Junior year. Second period. Honors chemistry. Webassigns, long lab reports, and stressful tests. A teacher who wanted to ingrain the material in us, so we’d always have a solid foundation for our future in science, even though not all of us are going into a science field. He is passionate about what he does and wants us to be too. Having a block schedule and only having this class every other day gives only minimal relief to us all. Junior year is already the most stressful year work-load wise in high school and this class really takes the cake. Any amount of slacking can be the downfall of your GPA; many have already succumbed because of this mandatory chemistry class. I’ve always been in honors, I’ll take honors chem, many think, much to their dismay.

Fast forward to my first semester at UD. Chem103 with Professor Wingrave. Classmates around me say they feel lost in chemistry but I don’t feel the same. Everything we’re doing in lecture makes sense as I can recall almost everything I learned two years ago. I am surprised at the amount I can recall after a year of not using chemistry as regularly or as intensely as junior year. It comes back as easily as if it were the end of that stress-filled year. Never did I ever expect a college course to be like this, I guess Mr.Mackenzie did prepare us for college.

Looking to memories of junior year chem class, it wasn’t always the most fun or the easiest time in my academic life, but I am grateful that in that year I was unable to see how useful it would prove to be in my future. I passed Wingrave’s killer class with a B and maybe could have had an A if I would’ve brushed up on acids and bases more. Even in this new semester I often find myself helping my roommate with chem 103, recalling information as if it’s the back of my hand. I am proud that I am able to help her get through chemistry the same way Mr.Mackenzie got all of his classes prepared for their futures.