gen chem lab I horror

[tweek125]

my professor for my chem lab doesn't even teach regularly for the university i'm at...he teaches at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE in the same town! and to make it worse, they combine sections for labs at my school (idk if it's like that for others...) and all he does is wait for the OTHER cc "professor" to detail the instructions and other things that require explaining, and then chime in when he wants to make us all feel like **** for being off one significant figure or not stating our objectives in enough detail (so far all we've done is measure water over and over and over and ovaoidshk;hsd;glkadsg )

..how bad does a C average for chem lab 1 look? pretty sure it's going to be a miracle if i receive a B in that class. i mean, i do fine in chemistry, but it's just stupid repetitive lab procedures that we have to do keep throwing me off. sure, they're easy, but if you do something enough times you're bound to make a few mistakes. and the way my "professor" looks at it, not detailing the procedure for measuring water in enough depth is about the same as skull-****ing his first-born child..

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Astarael]

What is this, the second week of class? Third? You're going to be doing something more than measuring water soon, and then you'll have plenty to talk about. I'd say just hold tight until then. If it really does become an issue, it will be reflected in your grades by getting a C in this class and an A in everything else, and then nobody will care about it at all (they'll think it was a fluke).

 

[Electronegative]

What were you expecting on the first month of Chem I lab, synthsize caffiene out of tea?
It's only first month of semester, you won't start doing intersting labs till November. Also sig figs are important part of chemistry, you won't find any college chemistry class that doesn't emphisize it.

 

[the duck]

my professor for my chem lab doesn't even teach regularly for the university i'm at...he teaches at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE in the same town! and to make it worse, they combine sections for labs at my school (idk if it's like that for others...) and all he does is wait for the OTHER cc "professor" to detail the instructions and other things that require explaining, and then chime in when he wants to make us all feel like **** for being off one significant figure or not stating our objectives in enough detail (so far all we've done is measure water over and over and over and ovaoidshk;hsd;glkadsg )

..how bad does a C average for chem lab 1 look? pretty sure it's going to be a miracle if i receive a B in that class. i mean, i do fine in chemistry, but it's just stupid repetitive lab procedures that we have to do keep throwing me off. sure, they're easy, but if you do something enough times you're bound to make a few mistakes. and the way my "professor" looks at it, not detailing the procedure for measuring water in enough depth is about the same as skull-****ing his first-born child..

I find it rather interested that you insult the guy for being a CC professor, but then complain that you aren't getting a good enough grade. Nothing he is hounding you for is something you can't change. Just be extra careful with the sig figs and your objectives, and wait for you guys to start covering more interesting material.

 

[Curiouspremed]

Uhh,

Significant features, reading measurements, are all VERY important in chem and for the rest of your medical career. Cool it down man and take it easy . Do well in your class. I am confused how teaching a community college course is a bad thing? I am at a CC right now and near 85% of the science department has their PhD.

 

[tweek125]

the community college thing only bothers me because this is both of their first times teaching at a university. not really how i wanted my first college lab experience to go. not really blind leading the blind, but more like someone with an eye-patch and glasses leading the blind..

What were you expecting on the first month of Chem I lab, synthsize caffiene out of tea?
It's only first month of semester, you won't start doing intersting labs till November. Also sig figs are important part of chemistry, you won't find any college chemistry class that doesn't emphisize it.

i wasn't expecting anything like that, i was just expecting it to go a little faster, like my bio lab, since we only meet once a week.

but you guys are probably right, i'm probably just getting too worked up over it. sounds kind of like stereotypical pre-med behavior. *sigh. and i don't myself i wouldn't do this...

 

[apumic]

the community college thing only bothers me because this is both of their first times teaching at a university. not really how i wanted my first college lab experience to go. not really blind leading the blind, but more like someone with an eye-patch and glasses leading the blind..



i wasn't expecting anything like that, i was just expecting it to go a little faster, like my bio lab, since we only meet once a week.

but you guys are probably right, i'm probably just getting too worked up over it. sounds kind of like stereotypical pre-med behavior. *sigh. and i don't myself i wouldn't do this...

I'd be careful about your attitude when it comes to this.... Yes, your prof may be new to the university but likely has taught prior. Even if not, I can assure you this prof knows FAR more than you do about chemistry at this pt. Settle down and be open to learning. Additionally, as mentioned before, sig figs, units, measuring techniques, etc., are also absolutely critical skills to learn in gen chem lab. Settle down and learn them. If you are already good at them, perfect your technique. We all can learn more. Don't get cocky and start acting like you're perfect.

 

[the duck]

Uhh,

Significant features, reading measurements, are all VERY important in chem and for the rest of your medical career. Cool it down man and take it easy . Do well in your class. I am confused how teaching a community college course is a bad thing? I am at a CC right now and near 85% of the science department has their PhD.

Last semester by chem teacher at community college had a PhD from UCLA and my bio prof had a PhD from Cal. Need I say more?
Your profs have run labs before, we have legit labs at community college you know.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Chemistry labs are extremely repetitive and boring. In all honesty I had a new teacher for chem lab. She was amazing frankly. So seriously chill.
Also drop the smug attitude. You chemistry teacher has an advanced degree in chem, s(he')s taken more then enough courses to know how to run a chemistry 1 class which I will add is extremely simple.

 

[Astarael]

the community college thing only bothers me because this is both of their first times teaching at a university. not really how i wanted my first college lab experience to go. not really blind leading the blind, but more like someone with an eye-patch and glasses leading the blind..

Bahahah I actually laughed out loud at this. Because:

I'd be careful about your attitude when it comes to this.... Yes, your prof may be new to the university but likely has taught prior. Even if not, I can assure you this prof knows FAR more than you do about chemistry at this pt. Settle down and be open to learning. Additionally, as mentioned before, sig figs, units, measuring techniques, etc., are also absolutely critical skills to learn in gen chem lab. Settle down and learn them. If you are already good at them, perfect your technique. We all can learn more. Don't get cocky and start acting like you're perfect.

Apumic is completely right, and I would even go so far as to say he FOR SURE has taught before. You need at least a Master's to teach chemistry at a community college, and the chances of your professor not having taught at least once during that time are pretty small. Also consider that this person has probably been in chemistry labs pretty constantly for at least the last six years. He knows his stuff. In fact, I'd say it's pretty awesome that you have someone like this for lab. At my undergrad, gen chem lab was taught by upper class undergrads majoring in chem or chem e. Anyway, like everyone else has said, those basic skills are important. It is a lot more eye opening, for instance, when you do the error calculations for a graduated cylinder yourself versus just having someone tell you that they're useless for precise work.

 

[Stixman28]

the community college thing only bothers me because this is both of their first times teaching at a university. not really how i wanted my first college lab experience to go. not really blind leading the blind, but more like someone with an eye-patch and glasses leading the blind..



i wasn't expecting anything like that, i was just expecting it to go a little faster, like my bio lab, since we only meet once a week.

but you guys are probably right, i'm probably just getting too worked up over it. sounds kind of like stereotypical pre-med behavior. *sigh. and i don't myself i wouldn't do this...

I cannot believe the way you are complaining about your professor, going so far as to call him a "professor". Not everyone rolls out of their post doc and lands an ivy league tenure track position. How come u dont have ure phd yet? Is it bc ure 18 and u already know everything?

Get off your high horse, do your homework and quit complaining about lab. It sucks, and we all had to do it. Not every experience u have will be just as u envisioned it in ure dreams. Sorry u even have dreams chemistry.

 

[chman]

my professor for my chem lab doesn't even teach regularly for the university i'm at...he teaches at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE in the same town! and to make it worse, they combine sections for labs at my school (idk if it's like that for others...) and all he does is wait for the OTHER cc "professor" to detail the instructions and other things that require explaining, and then chime in when he wants to make us all feel like **** for being off one significant figure or not stating our objectives in enough detail (so far all we've done is measure water over and over and over and ovaoidshk;hsd;glkadsg )

..how bad does a C average for chem lab 1 look? pretty sure it's going to be a miracle if i receive a B in that class. i mean, i do fine in chemistry, but it's just stupid repetitive lab procedures that we have to do keep throwing me off. sure, they're easy, but if you do something enough times you're bound to make a few mistakes. and the way my "professor" looks at it, not detailing the procedure for measuring water in enough depth is about the same as skull-****ing his first-born child..

I'm going to go ahead and not get mad that you are discounting someone just because they teach at a cc and try to give you a little perspective.

First, you are lucky that you don't just have a TA that is either A) A BS student finishing up, or a grad student at your institution.

Second, it is very hard to land a good gig at a four year school for fresh PhD grads. My chem teacher at a cc was a Berkeley PhD grad. He was freakin awesome and frankly a way higher caliber than he was teaching.

Lastly, the first week and first experiments in chem are pretty boring. It will get better towards the end to middle when you start to make soap and stuff. Although, I pretty much hated lab all together.

BTW, that chem prof I was talking about said the coolest chemistry thing he ever saw he saw at my cc. It was a box with dry ice in it and you could put in a stick of metal (forget which kind) and you could actually see the apha a beta particles shoot out. That's bad arse.

 

[tweek125]

alright so i'm wrong for bashing cc professors. i apologize. maybe it's just because i generally don't like the guy and i was looking for something to make a negative comment about. some professors are just dicks no matter what i guess.

thanks for the responses.

 

[chman]

alright so i'm wrong for bashing cc professors. i apologize. maybe it's just because i generally don't like the guy and i was looking for something to make a negative comment about. some professors are just dicks no matter what i guess.

thanks for the responses.

It's cool bra. We all get stuck with some bad ones... Just try to make the best out of a bad situation, that is if it really is bad, some may say it is too early to tell.

 

[the duck]

alright so i'm wrong for bashing cc professors. i apologize. maybe it's just because i generally don't like the guy and i was looking for something to make a negative comment about. some professors are just dicks no matter what i guess.

thanks for the responses.

Its fine, now if you had bashed CCs themselves, I would have happily joined in.

 

[rxlea]

Gen Chem I Lab

 

[mmmcdowe]

alright so i'm wrong for bashing cc professors. i apologize. maybe it's just because i generally don't like the guy and i was looking for something to make a negative comment about. some professors are just dicks no matter what i guess.

thanks for the responses.

So are some students. Wipe your nose.

 

[TwoPaddles]

my professor for my chem lab doesn't even teach regularly for the university i'm at...he teaches at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE in the same town! and to make it worse, they combine sections for labs at my school (idk if it's like that for others...) and all he does is wait for the OTHER cc "professor" to detail the instructions and other things that require explaining, and then chime in when he wants to make us all feel like **** for being off one significant figure or not stating our objectives in enough detail (so far all we've done is measure water over and over and over and ovaoidshk;hsd;glkadsg )

..how bad does a C average for chem lab 1 look? pretty sure it's going to be a miracle if i receive a B in that class. i mean, i do fine in chemistry, but it's just stupid repetitive lab procedures that we have to do keep throwing me off. sure, they're easy, but if you do something enough times you're bound to make a few mistakes. and the way my "professor" looks at it, not detailing the procedure for measuring water in enough depth is about the same as skull-****ing his first-born child..

I think C average raises questions for adcoms. Just try and do your best and look for every single opportunity possible.
Are you using all your sources efficiently? Have you tried approaching different TA's or professors if you needed help? or just walked away? Have you used other textbooks rather than your current one? Have you analyzed and questioned yourself why you got something right/wrong while doing the lab? I'm not saying you didn't do these but ask yourself these types of questions and see how you can get better.
I have a friend who applied to the volunteering program at the hospital where I volunteer. She said its been over a month and nobody has made a connection with her. I asked, have you ever called back and made sure they even got your application? She said she emailed them and called them but nobody responded. When I was applying to the same program 1,5 years ago, same thing happened to me. What did I do? I called and went to their office multiple times a day and MADE SURE they stayed on top of it. As a result, they were sick and tired of me but guess what? I got in. The reason I'm telling you this story is that sometimes you gotta be pushing to get to the next level. So if your professor is not teaching u the proper way or giving you less information, ask other people, other students, other professors. Just use all your resources....well, you get the idea.
In my opinion, a grade of "C" is for only those that are not willing to study and push to use their opportunities. For me, even if its the hardest class in the world, if you study properly and spend time on what you're doing, you can AT LEAST earn a "B" in that class.
So go check what other opportunities you have to get the grade you want.