A letter from May 20, 2025

Dear Future Me, It’s been a whole year since I finished AP Physics 1, and I hope reading this brings back some memories — maybe even a little inspiration. I decided to take this class because I wanted to challenge myself and get a solid foundation in physics before college, especially since I’m planning to major in mechanical engineering. I also wanted to see how I’d handle a college-level science class in high school. I expected it to be difficult but interesting — and yeah, it definitely lived up to that. It pushed me, but in the end, it was worth it. What I enjoyed most about AP Physics 1 were those moments when everything finally clicked. Sometimes it took a while — watching videos, reading the textbook, asking questions, struggling through problems — but when I finally understood a concept, it felt like everything made sense. Those “aha!” moments made me feel proud and reminded me why I like learning science in the first place. My favorite part of the class was working through real-life problems that applied to the physical world around me — like figuring out motion, forces, and energy. It made me look at the world differently, like I was starting to understand how things actually work. One lab I’ll always remember is the cart and ramp lab — calculating acceleration and understanding Newton’s Second Law through direct observation. That hands-on learning helped cement the ideas way better than just reading about them. The most challenging unit for me was rotational motion. It was tough to visualize and apply, but I eventually worked through it by breaking problems down, asking my teacher questions, and doing lots of practice. I think I made a positive contribution to the class by staying engaged and helping my lab group stay on track. I could have participated more in class discussions, though — sometimes I held back even when I had ideas. Still, I’m proud of sticking with the course and not giving up, even when it felt overwhelming. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve grown in my problem-solving skills, time management, and overall confidence in science. I’ve become more independent in how I study and more resilient when I face challenges. I still need to work on staying consistent with my homework and not getting distracted. If I want to reach my goals in college, I need to keep building stronger study habits and stay focused even when things get tough. Right now, my goal is to major in mechanical engineering, and this class definitely helped confirm that I’m on the right path. AP Physics 1 made me even more curious about how machines, forces, and energy systems work. It showed me that I enjoy figuring things out and solving real-world problems with science. One year from now, I hope you’re in college, doing well in your classes, and starting to feel confident in your path. I hope you’ve made new friends, stayed true to yourself, and kept that drive to succeed. If things ever get hard, remember that you’ve made it through tough classes before — like AP Physics 1 — and you can do it again. Don’t forget where you came from, and don’t lose sight of who you want to become. Remember to appreciate the people who supported you — your teachers, family, and friends. Keep making them proud, and keep making yourself proud too. My wish for you is simple: keep growing, keep believing, and never stop learning. Future me, you’ve got this. With pride, Past Andrew