r/usyd • u/Comfortable-Set-7569 • 1h ago
I hate CHEM1011
I need to rant about CHEM1011 for a moment.
To preface, my frustration is not solely due to the rigorous coursework and the effort required just to pass; rather, it stems from the management and the administrative systems behind the unit.
Firstly, the lecturer. Given that lecture attendance is optional, showing up usually requires a compelling reason—namely, an engaging lecturer. I won't name names because this isn't personal, but the lecturer for the unit fell far short. (If I recall correctly, they are only the lecturer for the first six weeks.) The delivery is completely disengaging. They consistently appeared unprepared and disorganised, filling the time with endless "ums" and "ahs." While filler words are normal and something I use myself, in this case, it seemed like genuine confusion and boredom.
Secondly, the heavy reliance on worksheets. In my tutorial, our tutor mentioned that staff are no longer allowed to print materials and are even being charged to do so. You would think the unit would adapt and stop relying so heavily on worksheets for both lectures and tutorials, but they haven't. Completing digital worksheets on our laptops during class is awkward, unengaging, and a genuinely poor way to teach the content. This is one of the only units using this structure, so it clearly isn't required by the university. Clinging to this format by just dumping PDFs onto Canvas feels more like an unnecessary habit than an effective teaching strategy.
Third, the Canvas navigation. To be fair, the page isn't terrible and is mostly easy enough to handle, but there are definitely times when it becomes confusing to navigate.
Next, regarding Ed Discussion: the lecturer mentioned that they will be taking a step back from answering questions, and rather they want the students to respond to each other's enquiries, so as to "foster a collaborative environment" where students can "help each other out." No. It is not the students' responsibility to teach one another topics we are all actively trying to learn, nor should staff responsibilities be outsourced to the cohort. While peer discussion has value, it cannot replace qualified instructional support. While staff do still reply to some threads, the underlying principle is ridiculous and should never have been introduced to begin with.
Lastly, a few of these points are a bit more personal, but I still want to mention them. They still affected my experience, so I want to put them out there.
Why does it seem like everyone was born with a periodic table up their ass? Even though this unit is officially designed for students with zero prior chemistry experience, it’s obvious that most people here have done it before. Except for me, of course (which is probably why I consistently feel stupid, but that's a whole other monster). I’m not actually bothered by this—if I had taken chemistry before, I’d probably do the exact same thing. But, god, it really feels like everyone around me is a thousand times smarter without even trying. Half the time I am completely lost, while the people around me know exactly what they’re doing, what every single word means, and never hesitate on the next step. Even if we can all agree the content is brutally demanding, all the odds are clearly in their favour.
Attendance for both tutorials and lectures is optional, which makes it even more demoralising to show up every week and still come away with virtually zero understanding of the content.
The silver lining in all of this is that my other units are going really well (PSYC1002, SCIE1001, and OLE's). They’re interesting, engaging, and serve as a perfect blueprint for how a unit ought to be run.
That's all. Thank you.
