar in school (required as a lab for chem...). Afterwards, some people including myself went down to talk to the guest speaker. I ask questions like "I want to do physics. Can I go into nanotech without major problems?" A girl starts jumping right into where she should go for grad school (we're in 2nd year college, this is a community college). Something I have not even thought about yet. Another guy starts asking about quantum computing and electron spin and stuff like that and I'm like "WTF?"

Right now I'm taking Diff EQ's and it's a breeze. So it's not like this is too hard for me or anything, I'm just not sure if I have the motivation for this. I mean, I THINK I do, but if everybody else is super enthusiastic about this and I just kind of lay back and take in information, I don't know if I should do it... does that make sense?

Woah. You are me.
Except that this forum made me gain some knowledge lately.
And that link was great. Thanks for asking that question and for the responses,

Haxx0rm4ster