I remember being shocked in the first year of college that introductory physics and introductory derivatives and integrations were not taught together. The calculus class never explains why these methods are useful, and the physics class expects rote memorization of the final algebraic equations.
It might be because you weren't in a Physics or an Engineering program.
Colleges tend to have two tracks for physics, one that's closer to high school physics, which is as you described. A collection of algebraic equations that you have to either remember or, if your professor was kind, given a crib sheet of.
The other is the "Engineering" or "Calculus" based physics track where, as you can imagine, you're taking Calc 1 and Physics 1 at the same time.
I have seen some, kinder, programs where you take Calc 1 in your first semester and start the Physics classes in your second semester.
