Chemistry!!!

Hey there, Blahggers!

So, I promised two posts: one about journalism, and one about chemistry. So, here's the happy AP chem post!!!!

My school goes by a block schedule, which (for the people, like me when I first moved here, who don't know what that is) means that I have four classes one day, and another for the next. Repeat cycle. However, AP chem was a double block, which means I had it both days. It was a relatively small class, there were only 11 of us, not including the teacher.

Many of us spent the time understanding stuff one day and then spending the next day crying under our desks because our minds couldn't handle the pressure of things we couldn't get to save our lives. (Okay...Maybe the second one was just me...But we did all get many headaches...)

We actually DID have a lot of fun in that class. Our teacher was a basket-case some days, but she's really fun and nice and her basket gave us some REALLY good ways of remembering things. Like, which is bigger? Fluorine or Francium? We're all jealous of cute, tiny little Fluorine in that upper-right corner. She's small, gets all the guys (electrons) and doesn't let them go. Then there's fat ol' Francine in the bottom left. She doesn't get many guys, but she's always letting them go easily. Yes. We spent much time laughing.

I actually had her as a chemistry teacher junior year, too. When I went to the new juniors and seniors orientation, I talked to her and she was the one that suggested I had a different backpack for each block day. I took that in and it's an idea that worked REALLY well for me!!

Chemistry was one of my favorite classes then, too, which I why I went on and took AP this past year. It was a BLAST. I loved doing all the labs we did. Then again, labs are ALWAYS fun, but still.

Yes, blast or not, AP chem was super hard. Our teacher was very patient with us and always gave us help when we needed it. She was really nice an supportive, when it came to chemistry and when it came to things outside of school, as well.

Even with the headaches, tears, loss of hair due to stress, terrifying AP test, and lots of study sessions, we still found time to laugh in the class. Be it when we were done for the day and playing Heads Up! on one of the girl's phone or sitting around chatting (or debating/arguing....depending on the day and how far she'd let it go until she stopped it lol) we all had fun together.

One of the things we did that was really fun and made us all laugh was making molecules out of toothpicks and candy so we could learn the shapes. Let's just say that (with lots of laughter) many Peeps were mutilated or turned into other things that day.

After the test, using science, we made ice cream and tie-dyed shirts. (We'd been looking forward to both events all year.) I enjoyed the ice cream much more this year than I did last year...Partially because I was a bit hyper due to getting over my oral surgery...(I'd had all for of my wisdom teeth taken out a few days beforehand.)

When we made the tie-dye, the shirts actually sat over night before we dyed them, and then for a weekend in the dye. Mine actually turned out really well! I love wearing it! I'd used the shirt provided and one of my own. It gave the thing a TOTALLY new look.

One of the days after the AP test we tested the "Mentos in Coke" thing. We used a couple different pops (sodas) and some barely reacted. Diet Coke still won the battle, though. I tried twice to put them in the cap, screw it on, then back up FAST and watch what happened. I wasn't fast enough either time. Yea....Didn't end well in the "staying dry" department.

Overall, AP chem was great. I didn't pass the actual test, but I know that in our practice test I've always been one or two points away from doing so, thus I don't think I actually did that poorly. And we were all EXTREMELY relieved when it was over, and the AP chem fun, memories, and inside jokes shall continue forever.

Hannah Haugen
The Daily Blahgger

Last day of school - making ice cream and wearing our tie-dye