Undergraduate chemistry

Hi,

Currently a first year chemistry student and I am wondering if anybody has any first year notes they would be willing to share.

It would also be helpful if anyone has any advice on resources etc and how to manage time between labs/lectures/work load to keep on top. I am finding it relatively challenging (but sort of managing)

Reply 1

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by jammy120_0

Hiya,

I'm a third-year chemistry student at Lancaster University. Chemistry definitely has a high workload so managing all the deadlines, contact hours and life outside of your degree can be a challenge.

The thing that has helped me the most is having a planner and calendar. I use it to organise all my classes, allocate specific study sessions and put all my deadlines in. When uni is extra busy, it is sometimes helpful to also schedule times where I don't have to work.

Also, core textbooks like Clayden's Organic Chemistry, Atkin's Physical Chemistry, Housecroft and Sharpe's Inorganic Chemistry and Chemistry Cubed can be really useful for understanding core concepts and revising from something different to the lecture notes.

Online, Web of Science and Scifinder can be really useful to help you find relevant literature, finding molecular masses of complicated molecules and looking at spectra that others may have already recorded. Also, ChemLibre often has good explanations of most concepts.

For labs specifically, review the experimental procedures and concepts beforehand. Ask demonstrators, the lab technicians and the academics all of the questions you can and take detailed notes to help with the post-lab assignments.

I find that switching up my work environments often like going to the library, coffee shops and the chemistry building to study helps breaks up the monotony of staying in my room to study and helps me feel more motivated.

Hope this helps-
Beth (Lancaster Student Ambassador)