Has The Big Bang Theory Drawn Your Interest in Chemistry? Find Here the Best Study Tips!
Have you recently finished the last The Big Bang Theory season and remained with an inexplicable desire to learn more about the universe? It’s not surprising – chemistry is such an intriguing subject.
But as many describe it, chemistry is a subject you either love or hate. The various and complex formulas make it a bit challenging to understand, but once you get the point, you’ll study it with enthusiasm, not only out of necessity.
Besides, understanding chemistry helps you get more insight into the mysteries of the universe. Since everything revolves around atoms, it’s nearly impossible not to find something unrelated to chemistry.
So, knowing some chemistry can help you in everyday life – from cooking to reading the labels of household products.
Moreover, this at-first simple curiosity about this science acquired while watching your favorite television series may take you far. Chemistry skills are highly valued in careers like engineering, medicine, or another field of natural science.
Thus, if you managed to learn about this complex yet fascinating subject, we can only congratulate you. If not, everything has a start.
Studying chemistry might not be a piece of cake, but there are ways to make the process smoother. Read on to find out what we’ve rounded up for you!
Review material before going to class
Having already studied the material that has to be presented in class sounds a bit too harsh, isn’t it? We know that it might be tempting to wait until the teacher explains everything in the class, but trust us, some subjects require a profound approach, including chemistry.
This flipped classroom method has also started to be adopted by teachers worldwide, proving incredibly effective. The traditional way of going home and reviewing class notes may work, but not in the case of chemistry because it’s a subject based on complex formulas that take time to be fixed in mind.
Thus, coming back to class the next week with questions about the previous lesson might be useless because, yes, the teacher will clear up eventual misunderstandings.
Still, they’ll move on with the next lesson, and everything will be so messed up in your head that even what you’ve thought you know will seem uncertain.
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Try to understand than memorize
When it comes to sciences, simply memorizing the various concepts is not efficient. Since chemistry is also a science, you may try first to understand it rather than learn all the chemical formulae. As you may know, chemistry is organic and inorganic, so there are chances to quickly get bogged down if you’re trying to memorize the lessons.
Try instead to fix the fundamentals in mind by logically reading and making connections. Once you’ve gained a deep understanding of the basics, you can spend time memorizing the details.
Don’t miss labs
Without practice, you can’t be a pro in any domain. Labs are the most effective ways to strengthen your chemistry knowledge, so it would be best to utilize lab time wisely. Besides the fact that it’s an exhilarating experience, attending labs gives you the chance to work with chemical substances and conduct experiments.
And even if you don’t master the chemical theory with all its properties of molecules, atoms, and materials, you can understand them by getting in contact with them. Therefore, if your school disposes of chemistry labs, don’t miss the chance to attend them.
Take notes
Note-taking is one of the most effective ways to learn chemistry if done correctly. Not only does it help you put things in a comprehensible word, but it also facilitates your studying process. Materials provided by teachers at the end of the semester are more often than not hard to follow.
But if you write the key points down, you’ll find it easier to handle the materials when the exam period approaches. However, whether you attend physical classes or take an online chemistry course, it’s paramount to organize your notes so that you can easily follow important ideas when studying.
Consider using highlighter or outline methods to emphasize essential formulae and theories. Remember that taking notes improves your brain retention power, helping you memorize the various chemical concepts quicker.
Use mind maps
Mind mapping is a great visual memory technique that can minimize the time spent studying and boost your understanding. If you don’t know what this technique is all about, learn that it implies writing down a central topic, finding new related ideas, and then linking them together.
Mind mapping is a train of thoughts that helps you make connections between fundamental concepts and chemical formulae faster. If you’re not convinced yet, try it once – you’ll thank us later.
Practice experiments and problems daily
Similar to subjects like foreign languages, chemistry requires steady practice to excel. You should include habits like doing homework and reviewing the class materials in your daily to-do list. There’s no better way to stay at the top of the game than to incessantly practice your knowledge and skills.
We recommend testing your chemistry knowledge by working on problems or taking online tests; you shouldn’t have problems finding some since the Internet has hundreds. All you need is willingness and motivation – anything else is possible.
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Use study groups
As the saying goes, two heads are better than one, so you may want to form a study group to broaden your chemistry knowledge. Although many students prefer to study alone, claiming that they can focus more, you may that one working better in a group.
The only way to find one is by trying it out. Study groups allow students to share their ideas and notes, fill one another’s gaps, explain the various concepts of this challenging subject, and make learning funnier.
However, make sure your study group consists of no more than six people to avoid distraction. It’s also essential to tell other students to come prepared to group study sessions not to find themselves in an unpleasant situation when one has to explain a concept to everyone.
That being said, we hope you’ll get started as soon as possible and make use of these recommendations. Fingers crossed!