Taking Challenging Classes

I'm currently paroosing the AP forum on College Confidential, and I just need to say this.

The reason I take AP classes has nothing to do with GPA. This seems to be a common idea as to why most of the peers of the posters on CC take AP classes. If I wanted a higher GPA, I would take honors classes, which give a .5 boost instead of a 1.0 boost, but I could almost guarantee I would get straight A's (I'm counting my honors math course as AP for the sake of this discussion, because it is a Calc BC prep course, and we've been doing calculus for a whole semester). Right now, in my AP classes, I have two B's and one C.

The obvious reason that I take AP classes is because it gives me college credit. Money is really tight. When I go to college, my dad will be following a semester later, and my mom will have only just finished her associates. We're living in the first house we've ever owned ourselves. My dad will be retiring after I start school. I'm paying for my own schooling, and I'd rather work for the AP credit on my parents' dime now than college credit on my own dime later.

Now, the real reason I take AP courses is because I'm not sure how to survive any other way.

I love learning. I get lost on various wikis because I like seeing a term I don't know, and understanding it. I like knowing how the world works. I like knowing how the criminal justice system works in Australia, or about feral children, or random unnecessary facts about various products. I just like knowing these things and being able to whip them out whenever I like. But more than just memorized facts, I like deep discussion that utilizes these memorized facts to mean something on a larger scale.

In my AP classes I can raise my hand and ask a question without being the person who asks a lot of questions. When a teacher asks a question, 85% of the time we're just expected to all answer, because it should be obvious. No raising hands to answer, because it's not a class with just one smart alecky Hermione Granger.

I've taken two credits worth of regular credit classes this year. These have just killed me. I use these classes to read, or do homework for other classes, or when there is no homework and I don't have a book, I write random letters to my friends... Or color. The point is, in these classes I don't need to pay attention more than to get the assignments in order to get A's. Physics-97% A, Driver's Ed A, Health 95% A (and I have two assignments on there that I got incompletes on despite turning things in). I don't have to pay attention to get these grades whatsoever. And I'm bored to tears.

Next year, I am taking 5 AP courses, amounting to 6 AP tests (music theory, french, lit, calc, micro and macro econ), and possibly 7 if I end up self studying for AP stats (because I hear that is a ridiculously easy exam, and I used to self study math a lot for math team). I have been told by a few adults that I am crazy. It's my senior year, what kind of insane mind do I have to do this? Particularly as a music ed major who will be auditioning all through winter? I don't need these classes, what am I doing?

What I'm doing is not being bored, taking advantage of college credit I need, and college credit that could be fun. I'm delving deeper into subjects I love (math, french, music theory), avoiding patronizing classes full of people without any work ethic (lit, econ), and learning.

Why am I the crazy one for wanting to take the greatest advantage of my opportunities to learn and grow?
~Jess the Nerdfighting BandGeek

PS: Plus, not having any finals my last semester senior year will be absolutely sweet. ;)