AP Physics Great America Trip

By: Hanson Han; Staff Writer

Many students learn things in the classroom. Unfortunately, these things they learn usually end up staying in the classroom. However, Ms. Cotter has given the Mills AP Physics class a wonderful opportunity to experience physics in real life. On Friday, April 29, the students went to California’s Great America. The 2nd period and 6th period class was joined by a class of Capuchino students. 

At around 9:00 AM, the bus departed from Mills High School, and took them straight to the amusement park. When they got there, they were released to roam the park however they saw fit. There were no chaperones, no groups, and most importantly, which allowed the students to have as much unrestricted fun as possible. Eidin Lim (11) described the experience as “a bacchanal of euphoria and pleasure”. Kaelyn Fung (12) enjoyed the trip, as she got to connect with classmates and friends from different classes. She was also extremely excited to experience physics in real life, just as Ms. Cotter intended. She enjoyed lunch at Auntie Anne’s, eating a very expensive pepperoni pretzel. Her favorite ride was Flight Deck, a ride that featured a hanging seat that was suspended on a rail. Hanson Han (11) also enjoyed the trip. He spent the entire day exploring the park with his friend Nathaniel Ching (11). They got to ride on a grand total of 11 rides, with their personal favorite being Goldstriker. However, a common sentiment shared between everyone was that the food was drastically overpriced. For example, Han and Ching ate Panda Express, with one meal costing $18. They also sold popcorn for $10, and cotton candy for $8. What made things worse, was that the entire amusement park did not accept cash. They insisted that everyone pay with either Apple Pay or credit card, making payment extremely difficult for many people. On another sour note, the water park was closed, leaving half the amusement park unaccessible. The day ended with the bus getting delayed, dropping us off back at Mills at around 5:45 PM. 

However, many students were unable to attend the field trip. For example, Alexander Duer (12) and Daniel Gao (11) had a Calculus final on the day of the trip. Winston Chiang (10) chose to skip the trip, since he had an AP Chinese exam to study for. Tristan Endo (11) simply felt like staying because he had homework to do. Timothy Butler (11) skipped the trip because he was “too cool for school”.