HOW TO ACE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY // 10 tips to help you succeed in organic chemistry

Sydney Jade
16 Aug 202008:11
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video offers 10 effective study tips for acing organic chemistry, as experienced by a biology major who overcame initial fears. Key strategies include dedicating 10-14 hours weekly, attending office hours, taking detailed notes, practicing problems with a solutions manual, using note cards, visual learning with a whiteboard, creating exam guides, utilizing model kits, seeking online resources, and forming study partnerships. The creator emphasizes personalizing these tips for individual success.

Takeaways
  • 📚 Spend 10-14 hours a week on organic chemistry to excel in the subject.
  • 🤝 Attend professor's office hours regularly to build connections and clarify doubts.
  • 📝 Take detailed notes from textbooks, especially if the professor doesn't teach directly from them.
  • 📖 Complete a majority of the practice problems from the textbook and use a solutions manual for guidance.
  • 🔍 Use sticky notes to jot down questions and ask them during office hours.
  • 🔑 Make note cards for structures, functional groups, and reactions to aid visual learning.
  • 🎨 Utilize a whiteboard to draw and understand organic chemistry concepts.
  • 📋 Create an 'exam guide' with key topics and concepts to review before exams.
  • 🧩 Use a model kit to visualize and understand molecular structures.
  • 🌐 Leverage online resources like YouTube and Khan Academy for additional help with concepts.
  • 👫 Make a study buddy in your class to share knowledge, quiz each other, and teach concepts.
Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is sharing 10 tips that helped the speaker achieve an A in organic chemistry classes.

  • How many hours per week did the speaker spend on organic chemistry?

    -The speaker spent 10 to 14 hours a week on organic chemistry.

  • Why did the speaker emphasize the importance of attending professors' office hours?

    -The speaker emphasized attending office hours to form connections with professors, clarify doubts, and potentially get valuable letters of recommendation for future applications.

  • What was the speaker's strategy for note-taking in organic chemistry?

    -The speaker spent 4 to 6 hours taking detailed notes from the textbook for each chapter, which helped ingrain the material into memory.

  • Why did the speaker recommend renting a solutions manual for the textbook?

    -The solutions manual was recommended to understand how to solve practice problems, why certain answers were correct or incorrect, and to save time by not needing to ask others or the professor for confirmation.

  • What did the speaker use to help visualize organic chemistry concepts?

    -The speaker used note cards for structures, functional groups, and reactions, as well as a whiteboard to draw and practice these concepts.

  • What is an 'exam guide' as mentioned in the script?

    -An 'exam guide' is a condensed sheet of paper with key topics for an exam, created by the speaker to review important concepts before exams.

  • Why was a model kit useful for the speaker's organic chemistry studies?

    -A model kit was useful for visual learning, helping the speaker to better understand and build molecules, and it was also allowed during exams.

  • How did the speaker utilize the internet for studying organic chemistry?

    -The speaker used the internet to look up concepts on platforms like YouTube or Khan Academy when they didn't understand something, to find videos that could clarify the topic.

  • What was the speaker's advice on social interaction within the organic chemistry class?

    -The speaker advised making a friend in the class to study together, teach each other, and quiz each other to reinforce learning.

  • What were the speaker's final grades in organic chemistry one and two?

    -The speaker made a 92 percent in organic chemistry one and a 95 in organic chemistry two.

Outlines
00:00
📚 Achieving Excellence in Organic Chemistry

The speaker introduces their YouTube channel and shares their personal experience of overcoming the fear of taking organic chemistry, a subject notorious for its difficulty. They reveal their impressive grades in both Organic Chemistry I and II and emphasize the importance of adapting study methods to individual learning styles. The speaker outlines the first of ten tips, which is dedicating 10 to 14 hours a week to study organic chemistry, and highlights the value of attending professors' office hours to build rapport and clarify doubts.

05:01
📝 Effective Study Techniques for Organic Chemistry Success

This paragraph delves into the speaker's study techniques that contributed to their success in organic chemistry. They discuss the importance of taking detailed notes from textbooks, doing a significant number of practice problems, and using a solutions manual to check work. The speaker also mentions the use of note cards for memorizing structures, functional groups, and reactions, and the utility of a whiteboard for visualizing these concepts. They conclude with the strategy of creating an 'exam guide' to condense key topics for review before exams.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Organic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry is the study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and the preparation of chemical compounds containing carbon, including hydrocarbons, alcohols, acids, and more. In the video's context, it is the subject the creator is discussing tips for excelling in, with the creator being a biology major and having a personal experience of overcoming the fear associated with the subject.
💡Sophomore Year
The term 'sophomore year' refers to the second academic year of a student's enrollment in a college or university. In the script, the creator mentions having completed their sophomore year a few months ago, indicating the timeframe when they gained the experiences and insights they are sharing in the video.
💡Office Hours
Office hours are designated times when professors are available to meet with students outside of class to answer questions, discuss course material, or provide additional guidance. The script emphasizes the importance of attending office hours to form connections with professors and clarify any doubts, which can be particularly beneficial for understanding complex subjects like organic chemistry.
💡Note-taking
Note-taking is the act of recording information during a lecture, meeting, or while studying. The video script mentions taking detailed notes from textbooks as a crucial step in the learning process, especially for a subject like organic chemistry where understanding the material deeply is essential for success.
💡Practice Problems
Practice problems are exercises that students work on to apply and reinforce the concepts they have learned. The creator of the video suggests doing a significant number of practice problems from the textbook, using a solutions manual to check their work and understand the correct approaches, which is a key strategy for mastering organic chemistry.
💡Note Cards
Note cards are small pieces of paper used for writing down key information for review and memorization. In the video, the creator uses larger note cards (four by six inches) to organize and study the structures, functional groups, and reactions in organic chemistry, which helps in visualizing and recalling complex chemical concepts.
💡Whiteboard
A whiteboard is a writable surface used for drawing or writing with markers, often used in educational settings for visual explanations. The script describes the use of a whiteboard to draw out chemical structures and reactions from note cards, which aids in the visual learning process and self-assessment of understanding.
💡Exam Guide
An exam guide is a summary of key topics or concepts that a student should review before an exam. The video script mentions creating a condensed sheet of paper with important points in colorful highlights to review the night before and on the day of the exam, which is a strategy to reinforce memory and ensure readiness.
💡Model Kit
A model kit, in the context of organic chemistry, refers to a set of physical components that can be assembled to represent molecular structures. The creator suggests using a model kit to visually and physically understand the three-dimensional aspects of molecules, which can be particularly helpful for visual learners.
💡Internet Resources
Internet resources refer to educational materials available online, such as videos, tutorials, and articles. The script encourages using the internet to find explanations for difficult concepts, citing platforms like YouTube and Khan Academy, which can offer alternative perspectives and help clarify complex topics in organic chemistry.
💡Study Groups
A study group is a group of students who meet to study a subject together, often sharing insights, teaching each other, and working through problems collectively. The video creator emphasizes the benefits of having a study partner in organic chemistry, describing how teaching and quizzing each other can reinforce learning and provide mutual support.
Highlights

The video provides 10 personal tips for achieving an A in organic chemistry.

The tips are based on the creator's own experience as a biology major who initially feared the subject.

The creator scored a 92% in Organic Chemistry 1 and a 95% in Organic Chemistry 2.

Tip 1 emphasizes the importance of dedicating 10-14 hours a week to organic chemistry.

Tip 2 suggests attending professors' office hours to build connections and clarify doubts.

Tip 3 recommends taking detailed notes from textbooks to enhance understanding and retention.

Tip 4 encourages doing practice problems with the aid of a solutions manual for clarity.

Tip 5 involves making note cards for structures, functional groups, and reactions.

Tip 6 highlights the use of a whiteboard for visualizing and practicing chemical structures.

Tip 7 is about creating an exam guide with key topics to review before exams.

Tip 8 suggests using a model kit for visual learners to better understand molecular structures.

Tip 9 advises leveraging online resources like YouTube or Khan Academy for additional help.

Tip 10 recommends making a friend in the class for mutual teaching and quizzing.

The creator emphasizes the importance of personalizing study methods to individual needs.

Office hours can lead to valuable connections for future recommendations.

Note cards and whiteboarding are effective for visual and practical learning.

Studying with peers can reinforce understanding and retention of complex concepts.

Transcripts

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Study TipsOrganic ChemistryAcademic SuccessCollege AdviceExam PreparationNote-TakingOffice HoursPractice ProblemsEducational ContentLearning Strategies