Question about being theoretical physicist

[JWHooper]

I need help on this one immediately!

 

[Defennder]

You didn't provide anything on your background, so how could anyone advise you? Why not read Zapper's guide to being a successful physicist here:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=df5w5j9q_5gj6wmt

 

[cristo]

They are ridiculous options: have you studied any physics? Do you enjoy physics? If not, then why would you think of being a theoretical physicist?

 

[tmc]

you should drop everything and become a theoretical physicist immediately.

 

[WarPhalange]

If you want to become a theoretical physicist, you still need to learn the experimental stuff. Physics is a science, it's equally theoretical and experimental. You don't need to like it or study it in-depth, just enough to understand what can and cannot be tested at the moment.

 

[G01]

Well if you absolutely hate experiment then maybe science in general isn't for you. But since you did not give any info about yourself I can't offer any better advice than that.

I second the suggestion that you read Zz's essay.

 

[JWHooper]

Okay, guys. I will give my background a little bit.

First of all, I kinda like physics. At the same time, I don't like it too much. I just like equations and numbers part of physics, but when I do experimental physics labs, it bores me to death. I got B- average on my tests, and I think the lab works are almost impossible to accomplish unless if I have a smart lab partner.
On the other hand, I got straight A's on my geometry tests, and I ace every programming stuff.


What should I research in the future?

 

[cristo]

It sounds like you do not enjoy physics, so I'm not sure why you would contemplate a future in it. That says, in your profile you say you are a high school student, so I don't think you need to be contemplating what you will be undertaking research in. It sounds like you enjoy and are good at maths, so why not consider a degree in that?

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

I don't think that the fact that you don't like labs detair you from being theoretical/mathematical physicist.

Well I think you too much paying attention to the grades in those classes, I myself not that good at labs, mainly because I'm not the type of monkey who just do the task at hand (which is what the labs are really there for), I also want to understand why and when should the resolution of the machine be counted as a measure of the inaccuracy of the measurement, and when to use other options.

Don't pick a degree judged only by your grades, cause they usually determined not only from you curiosity alone.
For the labs for example, as you said you need a good partner, for example in my first semester I had a terrific partner and in the second semester a horrible one, ofcourse you can do the labs by your own but that would take too much time, so really it's about having a good partner with you that make the grade, at least in labs.