I second everything said here. All very good advice. Just one thing: > introductory texts [...] University Physics by Young, Freedman, and Ford [...] to learn

I second everything said here. All very good advice. Just one thing: > introductory texts [...] University Physics by Young, Freedman, and Ford [...] to learn calculus, Calculus by Larson and Edwards [...] should take you a year or two to consume [...] I disagree. Two years? I think six months should be enough time for the modern youth to learn all of first year physics, calc one and two included. The only limiting factor is the time it takes to do the exercises, because, like you said, the main part of learning physics happens when you are figuring things out on your own. I bet that one or two semesters with a good book with exercises with answers in the back can be enough to learn how to use all of first year math and physics. If only there were such a book that teaches calculus, mechanics, E&M and linear algebra, all in one sitting. ;) I will close on a personal recommendation from 1914. Calculus Made Easy by Silvanus P. Thompson http://www.gutenberg.org/files/33283/33283-pdf.pdf http://www.gutenberg.org/files/33283/33283-pdf.pdf