Last year, as a high school junior, I decided to face the daunting task of taking AP Chemistry. I was convinced I could complete the course without much effort, but very early on terms like “London Dispersion Forces”, “Hydrogen Bonding”, and “Crystal Lattices” got jumbled in my brain, and for the first time in my life I found myself significantly struggling in a class. However, with the help of my classmate, teacher, and “Bozeman Science” YouTube videos, I was able to get an A my second semester, and prove to not only myself but also my parents that if I apply myself I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.
When I first began having difficulties in the class I didn’t know what to do. I tried to study on my own, but since I hardly understood the material, I struggled with retaining information. After realizing I was not comprehending the notes we took in class, I decided to ask one of my classmates for help. She was able to explain the material to me in a way I could understand, and my test scores drastically improved.
Even after my classmate helped me understand the general concept of Chemistry, I still found myself needing help with the in-depth information. My teacher was kind enough to meet with me before and after school so that I could ask her any homework questions I had. I was able to retain the detailed information, and at last I understood all aspects of the notes we took in class.
Lastly, in preparation for the chapter tests, I would watch “Bozeman Science” YouTube videos. After getting help from my classmate and teacher I had realized that I am a visual learner, therefore watching how to solve problems on YouTube helped me much more than reading through my notes.
All in all, without the help of my classmate, teacher, and “Bozeman Science” videos, I would not have had as much success in AP Chemistry. I not only learned the material, I also learned that sometimes help from others is what it takes to fully comprehend an idea, and although I only got a 2 on the AP exam, I left knowing that I had prepared myself to the best of my abilities.
