Class Advice

To the incoming group of students taking Physical Chemistry:

Below are comments from the previous group of students given near the end of the semester. Heed their advice as they are deep within the course and have an excellent perspective. I hope they are helpful.

My advice would be to start the homework the very first day, and then work on it everyday after that. The first test will feel like you've been punched in the face with a brick. You'll eventually recover and get over it. Use that test as a learning experience because its the same format as all following exams. No matter what anyone says the test get harder as you go, because he expects you to get better and quit making stupid mistakes on mcad. Ask as many questions as you need to in order to understand the material. He doesn't mind you camping in his office as long as you are asking good aka "smart" questions. Learn to LOVE mcad, it will save your life. Brush up on your calc. skills because everything you thought you would never have to use shows up at one point or another. Most importantly this class requires a major time commitment. Not to recieve a good grade, but to pass in general. Be prepaired to spend several hours a night on homework. If you put it off you'll spend all day and all night and not have accomplished anything. As Jez says you'll be a stronger better person when you are done, if it doesn't kill you first. Good Luck.

Ask questions...lots of them. Understand that there is no full understanding of the concepts you will learn, take it at face value and don't try to investigate too much of the why. Try and foresee possible exam questions, then ask questions about the scenario. There are instances when Dr. Jez will somewhat imply that there are other varying scenarios to general rules, watch for "notice" and "relate." If you can think of way to change the entire derived expression for a rule, then so can he, you better go ask him before the test if you're not sure how. It doesn't hurt to refresh on Calc, or keep a book handy. Use all the resources you can. With that being said, expect the unexpected. Solutions are never what they seem. Almost always a little! more in depth than expected or it's easier than you think. The more possible scenarios that you can think of before the exam to ask him about, the fewer curve balls you'll see. Working through your homework is a must, but don't rely purely on it. In lecture, taking notes is imperitive, but do not catch yourself only writing what he writes on the board, it is better to sit and listen and soak in the concepts than to write a bunch of junk you won't understand ten minutes later. ASK QUESTIONS!!! If you don't get it, or don't know where to start, take a wild guess and then ask Dr. J for a push. He would much rather give you less points for help than no points for giving up. Some of us former students will be around, and though we are by no means tutoring material, you can always ask us a question that we might be able to throw an idea at. Again, you can't let the pressure from this class get to you, understand that you will hit walls and you won't understand things, tha! t's ok, that's just P chem. Fight your way through the battle and you 'll be fine. It's the most difficult subject to wrap your mind around, so instead of solving the world's problems through P chem, just solve the ones in front of you. P.S.-True or False- The answer is typically shaped like an elephant....

If nothing else, make sure you do your homework because it WILL be on the test. If you wait until the week of the test to catch up, you are already too late. If you've forgotten something from P Chem I that you need for this class, don't be afraid to ask for a reminder on how to do something - Dr. Jez is a patient person. We can't all integrate large equations off the top of our heads :D

I recommend the incoming class to show up to lecture, and ask for clarification on everything that is unclear. IN OTHER WORDS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SEMESTER. Start on the homework early and make sure you finish the homework problems prior to the exams. WORK IN A GROUP AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS IN REACHING AN ANSWER. This course is not one to underestimate. Before entering this course the sun seemed to shine brightly be prepared for it and your soul, and life to be striped away from you before your eyes. GOOD LUCK!!!!!! hahahaha

I would definitely advise students to be VERY familiar with calculus, especially integrations and how to approach multiple derivations with complex integers. Now I know why calculus 4 and differential equations are both "recommended" for my degree. If I had been more experienced with calculus I would have been able to actually focus more on the concepts of physical chemistry rather than working out all of the math. Good luck! This is an extremely challenging course.