Nov262008
Chemistry Stories
Filed under History by Kim at 6:09 pm on Nov 26 2008
So. I made it to the Howard County Community College advising hours, and after looking at my unofficial transcripts, they OKed me for either or both of the remaining classes I need. After some thought I decided to take Chemistry first, in the regular-size semester, because it will be harder. I know this because I’ve taken it twice and it was painful both times.
The first time was around 1992. I believe it was the summer before senior year in high school. See, at my schmancy private school they offered all three AP sciences, and you had a choice. I can’t quite recall what my driving need was to take all three of them, but in order to do this I had to voluntarily sign up for (and wheedle my parents into paying for) a summer school session of Chemistry. I can only assume I was just a giant fucking nerdburger and felt I had to prove it. I somehow involved Genie in this plan as well, or she involved me, I’m not sure. It was mutual assured nerdstruction. What followed was several tear-filled weeks of desperate A-chasing. 
My most vivid memory of that summer – scratch that – I have two or three vivid memories. I know that I practiced crafting the smallest possible handwriting ever recorded, because one feature of the class was an allowed one-sided cheat sheet for each exam. I remember (please forgive me for this Genie – or hopefully you already have) desperately trying to spy what Genie got on her exams to see if I did better. (Supporting the “something to prove” theory above.) And finally I recall sitting on the stone benches outside the “Pit” actually crying because I did not get an A on something. I remember very distinctly feeling burning shame over that, and I can’t remember if it was because Genie did better than me (again, I am so sorry I used to be an ass) or just my own whatever. But in the interest of full disclosure, it is a memory that stuck with me.
I got another chance to take Chem in college. I guess my AP scores were not up to par. (Physics had been a right disaster; something fell apart for me around the lens chapter. Best not discussed.) Unfortunately, I figured I could pass without attending the class at all. That did not work. I have virtually no memory of burning shame at my failure because it was totally washed away by the actual clinical depression I was experiencing. Good times.
So now I’m coming back for more of this, since shockingly HCC won’t accept a 10 year old D. I am some kind of glutton for punishment. Although, eeeeverything is different now – hopefully I’m not an ass. And I’m not contemplating throwing myself through a plate glass window. And I remember the first two elements on the periodic table. I think that is a good place to start.
1 Genieon 26 Nov 2008 at 9:50 pm
You mentioned Chemistry in a previous post and my first reaction was “oh fuck!” like you had mentioned there would be a bombing raid and we should all take cover.
That summer was the summer of crying trying to wrap our brains around something that wasn’t designed to be learned that quickly. And my experience with Chemistry 101 in college was that overhead projectors had no place in an auditorium of 350 students. And that I would rather sleep than learn that stuff.
But here’s hoping you rally – third time is the charm! I’ll be waving my pompoms for you!
[Reply]
2 RYErneston 29 Nov 2008 at 4:27 pm
Nice post u have here 😀 Added to my RSS reader
[Reply]
3 Prosaic Paradise » Back to School - New & Improvedon 09 Feb 2009 at 2:18 pm
[…] I’ve done this twice before, it’s a little weird, like I have a really bad case of amnesia. I know I learned this stuff […]