Honors Organic Chemistry
Course: Chemistry 335, 336, 337 (Honors Organic Chemistry)
Taken: Fall 2012-Spring 2013, Sophomore Year
Professors: Forrest Michael, Michael Gelb, Dustin Maly
Taking Honors Organic Chemistry was a turning point in my academic career. The series tested my ability to preform with the brightest chemistry students in the university, my confidence in myself that I can be successful in whatever I put my mind to, and my resolve to finish what I started. While this class was extremely difficult, I learned quite a lot of chemistry and about myself as a student. One of my favorite, and simultaneously most challenging, experiences in the class was my spring quarter final. Instead of a standard final exam, Professor Maly gave us a take-home final, and then scheduled an oral exam with each of us to discuss it. I have never been more proud of preforming solidly average on a final exam because this was proof that I could hold my own against the most talented students in my year and that I was up to the task of college level science.
Reflections:
Chem 335 (written December 2012)
I had always heard that organic chemistry is supposed to kick your butt, and it's true. As a biochemistry major, ochem is something of a right of passage that all prospective scientists have to muddle through, learning what you can and hopefully coming out not hating chirality and diethyl ether. I chose to take the honors series to fulfill my honors science requirement, but also as a personal challenge to myself. I figured if I could get through a year of honors ochem then I could tackle anything.
Professor Forrest Michael proved to be one of the best teachers I have had at UW so far. He was a very engaging and knowledgable lecturer, and I throughly enjoyed learning from him. This class was hard and within a few days it was robustly clear that I was no longer the smartest kid in the class, but I still managed to score nearly exactly average. And in a class full of the brightest scientists of my year, doing average was more that enough to make me feel like I belonged there.
Chem 336 (written March 2013)
Nothing hurts you quite so deeply as a blow to your pride. Coming out of fall quarter honors ochem with a solid grade of 3.3, I felt like this class was something I could handle. Nearly half the class from fall quarter had dropped out in winter, but not me. I belonged here, I could handle this, and there was no way that I was backing down this easily. Well, sometimes success is harder to come by than you think it will be. The 2.5 in earned in this class is by far the worst grade I have ever received in my school career. But that still doesn't mean that I'm gonna quit. I'm still in the game because what this grade doesn't show is how much I have learned, and even how much I have enjoyed chemistry. Next quarter I am determined to stay on top each new mechanism we learn, to do practice problems, regularly, and to look for help even before I start to struggle.
The challenges that I have faced in this class have in many ways mirrored my feelings about this winter quarter as a whole. This quarter I have dealt with personal disappointments, rigorous classes, and an overhanging sense of disorientation and loss of purpose in my studies. No matter the road blocks though, I need to recognize that this is just a bump on my overall journey, and remember that my triumphs and fond memories will always outweigh the bad.
I can do this, and it's not over yet.
Taken: Fall 2012-Spring 2013, Sophomore Year
Professors: Forrest Michael, Michael Gelb, Dustin Maly
Taking Honors Organic Chemistry was a turning point in my academic career. The series tested my ability to preform with the brightest chemistry students in the university, my confidence in myself that I can be successful in whatever I put my mind to, and my resolve to finish what I started. While this class was extremely difficult, I learned quite a lot of chemistry and about myself as a student. One of my favorite, and simultaneously most challenging, experiences in the class was my spring quarter final. Instead of a standard final exam, Professor Maly gave us a take-home final, and then scheduled an oral exam with each of us to discuss it. I have never been more proud of preforming solidly average on a final exam because this was proof that I could hold my own against the most talented students in my year and that I was up to the task of college level science.
Reflections:
Chem 335 (written December 2012)
I had always heard that organic chemistry is supposed to kick your butt, and it's true. As a biochemistry major, ochem is something of a right of passage that all prospective scientists have to muddle through, learning what you can and hopefully coming out not hating chirality and diethyl ether. I chose to take the honors series to fulfill my honors science requirement, but also as a personal challenge to myself. I figured if I could get through a year of honors ochem then I could tackle anything.
Professor Forrest Michael proved to be one of the best teachers I have had at UW so far. He was a very engaging and knowledgable lecturer, and I throughly enjoyed learning from him. This class was hard and within a few days it was robustly clear that I was no longer the smartest kid in the class, but I still managed to score nearly exactly average. And in a class full of the brightest scientists of my year, doing average was more that enough to make me feel like I belonged there.
Chem 336 (written March 2013)
Nothing hurts you quite so deeply as a blow to your pride. Coming out of fall quarter honors ochem with a solid grade of 3.3, I felt like this class was something I could handle. Nearly half the class from fall quarter had dropped out in winter, but not me. I belonged here, I could handle this, and there was no way that I was backing down this easily. Well, sometimes success is harder to come by than you think it will be. The 2.5 in earned in this class is by far the worst grade I have ever received in my school career. But that still doesn't mean that I'm gonna quit. I'm still in the game because what this grade doesn't show is how much I have learned, and even how much I have enjoyed chemistry. Next quarter I am determined to stay on top each new mechanism we learn, to do practice problems, regularly, and to look for help even before I start to struggle.
The challenges that I have faced in this class have in many ways mirrored my feelings about this winter quarter as a whole. This quarter I have dealt with personal disappointments, rigorous classes, and an overhanging sense of disorientation and loss of purpose in my studies. No matter the road blocks though, I need to recognize that this is just a bump on my overall journey, and remember that my triumphs and fond memories will always outweigh the bad.
I can do this, and it's not over yet.