Chemistry is a tough class for many of our students, and it was no different for our guest blogger, Mariah. Check out what she has learned from her experience!
Go to class and pay attention + take notes + study those notes = Pass the class…. That’s the recipe for college success, right?
My name is Mariah and I am an undergrad Pre-Nursing student here at ODU. For some students, the above “recipe for success” is pretty straightforward and easy to follow. For others, like myself, the beginning of my college career wasn’t as ideal. As I reflect on my accomplishments and failures throughout my first year in school, I’ve pinpointed a few things that may help incoming freshmen or a student who might be struggling in a particular class.
- Courses at the collegiate level force you to learn, and even think, in ways that you might not have had to before. Personally, I went to a high school where effort was simply not a “must” in passing classes. Teachers really didn’t pay much attention to what you were doing and passed you through the class. This was awesome when I was in high school, but when I came to ODU I quickly learned it was a HUGE setback to my education. All of a sudden I had to relearn how to LEARN. I had to understand what kind of student I was and how I learned best. After a failed attempt at Chemistry, a professor recommended a resource called “How We Learn and Why We Don’t.” This guide uses a cognitive profile inventory to asses an individual’s learning habits—basically it’s a survey you can take by yourself and at the end it gives you a learning style that you can follow in your studies. Be open to new ways of learning and studying- it just might surprise you what works for you.
- Every professor is different. This means that as students, we have to be able to adapt with any given professor’s teaching style. I kid you not; I took chemistry 3 times before earning the A… yes, 3 times. I had 3 different chemistry professors and it was like a completely different class each time. This is where knowing your own personal learning styles come in handy because no matter how the professor teaches, you have a full proof way of learning and retaining the information needed.
- TUTORS BECOME YOUR BESTFRIENDS! ODU has excellent FREE tutors. In my war with chemistry, I took full advantage of the tutors. This is not an understatement, at one point during my summer chemistry class I saw the chemistry tutors more than my parents—and I was living WITH MY PARENTS. Sometimes, tutors just get you and that really helps.
- Finally, I have learned that you can study for hours on end, write notes until your fingers fall off, or sleep with your textbook in hopes that SOMEHOW the information might seep into your brain via osmosis… but what truly is key is your attitude and persistence. Yes, I took chemistry three times before I earned my A, but that’s because I told myself that I would get that A if it was that last thing I did! Keep working as hard as you can, keep striving- it will be worth it.
It’s easy to get discouraged when you’re taking a class and feel like the grade isn’t matching your effort. Just remember that with each new course we take, comes new experiences, new knowledge, and a new way of thinking. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, the way we learn and how we understand the world around us is constantly changing. College isn’t just about the class; it’s about personal growth and the hard times I’ve experienced have helped me become a stronger student and person.
I hope this helped you and best of luck in your future endeavors!
-Mariah 🙂
