Any need for justification?

Well, I managed to surprise (and maybe shock) quite a few people today...
At school, the immediate question every student is assaulted with by student, parent and teacher alike is this:
What are you taking next year?
"IP," I say.

The immediate reaction from everyone to whom I told this to was exactly the same.
"You're taking IP?!!"
Well, the reaction was the same, but the tones were quite different. A surprised one from Shruti, a sorrowfull one from Siva (relax, we'll be in the same class!), an excited one from Aprajita (adding,  "Yay! I won't be the only girl!") and totally disbelieving ones from the others.
Well, I wanted to ask some of them, Why not? Why did they have to sound like as if I was taking a subject that was somehow... beneath me, or not fitting for me?

Believe me when I say that if I had known that I would choose IP two months back, I would have retorted with a strong "No Way!". I was hell-bent on choosing C++. Programming was my forte.
But of course, I had no idea what was actually taught in IP. I knew that a bit of VB was, but then, after reading the same topic for 3 years, I'd had enough of it- in the sense that I wanted to learn something new. I had also heard a lot of comments from seniors that C++ was "damn tough", "mokkai" and "a killer subject" and all that, but I felt fairly confident that I would be able to manage it.

Me not taking the subject is definitely not due to lack of confidence. It was mainly because of my dad. A few weeks before the results actually came out, this topic came up and dad told me that IP would be better. I had always had the idea that whatever I took, my parents would be okay with it. Mom was a bit miffed in the beginning because I wasn't planning to take up Biology (she's a Natural Science fan) but then gave in because I wouldn't budge one bit, while Dad really didn't say anything at all. So naturally, this came as a surprise.
Then the confusion started. I had wanted to take C++ (I really hadn't considered any other option) but my dad knew better than me; so he must have had a reason for saying this.

I started asking around. Looked at the syllabus PDF from the official site; asked for a few more opinions. What I got when I asked my classmates was "IP? That's Java right?"
Well, one thing was for certain: if they were teaching JAVA, then I was in. But the Java part was not yet confirmed; and I still didn't know as much about the subject as I would have liked to.

On my Application form, all I specified was Computer Science- mentally, the decision wasn't made until yesterday night.
Today, I was sure of my choice; and when I saw the enormous crowd in front of the office- candidates vying for a seat in the C++ category- I felt just a bit better about it.

I still can't recollect what my thoughts/feelings were (apart from relief) when I accepted the signed Admission form from the Vicey with her best wishes, but I really don't think that there was any confusion.
The funny thing is, my dad let out his reasons why I should take the subject only after all this was over, when we were returning home.
He said a lot of things, some which I can still remember, many which I can't recollect now; but I did get the gist:

a. Databases are really, really important. And so is database programming
b. C++ is back-end programming. In IP we'll be learning more about front-end
c. GUI programming and Web designing are extremely important
d. ...and so is Java

Now that I've passed the road named admission, the next worry is right over that bend. IIT classes. The next, right ahead that traffic signal. 11th standard. Well, it won't be a boring year for sure, but we will just have to wait and see, right?