Organic Chemistry

I hate Chemistry. I've hated it since before I ever took it since both of my parents came close to failing it in high school and my usually smarty pants sister had great difficulties. So when I took it in high school, I was no exception to my family's rule. Crash and burn. And then it was behind me. Or so I thought.

Then I had the great idea of deciding to be a nurse and therefore enrolling in Longwood as a biology major with the intention of going to nursing school. My eighteen-year-old mind must not have been working properly when I came up with that great idea since I had just chosen one of the most difficult majors and I've never in my life enjoyed learning or been good at it at all.

So let's not forget the role that Chemistry plays in everything. Oh, I only need to take 5 semesters of the one class I've ever just tried to "get through." The first two, General Chemistry. Piece of cake, I thought. Turns out I was right about that first semester since I got a nice and solid B without doing much. I guess I had learned more in high school than I thought. Then spring semester happened. I drank too much. D. So I got to do the unfortunate task of re-taking it the following spring. I hate Chemistry.

Luckily, that second time around was with a new teacher who was pretty good. I learned enough to get me to (but maybe not through) the dreaded Organic Chemistry, which I had been dreading since the moment I decided to major in Biology. The horror stories I heard were endless. How it ruined the careers of would-be doctors. More people fail it than pass it. The first test's averages were in the 30's. So I decided to knock it all out last summer. That was my next mistake.

On top of working a full time job, I went to night classes for 5 hours a night. I was exhausted and the awful teacher I had barely spoke English and went at a pace that was unbelievably fast. My classmates (or some of them) were able to pass by studying every moment they weren't in class. After too many panic and crying attacks than any normal person should have, I decided that after I (barely) passed the first part of lab and lecture, I would only take the second lab part. Long story short, I barely passed that one too. I learned nothing that summer. I hate Chemistry.

So now I'm back. I only need to take the final part of Organic Chemistry lecture. One semester. One hour a day for 3 days a week. I can do this. I kept telling myself that. At least I heard encouraging things about this new teacher. Turns out I got a B+ on my first test and learned more in the first 3 weeks of class than I have in any other Chemistry class.

Now if I could only hope that for the Biochemistry class I have to take next fall. Unfortunately, unless they decide to get a new teacher after this semester, I'm stuck with the teacher who fails the most students at Longwood.

I really hate Chemistry.