Orgo 1 tips

[hkdude97]

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starting Orgo 1 next week

 

[CHoge25]

Study a lot

 

[OchemOficionado]

Don't try to memorize reactions. Instead, truly understand each step. If you can get that down in the beginning than the rest of the class will be smooth. Also, practice a bunch and watch YouTube videos. Good luck!

 

[Skydive Fox]

Don't fall into the narrative that organic chem is a nightmare. If you go in with that mentality, you're setting yourself up for failure. Just understand reaction mechanisms instead of rote memorization and you will be fine. It was cringe-worthy how people were trying to memorize reaction mechanisms in my classes and never learned from their mistakes. Our grades always had a two-humped distribution of A/B's and D/F's, with the former critically understanding the reactions and the latter trying to rote memorize.

 

[eteshoe]

Get a copy of Wade's Organic Chemistry and Klein's Organic Chemistry as a Second Language. Read them and study from them. Do plenty of practice problems. Use Google and YouTube. That is how you learn, understand and thus master sophomore level organic chemistry

 

[reluctantoptimism]

Don't fall into the narrative that organic chem is a nightmare. If you go in with that mentality, you're setting yourself up for failure. Just understand reaction mechanisms instead of rote memorization and you will be fine. It was cringe-worthy how people were trying to memorize reaction mechanisms in my classes and never learned from their mistakes. Our grades always had a two-humped distribution of A/B's and D/F's, with the former critically understanding the reactions and the latter trying to rote memorize.

I cannot agree with this more! I just finished the organic chemistry sequence and had I done this more effectively, the sequence would not have been so cumbersome. Drill down the basics in organic 1 and do as many problems as possible and only check answers when you can explain your reasoning. Above all, try not to freak out if your test grades aren't all As- I was so used to getting near perfect grades and organic taught me that you should strive for sound reasoning as much as accuracy.

 

[MilaKunisDoe]

Just understand the big picture and DON'T get caught up in excessively reading the textbook. My professor told our class that the best way to learn Ochem is through doing tons of practice problems, not by reading a textbook.

Worked for me.

 

[PooshBag]

Do lots of practice problems. End of chapter questions in your textbook, optional homework assignments, etc. The more problems you do, the better you can understand the stuff! And who knows, you may even find out that some professors pull their test questions from these sources.

 

[0dee]

Everything can be solved as a Lewis acid/Lewis base interaction. 😀

Honestly, ochem is a class you have to study for it in a smart way. It's not pure memorization; It's all about understanding the underlying concepts that drives the reaction forward or backward. With that being said, if you try to memorize your way in the first series of class, then you'll stumble upon bigger problems in the second part of the class.

 

[javajunkie19]

Do a lot of practice problems, the back of the chapter problems in my organic book worked out fine. Make cheat sheets for yourself for the different mechanisms and general reactions that will help you right before the test and for final prep. Don't just try to memorize everything because, even if it does work for the midterms, it will bite you in the ass for the final(if it is cumulative of course).

 

[IPICU]

If you start feeling like it's overwhelming, or you're just having a super hard time, DO NOT WAIT TO GET A TUTOR.

 

[Gulliver Dark]

Not saying anything new here, but I feel like more voices will add to the weight.. Ochem as a second language. Do practice problems from the book. Lots of practice problems. Don't wait until you have problems to start doing practice. Ochem as a second language is worth it, for sure.

 

[Gurby]

If you start feeling like it's overwhelming, or you're just having a super hard time, DO NOT WAIT TO GET A TUTOR.

+1
Orgo was the only class I've ever taken where I needed a tutor. It was a great decision and really made the class so much more enjoyable.

 

[MDurgs]

What worked for me:
Pay attention during class (don't chat with friends)
Take good/clean notes so you don't have to waste time making a study guide later
Type out summaries for the chapters in the book (important stuff only)
Do all assigned problems from the book, put a star by the ones you miss and revisit before exam
Make flash cards for reactions, reagents, mechanisms
Google "Towson ochem" for tons of great practice problems (I attribute my success to these)
Ochem is all about doing practice problems

Super helpful = buy ACS ochem study book and use each chapter for practice throughout the semester
By the time your final comes around, you have all the questions answered already
Even if your final isn't the ACS exam, its good practice

 

[Hopeful_vet]

starting Orgo 1 next week

I took orgo 1 as a night class. One night per week for 3 hours (no it wasn't at a CC). I didn't even think about orgo until 2-3 days before each exam, at which time I would put in ~ 20 hours studying. Somehow I pulled an A.

However, I would NOT recommend doing what I did.


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[Rarygen]

I second the practice is the key.

Buy the solutions manual for the book you are using. That was a godsend for me. For study, I would do all the problems on the book. If I didn't know how to do a problem, I would consult my notes from class or look at the solutions manual to understand how they did it. After a while, I was able to do all the problems without any help. So the key is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

 

[hkdude97]

I took orgo 1 as a night class. One night per week for 3 hours (no it wasn't at a CC). I didn't even think about orgo until 2-3 days before each exam, at which time I would put in ~ 20 hours studying. Somehow I pulled an A.

However, I would NOT recommend doing what I did.


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mine is a night class too (twice a week) with lab in the day between...at night

 

[hkdude97]

Thanks everyone! I'm assuming for Orgo as a second language, first semester is for Orgo 1 and second semester is for orgo 2? Also do you think its worth getting the new 4th edition or the 3rd edition should be sufficient for that resource

 

[hkdude97]

Another question, did you all take the lab in the same semester as the lecture? Or did you take the lab after the lecture

 

[Necr0sis713]

Practice your ass off and read organic chemistry as a second language. Believe me: I got a high A in orgo I (without curve, etc.) and got the highest score in my orgo II class.

What you do in orgo 1 will determine how you will do in orgo II. Keep that in mind. Build your foundation NOW.

 

[Hopeful_vet]

Another question, did you all take the lab in the same semester as the lecture? Or did you take the lab after the lecture

My school does orgo 1 and then you can take orgo 2 concurrent with lab or you can do lab later. I'm doing it later.


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[OchemOficionado]

Another question, did you all take the lab in the same semester as the lecture? Or did you take the lab after the lecture

Same time.