Leah Neibuhr | Contributing Illustrator

Dear Scene,

I’m a first-year taking Gen Chem, and I’m really struggling. Not only do I feel like I’m not understanding anything, it feels like it comes naturally to everyone else around me. It makes me feel like I don’t belong here and that I should just give up on my career goals now if I can’t even get through an intro-level course. What should I do?

–Chemically Challenged

Dear Chemically Challenged, 

You are not alone! I remember feeling the exact same way when I took chemistry, and I’m sure  that many of your classmates feel that way too. While it’s understandable to feel defeated, don’t lose hope yet! There’s still time to be proactive and change the trajectory of your grade in the course.

Gen Chem at WashU can feel so difficult at times that it may seem like the professors are out to get you, but at the end of the day, they are invested in your success. While it can definitely be intimidating to reach out to a professor or mentor for help, there’s no shame in it. Professors would rather see you ask than struggle. When I took the course, I actually had a professor reach out to me directly in order to make sure everything was going okay, which goes to show that these instructors value their students and are eager to help. 

While there is a vast network of well-known resources available to Gen Chem students, the importance of these resources can’t be overstated. I was someone who performed at an astoundingly mediocre level in this class, and I’m confident that if I had used the resources they provided with more consistency, I would have felt better about the content and improved my performance on exams. Attending office hours,weekly problem solving sessions, and PLTL will be the key to your success, and even outside of the specific resources for your class, you can get access to mentors through the Learning Center at WashU. 

If your biggest concern is your final grade, rest assured that there is lots of time left in the semester to improve. If you do end up with a grade you think is subpar, remember that many graduate programs prefer to see an upward trajectory in your grades rather than perfection during your freshman year. I also want to emphasize that your chemistry grade does not define you or the kind of student you are — you belong here, regardless of how well you perform in your first-year chemistry course.

However, if this course is making you realize that your initial career plan may no longer be of interest to you, that’s okay, too! As a first-year, you have so much time left to explore your academic passions and figure out what you truly want to do. At the same time, if you’re already passionate about the career you want to pursue, don’t let one hard class be the reason you give up on a dream. 

Whatever you decide during your first year of college does not have to be permanent, so keep your mind open. There are so many ways that you can learn and grow during this course if you choose to, both as a student of chemistry and as a student in general. You’ve got this!

Your chemistry cheerleaders,

Scene