Each year boats line the walls of the athletic area before the annual physics boat races begin.  Anxious students wait to put their boats in the water, wondering if they will sink or float.

“I’m very worried that our boat will sink, we will tip over, or we will get our water line calculation wrong,” junior Gabby Lifferth said.  

The physics students can only use cardboard, duct tape, and plastic wrap to make their boats, but each boat has its own unique design.  

“From what I have heard so far, a lot of people have really creative themes this year, so I am super excited,” sophomore Purbi Das said,  “The theme of our boat is Hawaiian,” Das said.

The day of the boat races is anticipated by the physics students from the day they get the project.  Once the boats are lowered into the water, the hours and hours of planning and working will be tested.  

“We met every weekend since we got the project and spent close to 7 hours each time” sophomore Samridhi Lamba said.  If the boats sink, that time could be seen as being wasted. However, most students seem more excited than nervous.

“I am excited to see other people’s boat and race my own boat because I think this will be a really fun experience,” Das said.  

“We also get to spend the entire class period at the pool, racing boats, which I really hope we will win at,” Lifferth said.

The day of the boat races is full of nerves, excitement, and fun.  Despite the results, the boat races never fail to become a point of conversation in the hallways of Columbus North on race day.