I'm really bad at Chem :( I'm a high school sophomore taking honors Chem and I'm not doing great. do you have any advice on how to improve?
This has been sitting in my inbox for a while, because I wanted to give you the best advice I could!
If you’re not doing so well in high school chem, don’t get too discouraged- a lot of times it is the teacher- not the student. In fact, I struggled with chem in high school too! I didn’t really get it until I had someone explain it to me better in college.
If that is your issue, I would suggest group studying. Not just tutoring (although that may be helpful), but studying with peers. If you decide to pursue chemistry in university, that is how you will survive. Your peers may be able to explain concepts to you in ways that your teacher could not, and help you make connections that you previously did not see. You will also be able to explain the parts you do understand, and if you understand something well enough that you can teach it, you understand it enough to ace it on a test!
Other than that, repetition is key. Chemistry is not biology- it is not gross memorization. In order to master chemistry, you need to diligently work at practice problems. You can’t just once over the text book and expect a good grade in this class- studying for chemistry involves math! Doing practice problems, however, will help you figure out what the question is asking for, and reducing a problem to a simple math solution. That way, you can take tests much quicker and with much more ease.
Finally, reach out. If you feel your teacher is ineffective, see if there is a science national honor society at your school. Members of those societies are often obligated to help others who are struggling in those subjects, and will volunteer to help you with homework or test prep.
I hope you found this helpful!
