When I studied chemistry, I particularly enjoyed organic chemistry because so much of the work felt like straightforward rote learning. Compared to my other courses, it felt manageable to memorize the periodic table, simple reactions, and definitions. I only studied first-year chemistry, so at the time I didn’t realize how much deeper the subject really goes.
Rote learning plays a big role in organic chemistry, especially early on, when students are learning the basics. But memorization alone is not enough. True mastery comes from understanding why reactions proceed one way rather than another, applying principles to predict mechanisms, and solving problems by interpreting data.