Struggling in Gen Chem Lab

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getAsordietrying

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Hi all.

All my classes besides math are a breeze right now but what is starting to worry me is my chemistry lab class. I am currently in the first lab class for chemistry series and I feel pressured when I have to do my lab in class. I get a sense of nervousness similar to that of taking a math test. I have an A in my gen chem lecture class and I can breeze through these problems like it;s nothing. I show all of my work when writing my chem lab reports, which slows me down tremendously as I am not a math person and I tend to solve chem problems with faster unorthodox methods. I am contemplating doing my lab experiments in advance as it is the only way I will not make little mistakes during lab, but then again it will take away from my lab experience. I will also be starting research soon, which worries me even more.

With that said, are there any premeds who had undergone a similar experience and managed to rebound in some way? What do you recommend I do? Thanks.

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If it makes you feel any better, gen chem lab wasn't so easy for me either, but I ended up pulling through it, doing really well on subsequent classes, and now in a pretty decent position to apply to med school. So having just one lab class that you are struggling in is not the worst thing in the world. It is annoying, but in the path of medicine, you will have to push through a lot of things that might be less than ideal.

Tips: Find solace in your peer group. Going through it alone makes it a lot less pleasant. Study group perhaps? And research is an entirely different animal (One I actually happen to like), so don't worry about that front. Sounds like you are in a relatively fine position, remember to enjoy the ride along the way.
 
So, it sounds like you are very focused on getting the "right" result in the lab. That isn't what the lab is for, even if you get a "wrong" result, as long as you include this in the results of your lab report, and then explain what went wrong and ways to correct it, then you have actually done the lab correctly. This is what research is, you do something, analyze it, and then learn from it, fine tuning the research methods as you go. The lab component for gen chem is about gaining exposure to the equipment, methodologies and getting a real world, hands on look that correlates to what you are learning in class. My recommendation is to take a deep breath and work on approaching the lab work with an open mind. Be ok with whatever result you get, and understand why you achieved that result.

I remember a friend of mine who was doing some organic synthesis research, he made a beautiful product one day (90% yield, very pure), had written detailed notes on how to recreate that product, he was very proud of that particular synthesis. A few weeks go by and he has used up his supply of the product, and needs to make more to continue the research. So he follows his notes and gets a 0% yield. So the next day he tries again, same result. Bear in mind this particular synthesis takes about 14 hours. He goes the entire week with <5% yields each time he tries. So over the weekend, we are at my apartment drinking beer and he is talking out loud while I play Halo 3, as I hadn't taken Ochem at the time, and had zero idea what he was talking about. Then out of thin air he starts shouting and says hes got it, then joins the game playing. Monday rolls around and he comes home late from the lab as per usual, he says he got a 95% yield this time, turns out that one of the reagents he was using was hygroscopic and someone else in the lab had left the lid off for a bit of time. So he found an un-opened bottle, same as the first time he had run the synthesis and was able to achieve the result he wanted. Now he writes very detailed notes about the reagents he is using and double checks things every time.

The moral of that story is that things will not always go right in the lab, but its how you learn and that experience has made him a better chemist. So don't sweat it, just have fun and learn how to operate in a lab.
 
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So, it sounds like you are very focused on getting the "right" result in the lab. That isn't what the lab is for, even if you get a "wrong" result, as long as you include this in the results of your lab report, and then explain what went wrong and ways to correct it, then you have actually done the lab correctly. This is what research is, you do something, analyze it, and then learn from it, fine tuning the research methods as you go. The lab component for gen chem is about gaining exposure to the equipment, methodologies and getting a real world, hands on look that correlates to what you are learning in class. My recommendation is to take a deep breath and work on approaching the lab work with an open mind. Be ok with whatever result you get, and understand why you achieved that result.

I remember a friend of mine who was doing some organic synthesis research, he made a beautiful product one day (90% yield, very pure), had written detailed notes on how to recreate that product, he was very proud of that particular synthesis. A few weeks go by and he has used up his supply of the product, and needs to make more to continue the research. So he follows his notes and gets a 0% yield. So the next day he tries again, same result. Bear in mind this particular synthesis takes about 14 hours. He goes the entire week with <5% yields each time he tries. So over the weekend, we are at my apartment drinking beer and he is talking out loud while I play Halo 3, as I hadn't taken Ochem at the time, and had zero idea what he was talking about. Then out of thin air he starts shouting and says hes got it, then joins the game playing. Monday rolls around and he comes home late from the lab as per usual, he says he got a 95% yield this time, turns out that one of the reagents he was using was hygroscopic and someone else in the lab had left the lid off for a bit of time. So he found an un-opened bottle, same as the first time he had run the synthesis and was able to achieve the result he wanted. Now he writes very detailed notes about the reagents he is using and double checks things every time.

The moral of that story is that things will not always go right in the lab, but its how you learn and that experience has made him a better chemist. So don't sweat it, just have fun and learn how to operate in a lab.
The problem with me is that I don't accept failure. I got a 4.0 first quarter and the worst grade I will accept is one A-, possibly in math this quarter. Every time I fall short of my goal, let it be a B+ instead of an A- on a test score, I blame myself and I find ways to improve myself and I over study. This is my mentality toward academics and my premed lifestyle, which is counterproductive at times.

Thanks a lot for the input from both of you guys. I know in the long run an A- in chem lab won't devastate my GPA but I came up with an idea to go to office hours before each lab and ask questions about the upcoming experiments and any ways I can improve my results. I'll just work at a faster pace and be more relaxed in lab and I'll read the lab instructions a few times completely before the lab to understand what I will have to do during lab.

Again, thanks for the help and sorry for sounding like a perfectionist I am just being honest.
 
The problem with me is that I don't accept failure. I got a 4.0 first quarter and the worst grade I will accept is one A-, possibly in math this quarter. Every time I fall short of my goal, let it be a B+ instead of an A- on a test score, I blame myself and I find ways to improve myself and I over study. This is my mentality toward academics and my premed lifestyle, which is counterproductive at times.

Thanks a lot for the input from both of you guys. I know in the long run an A- in chem lab won't devastate my GPA but I came up with an idea to go to office hours before each lab and ask questions about the upcoming experiments and any ways I can improve my results. I'll just work at a faster pace and be more relaxed in lab and I'll read the lab instructions a few times completely before the lab to understand what I will have to do during lab.

Again, thanks for the help and sorry for sounding like a perfectionist I am just being honest.
I think we are all kind of like this, but do keep in mind that you will have harder classes than gen chem, and you just sometimes have to be happy with a B if that really is the best you can do . I got very impressive grades and SAT scores at a competitive high school, but barely got a B in Ochem 2 (Got C+'s on all the tests). And I worked my tail off in the class. You sometimes just have to suck it up and accept that you can't always be perfect.

Good job on your first quarter and keep up the great work! :)
 
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I was definitely a person who was a little uncomfortable in labs at first. I was always double or triple checking everything and being super detailed. I didn't want to mess anything up. My analytical chem lab class was actually graded on a percent yield basis so that didn't help! My overly detailed tendencies always made me very late in labs and it was quite annoying! I was always rushing to finish up at the end and clean up. Anyway, I actually let go a little bit more once I gained confidence in my orgo lab. I always ended up doing really well in orgo (better than in gen chem) so it allowed me to relax.

I would suggest to you to be as prepared as you can before lab - try to visualize what you will be doing beforehand (though I admit I often had trouble with this), write your prelab and summarize the steps, and do as much math as you can, even setting up calculations for post-lab, too. You sound like a type A person like myself so doing things like that beforehand and being as prepared as possible really put my mind at ease and I think it'll help you, too.
 
General chemistry lab sucks. If you feel incompetent or nervous or frustrated you're in good company. Don't let it get to you. I struggled more in gen chem 1 than organic BY FAR. I was lucky to have a pretty laid back lab instructor and partners which made it bearable.
 
My God.... I thought this post was by some 2.5 GPA freshman student struggling in Gen Chem.....but this is not the case. You have a 4.0. Accept that you may not always get a 4.0 in everything...and have a beer while you're at it.
 
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I was definitely a person who was a little uncomfortable in labs at first. I was always double or triple checking everything and being super detailed. I didn't want to mess anything up. My analytical chem lab class was actually graded on a percent yield basis so that didn't help! My overly detailed tendencies always made me very late in labs and it was quite annoying! I was always rushing to finish up at the end and clean up. Anyway, I actually let go a little bit more once I gained confidence in my orgo lab. I always ended up doing really well in orgo (better than in gen chem) so it allowed me to relax.

I would suggest to you to be as prepared as you can before lab - try to visualize what you will be doing beforehand (though I admit I often had trouble with this), write your prelab and summarize the steps, and do as much math as you can, even setting up calculations for post-lab, too. You sound like a type A person like myself so doing things like that beforehand and being as prepared as possible really put my mind at ease and I think it'll help you, too.
Thanks for the response I see that you share my sentiments.


Well it feels reassuring knowing that this is just a learning phase. It's strange how some people like my roommate can get a B in chem lecture but an A in lab, possibly due to having a good lab partner? (My lab partner is usually late and sometimes slows me down.) On another note, my takeaway from this is to continue doing what I am doing and figure out as much of the lab I can before the lab and try to work some parts of the experiment on my own, while being as relaxed as when I practice book problems on my own.

My God.... I thought this post was by some 2.5 GPA freshman student struggling in Gen Chem.....but this is not the case. You have a 4.0. Accept that you may not always get a 4.0 in everything...and have a beer while you're at it.
If I do try my absolute best I can still usually get a 4.0 on most things, which is what I am striving to do.
 
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So if I understand correctly, you basically just don't like doing the labs, right?

I used to be the exact same way. Incredibly anal about how I did things, very anxious around everything because I didn't have much experience, and I would memorize the lab procedure before class (and then triple check myself while doing the experiment). I hated lab.

I'm not sure when or how this all changed but I know some things now that I didn't then. I work in a research lab, and I'm often learning new procedures and instruments. When I first started I was incredibly afraid of everything. I wasn't afraid of injury or anything, just afraid of breaking something, ruining something, or not getting good results. I remember once I was learning how to use the ultracentrifuge and the person told me they usually spun the rotor before closing it to make sure it was ok. So I gave it like the weakest, most timid spin ever. Grad student was clearly ticked off because I had probably been as nervous and twitchy as a rabbit all day and I do think that's when I realized I couldn't be so afraid of something going wrong all the time and it was okay I didn't have as much control over what I did in lab as I do the calculations/problem sets in my courses.

Just remember that even if your results aren't "right" I don't think I have ever had a lab where I was faulted for that, providing I discussed possible reasons for getting those results. And I now know that even if I make a mistake or I don't get good results, what's the worst that could happen (both in classes and in research lab)? Either I just mention it on my report or I do if again, now armed with some knowledge about what not to do or what to change.

I'm at a point I didn't think I could be (I really hated labs that much haha). I'm totally fine doing procedures that haven't even been shown to me because the worst that happens is I don't get the product I'm looking for and I just do it over again. I'm still pretty meticulous so I don't get in trouble for wasting reagents or anything, since I generally get it right within a few attempts.

TLDR - you can do well in class (get an A) with crappy results in your lab and you will eventually be fine with the fickleness of real research. Just remember in the grand scheme of things, all you cost yourself is some time if you have to do things over or have to elaborate on crap results in a report.
 
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Overly neurotic premeds who feel the need to constantly be perfect are the worst kind of premeds. Stop taking life so seriously and have a beer OP.
 
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Go in prepared. If you're nervous about errors then look up common errors for the lab that you'll be doing. Relax and realize that things go wrong in lab all the time. When I took organic lab there were plenty of times I had to restart the experiment and my yield was never amazing, but I addressed the errors in my lab reports. My TA/instructor stressed that understanding was most important than yield anyway. As someone who is an instructor for Freshman Chemistry Lab this semester, I want students to come to me and ask questions during the lab, too.
 
I'm going to go against most of the crowd so far here and say...spend some more time outside of lab thinking about lab.

There were times in my underclassman years where I felt so miserable or outside my skin in lab that I almost quit. I remember a certain phys I lab where we were just measuring coefficients of friction by sliding pennies down an incline, and I almost cried because I couldn't finish my report on time (we were required to complete reports before leaving). I kept thinking, "It's not fair...I'm acing the lecture and am in diffe q...yet I can't do a stupid lab." Don't sweat it. For whatever reason, your genes aren't adapted yet...but they will, you just need to find out what tools you need to operate. For me, this came in Ochem-I lab as I read The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual, on the side, before each lab, where we would be introducing a new technique or piece of equipment for the first time. But I'm usually leading my class in yields now or recrystallization (and man, some people in my lab speak of dreading recrystallization--some of the very people who had no trouble with lab in the beginning).
 
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