The first step is to determine exactly how long you have to learn
chemistry. You'll need a lot more discipline to learn chemistry in a day
compared with a week or a month. Also, keep in mind you won't have
great retention if you cram chemistry in a day or a week. Ideally you
want a month or longer to master any course. If you do end up cramming
chemistry, expect to review the material if you need to apply it to a
higher level chemistry course or remember it for a test further down the
road.
A Word About Chemistry Lab
If you can do labwork, that's
fantastic, because the hands-on learning will reinforce the concepts.
However, labs take time, so most likely you'll miss this segment. Keep
in mind labs are required for some situations. For example, you have to
document labwork and many online courses. If you are doing labs, check how long they
take to perform before getting starting. Some labs take less than an
hour start-to-finish, while others might take hours, days or weeks. Pick
short exercises, whenever possible. Supplement book learning with
videos, which are readily available online.
Gather Your Materials
You can use any chemistry textbook, but some are better than others for fast learning. These are high quality,
time-tested reviews that cover everything. Avoid dumbed-down books
because you'll get the illusion that you learned chemistry, but won't
master the topic.
Make a Plan
Don't be haphazard and just dive in, expecting success in the end! Make a plan, record your progress and stick to it.
- Divide your time. If you have a book, figure out how many chapters
you're going to cover and how much time you have. For example, you may
study and learn three chapters a day. It may be a chapter an hour.
Whatever it is, write it out so you can track your progress.
- Get started! Check off what you accomplish. Maybe reward
yourself after pre-determined points. You know better than anyone else
what it will take to get you to get the job done. It may be self-bribes.
It may be fear of an impending deadline. Find what works for you and
apply it.
- If you fall behind, try to catch up right away. You might
not be able to double your work, but it's easier to catch up as fast as
possible rather than have the studying snowball out of control.
- Support your study with healthy habits. Make sure you get
some sleep, even if it's in the form of naps. You need sleep to process
new information. Try to eat nutritious food. Get some exercise. Take
walks or work out during breaks. It's important to switch gears every so
often and get your mind off chemistry. It may feel like wasted time,
but it's not. You'll learn more quickly if you take brief breaks than if
you just study, study, study. However, don't let yourself get
sidetracked where you don't get back to chemistry. Set and keep limits
regarding time away from your learning.
Helpful Tips
- Try to review prior material. Even if it's just a quick review,
planning a set amount of time to go over old material will help you
retain it.
- Work through problems. At the very least, make sure you can
work example problems. If you have time (days or weeks instead of
hours), work problems. Working problems is the best way to truly learn
how to apply the concepts.
- Take notes. Writing down important points helps you learn the information.
- Recruit a study buddy. A partner can help keep you
motivated, plus you can offer each other support and put your heads
together when you encounter hard problems or challenging concepts.
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- By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.,
Feel Free To Say Thousand Words
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