You don't have to like every one of your classes.
I believe that the UW physics series really could use some improvement. In the final component of my physics education at UW, I found that there was a real disconnect between the majority of students and the material. PHYS 123 specifically seemed disorganized in the sense that we seemed to jump from topic to topic (we began talking about simple harmonic motion, transitioned to light, and ended the course on heat engines/pumps) which could have been better presented in more depth at separate times. I understand the difficulty in organizing an effective curriculum that prepares students for careers that hinge on the fundamental principles of physics, but I often found myself struggling to find connections between what we were learning in different parts of the class (lecture, lab, and tutorial) and which sometimes led to disinterest. I also found a great decrease in general involvement and interplay between students and the instructors/material in this class compared to the last two quarters, as I switched out of the honors sequence into the general sequence due to schedule conflicts. I found that the honors sequence, although asking more of the students, was incredibly more rewarding and compelled students to take larger part in the class. Maybe it was the smaller class sizes, the professors/TA's chosen to run the class, or the different curriculum itself, but I found I got more out of the Honors Physics Classes than the general sequence.
To anyone wanting/having to take physics at UW, I would highly recommend taking the Honors Sequence with Professor Heron.
To anyone wanting/having to take physics at UW, I would highly recommend taking the Honors Sequence with Professor Heron.