Chemistry is one of the most dreaded subjects worldwide. That’s why you’ll never hear the phrase “I can’t wait to start studying for my chemistry final!” This begs the question: why is chemistry so boring?
Well, it might be due to a combination of reasons, from the teaching methods to the negative mindset. Keep reading to know all these different reasons.
Why Is Chemistry So Boring?
1. Lack Of Understanding
When you don’t understand something, you’re more likely to find it boring. On the other hand, if you find the subject enriching and logical, you won’t be able to put it down.
That’s mostly what happens when it comes to chemistry. Most people just don’t understand it properly, so they find it to be boring.
It goes without saying that chemistry is a hard subject. That’s why you need to go at it at a slow pace. Make sure you understand each word before jumping on the next.
Otherwise, you’ll only end up confused, frustrated, and bored!
2. Topic Progression
Unlike other subjects where you can just pick and choose the topic of your liking, you need to follow the correct sequence when it comes to chemistry.
Chemistry is all about correct progression. You can’t just jump into advanced chemistry without thoroughly knowing all the basics.
Since chemistry requires great knowledge of all the small topics before jumping into the next, it can be boring for students who like a challenge.
However, this just can’t be done! After all, you can’t start studying organic chemistry because you like it. First, you’ll need to learn about all the elements, bonds, and chemical reactions.
This doesn’t happen in a lot of other school subjects. For instance, in History, each chapter is unique. You don’t need to learn about Aztec culture to understand the French Revolution!
3. Theoretical Subject
Chemistry is all about theories, most of which are quickly disproven by others.
As an example, it was widely accepted that electrons were positioned at the eight corners of an imaginary cube until Bohr disproved that model only eight years later!
That being said, studying chemistry means understanding all these different theories. You can’t choose to believe in one theory and disregard another, especially since most of these theories are hard to dispute.
4. A Lot Of Information
The most logical reason why people find chemistry so boring is that it’s a lot of information. Even if you’re a self-proclaimed nerd, no one likes to study that much.
Everything is connected here. If you want to properly understand chemistry, you need to start low and slow, then work your way up to harder topics, as well as know all the different theories.
After all that, you’ll find that you’ve barely started the first chapter of Chemistry-101. Naturally, this can be boring and discouraging.
However, all the different information is crucial so you can truly understand the complex subject. So, while it might be overwhelming, it’s completely worth it.
5. Wordy Textbooks
The most important part of studying chemistry is, of course, the textbook! The more pictures, tables, and graphs in the book, the better the learning experience.
Again, this isn’t the case for chemistry. Since it’s a highly theoretical subject, there’s little room when it comes to adding pictures.
This is a sure way to reduce your creativity and erase all signs of imagination. You’re just left with a bunch of words and equations.
6. Practical Application
The saying that practice makes everything better perfectly applies when it comes to studying chemistry.
Because it’s a theoretical subject that requires a lot of information, what’s a better way of memorizing the information than trying it yourself?
The practical part of chemistry is, without a doubt, the most fun. Unfortunately, it can be highly unsafe. Additionally, not all experiments can be done in normal laboratories.
So, studying chemistry with little practical application will surely bore any student. This way, you’re left with just some theories and equations with no way to prove them, not even a picture in the textbook!
7. Teaching Method
Teachers are probably the most essential part of learning. A great teacher can surely transform any dull subject into your favorite. However, the opposite is true.
It’s incredibly frustrating and difficult to teach simple concepts if you understand them well!
Imagine teaching an infant how to spell their name or your grandparents how to use a mobile phone. Now you know how teachers feel!
In addition, sometimes teachers don’t have enough resources to properly teach a subject. Other times they just don’t know how to get the point across.
Keep in mind not all chemistry teachers are Walter White in disguise! Who knows, maybe your teacher finds chemistry boring as well.
8. Out Of Touch
Most people’s problem with chemistry is that we rarely use it in our daily lives. So, what use is studying all the different bonds and elements if it’s not going to be used anyway?
It can be hard learning about something you can’t see or feel, but in fact, chemistry is all around us!
Everything around us is made of chemicals, from cleaning agents to batteries. That’s why it’s important to understand all the basics, so you’ll get to the more complex and interesting parts of chemistry.
Additionally, chemistry is an essential part of making medicines, and you have chemical interactions happening in your body 24/7. So, chemistry is definitely an essential part of our daily lives.
9. Missing Out On Mathematics
You can’t enjoy chemistry if you don’t understand it. Unfortunately, chemistry contains a lot of math. So, if you hate mathematics and calculations, you’ll definitely find chemistry boring.
Mathematics can be challenging, and that’s why people avoid the subject altogether.
Also, when people find out calculations compromise a great part of chemistry, they immediately feel repelled.
Still, you don’t have to be a calculus genius to enjoy chemistry. All you need is a basic grasp of math and how it ties to chemistry.
Math can actually be the most enjoyable part of chemistry if you understand its importance. In the simplest terms, it’s what transforms theories and equations into correct and safe practical models.
10. Studying Alone
There’s no doubt that studying is more enjoyable with friends. That’s why it can be so boring studying alone, especially when it comes to challenging subjects such as chemistry.
Not only that, but everyone thinks differently. So, if you’re stuck on a specific theory, your study partners might help you understand it better.
Study groups are also a great motivation. They can challenge you and help you pick up your pace.
On the other hand, studying by yourself can lead to confusion, procrastination, and eventually boredom.
11. Approaching Mindset
It’s well-known that negative thoughts attract negative results. So, when you start studying chemistry with a negative mindset, it’s only natural to hate it!
That’s what happens with a lot of students. They give in to the misconception that a particular topic is hard, so they dread even thinking about it, eventually putting off all the work.
Then, when it’s time to study, they find that a lot has piled up. In addition to their already bad mood, they have to cram.
This bad experience is probably what makes you think chemistry is boring. However, if you were to have an open mind and study one day at a time, chemistry would soon become your favorite subject.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why science is so boring, why English class is so boring, and why homework is so boring.
In Conclusion
Chemistry is one of the most boring subjects out there. The lack of practical applications, giant textbooks, and slow pace don’t help either.
Still, once you know why chemistry is so boring, you can tackle each of these problems. After all, chemistry can be so enjoyable when studied right!