#chemistry help

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: chemistry study tips that actually work (from someone who struggled too) :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

hi sweet angel!

first off, i love you too!! 🤍 and omg "still a concubine ig" made me CACKLE, you're absolutely unhinged in the best way possible and i'm here for it!

also yes i got your post request! i have like 72 requests in my inbox right now (which is amazing but also overwhelming lol) so i'm slowly working through them all. your patience is so appreciated! 💕

now let's talk about chemistry because honey, i FEEL you on this struggle. chemistry was literally my nemesis for the longest time. like, i would sit in class and feel like everyone was speaking a different language while i was just trying to figure out why atoms even matter.

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ why chemistry feels impossible (and why that's normal) ⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

chemistry is hard because it's literally three subjects disguised as one: ⋄ math - all those calculations and formulas ⋄ memorization - elements, compounds, reactions ⋄ conceptual understanding - why things work the way they do

most people try to study it like it's just memorization, but that's why they struggle. you need different strategies for different parts.

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ my chemistry study method that actually worked ⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

(this is coming from a pre-med student, WHO HATES CHEMISTRY, but wants to be a psychiatrist. i major in psychology btw)

step 1: understand before you memorize don't ONLY memorize formulas, understand what they mean. like, PV=nRT isn't just letters and numbers, it's describing how gases behave under different conditions. when you get the "why," the "what" becomes so much easier.

step 2: practice problems are EVERYTHING chemistry is like math, you learn by doing, not just reading. do every practice problem you can get your hands on. start with easy ones and work your way up.

step 3: make connections visual draw out molecular structures, create flowcharts for reactions, use colors to organize your notes. chemistry is happening in 3D space, so flat text doesn't always cut it.

step 4: teach it back explain concepts out loud to yourself (or your pet, or your plants, no judgment). if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it yet. (stole this from pinterest btw lol)

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ specific study strategies that saved my grade ⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

for formulas: don't just memorize them, understand what each variable represents and when to use each formula

for reactions: practice balancing equations until it becomes automatic, then focus on understanding why reactions happen

for concepts: use analogies! like, think of electron orbitals as apartment buildings, electrons fill up the lower floors first

for calculations: always write out your units and check that they make sense in your final answer

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ my note-taking system for chemistry ⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

i divide my notes into three sections: ⋄ concepts ~ the big ideas and theories ⋄ formulas ~ organized by topic with example problems ⋄ reactions ~ patterns and mechanisms

color coding is your FRIEND. i use:

blue for definitions

red for formulas

green for examples

purple for things i need to review

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ when you're feeling completely lost ⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

go back to basics ~ if you're struggling with complex reactions, make sure you understand atomic structure first

use multiple resources ~ your textbook, khan academy, youtube videos, study groups. sometimes you just need to hear it explained differently

ask for help EARLY ~ don't wait until you're completely behind. office hours, tutoring, study groups, use all the resources available

focus on understanding patterns ~ chemistry has a lot of patterns. once you see them, everything starts to make more sense

⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆ the mindset shift that changed everything ⋆｡‧˚ʚ♡ɞ˚‧｡⋆

i used to think i was "bad at chemistry" because it didn't click immediately. then i realized that chemistry is like learning a new language, it takes time and practice to become fluent.

every time you don't understand something, you're not failing!! you're identifying what you need to work on. that's actually progress!

also, chemistry builds on itself, so if you're struggling now, it might be because you missed something foundational earlier. there's no shame in going back and reviewing basics.

you don't suck at chemistry, love. you're just learning a really complex subject that takes time to master. be patient with yourself and trust the process.

you've got this! and remember, even if chemistry feels impossible right now, you're building problem-solving skills that will serve you in so many other areas of life.

keep me updated on how it goes! 💫

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

xoxo, mindy ♡

the only one I’ve gotten so far is the first one (I think it’s 3-bromo-5-chloropentane) but even then idk if it’s right

ChemistrywithSaliha

That organic chemistry book that’s been causing you all those headaches uses them both, seemingly for no reason and they’re both called benzene. The first one makes sense according to normal stick diagrams, so why the circle?

The circle means that the double bonds are delocalised. They could be in positions 1, 3, 5 or 2, 4, 6 (or even moving between the two configurations!)

There are some molecules where the bonds will only make sense in one configuration but most of the time feel free to relax and use them interchangeably. Especially in first or second year biochem it doesn’t really matter.

why can ethanol be written as either C2H5OH and C2H6O

I post this study guide at an ungodly hour in the morning after staying up all night to complete this. To all those awake when I post this, I offer my deepest condolences...