Improving Spatial Intelligence

[jayceee]

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Hi guys,

A little background on my issue.

I'm extremely deficient in spatial intelligence. It's really bad.

Last term, I had a 4.0. But I was taking Chem (102%), Stats (99%), and Trig (97%).

Looks like I'm about to have another 4.0 term, but again Chem, Stats, and Calc. Heading into finals week with 100%, 99%, and 101% respectively.

Not bragging, just trying to demonstrate what kind of student I am when presented with math based classes.

I chose to begin my post-bac journey with mostly quantitative courses because of my lack of spatial intelligence.

A few examples are as follows:

The last calc quiz I took, I did all of the perceived hard questions first, breezing through them, and left the easy "draw a graph that looks like this" question until the end. I looked around me and noticed that everyone had completed the easy graph question first.

The only points I lost on my midterm was a due to a question involving drawing a graph based on reading stated limits.

In chem, the only points I lose on exams occur when I have to draw or interpret a picture.

I'm posting this thread because I'm worried that my lack of spatial intelligence will really mess up my chances at acing organic chemistry and physics.

How do I improve ?

I'm worried that the old adage of, "You use it, or lose it." comes into play here. I grew up with extremely strict parents who didn't believe that children should play. Seriously. Every day after school we had to go to the library until parents picked us up after work. Summers were even worse. Library from 9-5. I didn't grow up playing with toys and running around and stuff. Pictures don't mean anything to me at all.

Tried to make this as succinct as I could. How do I get that part of my brain to start working?

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

Maybe do a few jigsaw puzzles, build model airplanes or play pictionary with your friends. Bring an extra notebook to your lectures and when the professor gets boring, start drawing things you see in the room. It doesn't matter if your drawings are good or not, and if anyone asks why you're sketching a picture of your coffee mug, just tell them that you're pre-studying for organic chemistry. Just because you didn't get to be a kid when you were young doesn't mean you can't start now.

And don't worry too much. Something tells me that if you have a 102% in general chem, you're going to do just fine in organic and physics.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Take an art class. Draw. Enjoy it, sounds like a nice problem to have if you ask me. Learn to play chess. Visualize several moves ahead of your opponent. I'm not sure what time scale you are on but you get the gist.

 

[bluestreaks]

Play moar video games. N64

 

[MaenadsDance]

Get a good intro-level geometry textbook and work your way through it, or better yet take a geometry class. It's not spacial intelligence, it's spacial reasoning that you need to develop. A lot of it is intuitive, but what is intuition if not the product of long experience?

 

[jayceee]

Thanks for the reply, guys.

I've lucked out in calc because my prof doesn't focus too much on the kind of problems I have issues with. Starting to worry about the final because of all the graphing and application problems that come at the end of Calc I.

I've spoken to my current chem prof about my organic chem worries. He suggested that I shell out extra cash for a great model kit. I'll definitely do that.

The chess idea is an interesting one. I've always avoided that game because of my spatial issues. I actually don't play any games whatsoever. I've never downloaded a game app for my phone. You get the gist.

It's a strange issue because my problem solving issues are good. In my social circle, I'm the person who can figure out the most random (some call it crafty, I call it resourceful 😛) ways to solve your problems. I can think, I just can't see. If that makes any sense...

At any rate, I wouldn't be too worried about this if this was my first time attempting this whole med school thing. I have a horrible undergrad to make up for, so nothing less than a 4.0 will do. I haven't told any of my profs about this, and feel like this is why they dismiss the problem when I bring it up. They don't know about my past failures. To them, I'm the typical Type A pre-med student who worries about everything. They're not aware that, in my mind, my life depends on every single A I can earn.

 

[Captain Sisko]

take a cad class. that's computer assisted drawing. engineers have to take it, i did and got really good at it, and that was my best area in organic. drawing will help, only if you get good at imagining 3d objects, but with the computer it's a lot easier. also the model kit seems to help a lot of people.

 

[Patassa]

take a cad class. that's computer assisted drawing. engineers have to take it, i did and got really good at it, and that was my best area in organic. drawing will help, only if you get good at imagining 3d objects, but with the computer it's a lot easier. also the model kit seems to help a lot of people.

This. See if you can find a autocad 3d or solidworks class at your school. Going from 2d drawings to 3d renderings really helped my 3-d visualization.

Also, don't worry too much about organic. The majority of it does not rely on your ability to visualize what is happening in 3D space, many people get along fine not really knowing what the heck is going on with the 3-D structures during a reaction, they just keep the wedges and dashes straight depending on SN1/SN2 principles. Though this won't help on a test about stereoisomers and whatnot, but that is where the modeling set comes in. I bought one for like 45 bucks off amazon. Def. worth it.

You might, and it sounds like for the first time in your life, have an excellent reason to buy some legos and other assorted space oriented toys and puzzles.

Have fun.

 

[DrMidlife]

Spend some quality time with the following: http://indexed.blogspot.com/

This is a daily graph that is usually pretty funny. I can't think of a better way to get good at understanding graphical representation of data.

And definitely work with ochem tinkertoys.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Geebeejay]

Watch live music.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says, "he who feels the need to write 'not bragging' is probably bragging."

 

[Mdtichen]

Get a good intro-level geometry textbook and work your way through it, or better yet take a geometry class. It's not spacial intelligence, it's spacial reasoning that you need to develop. A lot of it is intuitive, but what is intuition if not the product of long experience?

This is true. This kind if skill takes a long time to be really proficient in (years). Certain people have had a lot of background with special reasoning, and hence tend to have more spacial intelligence. You can certainly try different activities that challenge your spacial reasoning, but don't expect it to be a quick fix. Only steady practice over a long period of time will make you proficient. But practice is the key.

 

[Speed Racer141]

play moar video games. N64

+1

 

[Goobs]

Minecraft or sim city haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lollygag]

Lol yeaaa I think you just need to get out more that's all lol

 

[ZeaL6]

play moar video games. N64

+1

+2

 

[plage noire]

take a cad class. that's computer assisted drawing. engineers have to take it, i did and got really good at it, and that was my best area in organic. drawing will help, only if you get good at imagining 3d objects, but with the computer it's a lot easier. also the model kit seems to help a lot of people.

If you can't fit in a CAD/3D visualization class, just play around with SketchUp (free download here: http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/download/ just get the basic version). It is extremely intuitive and there a ton of videos on how to make/model anything you can think of - you don't need an architectural or engineering background to use this software. You can also download (SketchUp 3d warehouse - http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/) other people's models that are already made and just fly around them, playing around with various views. I just searched for "isomer" on the 3d warehouse and found 10 different isomers that someone has modeled, probably for o-chem.

Have fun and good luck!

 

[Goro]

Take some art classes

Double posting in the Non-Trad section because I know a lot of you don't hang out in Pre-Allo. Mods, moderate as you see fit.

Hi guys,

A little background on my issue.

I'm extremely deficient in spatial intelligence. It's really bad.

Last term, I had a 4.0. But I was taking Chem (102%), Stats (99%), and Trig (97%).

Looks like I'm about to have another 4.0 term, but again Chem, Stats, and Calc. Heading into finals week with 100%, 99%, and 101% respectively.

Not bragging, just trying to demonstrate what kind of student I am when presented with math based classes.

I chose to begin my post-bac journey with mostly quantitative courses because of my lack of spatial intelligence.

A few examples are as follows:

The last calc quiz I took, I did all of the perceived hard questions first, breezing through them, and left the easy "draw a graph that looks like this" question until the end. I looked around me and noticed that everyone had completed the easy graph question first.

The only points I lost on my midterm was a due to a question involving drawing a graph based on reading stated limits.

In chem, the only points I lose on exams occur when I have to draw or interpret a picture.

I'm posting this thread because I'm worried that my lack of spatial intelligence will really mess up my chances at acing organic chemistry and physics.

How do I improve ?

I'm worried that the old adage of, "You use it, or lose it." comes into play here. I grew up with extremely strict parents who didn't believe that children should play. Seriously. Every day after school we had to go to the library until parents picked us up after work. Summers were even worse. Library from 9-5. I didn't grow up playing with toys and running around and stuff. Pictures don't mean anything to me at all.

Tried to make this as succinct as I could. How do I get that part of my brain to start working?

 

[Planes2Doc]

Has anyone seen the movie Limitless?