Organic Chemistry is a Difficult Subject
If you are struggling in the course, it may not be that you are 'not smart enough' or that you have a 'bad teacher'. While there are many different factors that play a role in making this topic difficult, the truth of the matter is, this subject IS difficult.
However, going into organic chemistry thinking 'this is so difficult, I'm never going to pass' will trigger a panic response before you even give yourself a chance. In this mode of panic you will be so distracted by your panic and fear that you will not be able to sit down and focus. This in turn leads to an inability to study, which in turns leads to a decrease in what you can understand from your course.
And this leads to more panic
So the very first step you must take in order to be able to learn and understand organic chemistry is to RELAX.
How Can I Relax When I Am So Nervous?
Sometimes you need to walk away, take part in something that will temporarily distract you and put your mind at ease. Or perhaps you can try the exact opposite. Engage in a physically exerting exercise like going for a jog or riding your bike, and then sit down to study.
The Relaxed Study Mindset
Now that you are studying, don't worry about ALL of organic chemistry. There is no way to learn it all in one sitting. Instead focus on the single topic or concept at hand.
Don't worry about your quiz or exam, and definitely don't think about your grades or GPA.
Just focus on the topic at hand
When I used to study organic chemistry, especially in preparation for an exam I use to tell myself the following:
"For now I will assume that I know nothing. This means that I will score a zero on my next exam. Let's see if I can master this one topic and score 10 points."
Using this tactic I would relax long enough to study a single topic and ensure that I fully mastered the material.
For the next topic I told myself "I am looking at 10 points on my upcoming exam, let's see if I can master one more topic to score another 10 points."
And so I would put myself heart and soul into understanding this additional topic.
I continued this way for an entire week leading up to the exam. Each topic would build upon the previous topic, however, I knew that I had done my best to review.
