Chemistry Fall 2008

penelopelp · Sep 4, 2008

Is anybody else worried about chem lab? How do you coordinate working with a partner? What if your partner isn't really into the class? They don't want to do much work? They play around, or worse, don't show up? We are supposed to turn in one paper for the two of us. Do I have to just do it myself to make sure it gets done? I don't know anybody in this class. The teacher didn't have us do introductions, and didn't let us talk in class to each other at all. So, I'm pretty nervous about choosing a lab partner. (In addition, I'm pretty shy with meeting new people.) Any ideas?

PreRN Katie · Sep 4, 2008

Is anybody else worried about chem lab? How do you coordinate working with a partner? What if your partner isn't really into the class? They don't want to do much work? They play around, or worse, don't show up? We are supposed to turn in one paper for the two of us. Do I have to just do it myself to make sure it gets done? I don't know anybody in this class. The teacher didn't have us do introductions, and didn't let us talk in class to each other at all. So, I'm pretty nervous about choosing a lab partner. (In addition, I'm pretty shy with meeting new people.) Any ideas?

I've had this same problem before. Thankfully I lucked out with a pretty good lab partner for this class, but she does rush through everything :icon_roll. In my opinion, the best thing to do if they seem like they're going to slack off and not do the work is to just do it yourself. It sucks but it's your grade and you don't want to lose points because your partner doesn't care. Talk to you lab prof and see if they have any suggestions as well...my guess is that they'll say the same thing. Good luck, I hope you end up with a great lab partner!

msdeannah · Sep 5, 2008

2nd day of Chem and so far so good. I got a 100 on my lab. We have a quiz on Thursday on Scientific notation, Dimensional analysis and Significant Features.

In my lab we are in groups of 4. We all work together but have to hand in our labs separately and are graded separately also. So far I like my group, but if I had a slacker in the group, I would have to bite the bullet and do all the work myself, but I don't think that will be an issue.

Pet peeve!!! Out of the 18 remaining students, 6 people showed 15 minutes or later for class, some 20 minutes, the class is only an hour on Thursday!!! And about half the class didn't bring a scientific calculator after he said on Tuesday you have to have one by Thursday!!!

Sorry, I'm done venting. I just loose valuable class time with the interruptions of late arrivals and the teacher having to go to his office to find spare calculators.

AtomicWoman · Sep 6, 2008

Pet peeve!!! Out of the 18 remaining students, 6 people showed 15 minutes or later for class, some 20 minutes, the class is only an hour on Thursday!!! And about half the class didn't bring a scientific calculator after he said on Tuesday you have to have one by Thursday!!!
Sorry, I'm done venting. I just loose valuable class time with the interruptions of late arrivals and the teacher having to go to his office to find spare calculators.

My chem prof gets around the late arrival problem thusly: he gives a 1 or 2 question quiz at the beginning of EVERY class. Those who arrive late get a zero, because he goes over the answer to the quiz immediately after we take it! People are hardly ever late to my chemistry class. (I'm in Organic Chem now, but I had this same prof. for Chem I.)

He would also never go get extra calculators. If people didn't have them, he'd say, "Oh, that's too bad. I told you to have one by today. You'll have to take the quiz without one, unless you can borrow a calculator from someone else." LOL This guy takes no BS from anyone. Which is why a lot of students dislike him! :)

AtomicWoman · Sep 6, 2008

P.S. Out of habit, I always have 2 calculators, in case one dies during a test. Who me, paranoid? I HAVE on several occasions lent it on test day to someone who forgot to bring theirs. I think that gets me some karma points, eh?

However, that's a different situation than a bunch of people who ignored or forgot a teacher's admonition to have a calculator ready to go by a certain date. You are right to feel annoyed when the prof. takes valuable instructional time to go get extra calculators. My pet peeve is people yapping to each other in class while the teacher is lecturing, and then the prof. has to stop and take valuable time to tell them to zip it!!

hearts895, RN BSN · Sep 6, 2008

Well, I won't be taking Organic/Bio. Chem. this quarter after all, but I will sometime soon so I'm going to keep up on the thread. If anyone has any General Chem. 101 questions feel free to P.M. me. I took a rigorous (hard lol) Chem. 101 class and I would be happy to help! Good luck everyone! :)

penelopelp · Sep 7, 2008

I would be frustrated if in a college Chemistry class, people kept forgetting their supplies. Of course, everybody has their bad days when they are distracted, but on a regular basis? That's just irresponsible.

Well, you'll have to excuse me. I spent the last 5 years teaching middle school, and "not coming to class prepared" was one of my pet peeves. :nono:

iheartbabies · Sep 7, 2008

How big are yall's classes? Last semester my chem class was HUGE, but this semester, it's only about 2/3 as big as last semester's class was. I think I like the smaller chem class better (and this professor is GREAT!!!)

penelopelp · Sep 8, 2008

My class is online, and there are about 34 of us.

PoetryInMotion · Sep 8, 2008

I'm on my second week and I'm falling behind already. I didn't have Chem in H.S. so it's like he's speaking french to me. I'm trying really hard not to get frustrated:cry:, I meet with my tutor today at 5.

Wish me luck and please send me smart-chemistry-chick vibes:heartbeat

I bought the chemistry for dummies workbook, I'm still confuseded (yes I meant to add the extra e d, because that is how confused I am) :crying2: :eek:

I can do this, I will do this!

ETA:

It's not all doom and gloom guys and gals, my prof rocks and my tutor is free. I'm finding the silver lining!

phoenixRisin9 · Sep 8, 2008

I'm trying to keep motivated and ahead of reading. It is getting difficult for me to want to stay on top of the reading though because my professor lectures the exact material from the chapter word for word. I got an A on my first quiz on scientific notation and significant figures, and I'm anxious to see how the next quiz will be. Have a great week all! I'll be seeing you in a couple days as we're moving into our new house and the soonest the cable guy can come to install internet service is Wednesday...you know how that goes.

:rolleyes:

AtomicWoman · Sep 8, 2008

I'm trying to keep motivated and ahead of reading. It is getting difficult for me to want to stay on top of the reading though because my professor lectures the exact material from the chapter word for word.

How boring is that?!!