How to Flunk Chemistry 121

 This advice is accumulated from several (anonymous) students whose approaches differ, but have a lot in common.

1.                Don’t read anything before class – you can pick up everything you need the first time you hear it.

2.         Don’t attend all classes – what harm can be done by missing a few times.

                2A.    The day after an exam is a good day to skip class -- I worked hard for the exam and deserve a break; besides, they won't cover anything new in class.

                2B.    It's OK to take off a day early for the Albion College breaks -- etc., etc., etc.

     3.                  Don’t waste energy too early – you can pick up what you need to know the day or two before the exam.

4.                  Don’t worry about lab – they’ll probably pass you anyway if you do well in lecture.

5.                  Don’t ask questions from the instructor and don’t attend the tutorials – it’s not macho to ask for help.

6.                  Don’t study the expectations at the end of each chapter – the exam will probably be different from these anyway.

7.                  Look at the answers to the problems as soon as possible – you could have figured out how to solve the problem if you had been asked.

8.                  Don’t study the exams to learn from your mistakes  – you’ll never see anything like this again.

9.         We studied these things in high school, so I won't need to work much to get a good grade -- sure!

10.       Don't turn in voluntary homework for grading -- it doesn't count toward the grade, so it can't be important.