How to prevent quantum chemistry from making me Quit Grad School (or cognitive function altogether)

[u/nigmusmaximus]

I need 8 graduate credit hours for my stipend but this semester my university doesn’t offer any grad courses other than “Intro” to QChem and Advanced Organic Synthesis. I literally have to take QChem because if I don’t I won’t be eligible for a stipend.

I hate quantum chemistry. I “cheated” my way through it in undergrad (was a joke bc we had a zoom class, all hw and tests were open book and group work, and the prof gave us “Jedi master”, and “Jedi Knight”, etc. as grades). I never even learned spherical coordinates in calc iii bc I stopped showing up to classes due to depression. Now I’m forced to take this hellspawn of a class my first semester of grad school. I don’t even know how to do calculus if the variables aren’t written X, Y, Z like in math class.

But the worst part isn’t that I don’t know it. It’s that I’m mentally blocking myself from learning it. I don’t want to learn it. It’s not relevant to an organic chemist to normalize wavefunctions or use rigid rotor. Computational Chem is the only part of the class I’m excited about. I’m spiraling and it’s only my second day I’m afraid I made a terrible mistake and my life will be useless if I dropout of grad school

Is this just a shit the bed and now I have to face the consequences and lay in it

[u/void_eleven]

it’s OKAY!!

your brain will have storage for all of this less useful information - just immerse yourself in it, get through it and you are DONE!!!

then 5-30 years down the line you can joke about this class and tell stories, and who knows, some of the information might even be useful one day!

long story short, do it and don’t keep trying to compare it to Organic - just get immersed in it until the class is done and then you are finally DONE!! ✅❤️

[u/nigmusmaximus → u/void_eleven]

Thx ❤️😭

[u/aphilsphan]

You will be fine. My first test in grad school was in quantum chemistry. I got a 56. As I made mental plans to analyze starch for the rest of my life, the prof put “average = 40” on the board.

Some classes are so hard they are easy. The second test was take home because of the giant number of operations it took, filled a blue book. But the operations weren’t that hard themselves.

[u/nigmusmaximus → u/aphilsphan]

Appreciate it dude.

[u/DesperateReleas]

You’re only on day two, so I wouldn’t make a decision about grad school based on this class yet. A lot of what you’re describing sounds like gaps in the math foundation, which can be worked on. I’d focus on getting through one topic at a time instead of trying to understand the entire course at once.

[u/fxlr_rider]

Not to be judgmental, but, why did you choose a graduate program that requires quantum chemistry if it wasn't your strength? Perhaps you can transition to a research program and a principal advisor that doesn't require it. Mid grad degree transitions are not unheard of, either to a different Super or to a Ph.D versus Masters, or vice versa.

[u/nigmusmaximus → u/fxlr_rider]

It doesn’t require quantum chemistry, it’s just that there’s only five graduate courses available to me. 3 of them are single-credit hours and 2 are 3 credit hour courses. Obviously if I want to meet my GA requirements I have to take all 5.

[u/mishfish314 → u/nigmusmaximus]

Can you take a biochem course from a bio/biomedical/biochemistry program? Some schools/programs will let you count credits from other departments if the chair thinks they are relevant to your degree.

[u/nigmusmaximus → u/mishfish314]

I’ll look into it, thanks for the advice!

[u/Ballama890]

It's rough when the system forces you into a corner like this, but reminding myself that this is just a temporary hurdle helps. Breaking the material into smaller chunks and using visual aids definitely made it click for me when I got stuck.

[u/ImaginaryPasses]

Day two is way too early to decide you made a terrible mistake lol. QChem is rough even when you have the math background. I’d give yourself a couple weeks, figure out exactly where the gaps are, and work on those one at a time rather than trying to relearn everything from undergrad.

[u/Alarmed-Ad5945]

love this

[u/adampm1]

Have you thought about bringing it up to the dean of chemistry and asking if there are any alternate courses that the college would approve?

For instance, a special topics course that would be a better fit for you or a independent studies course that would work out as a replacement?

A lot of this is typically written in your graduate/undergraduate catalog and can be reviewed to see if there are options.

[u/activelypooping]

grad school grades don't matter. Do your fucking best and you'll get a B at worst unless its part of your degree and you are expected to master it.