Which Pill? Red or Blue

time to buy in

Look around you. What do you see? If you see anything at all it is most likely matter of some sort. This is how most chemistry books start out. We tell you look around and see stuff, touch stuff, sense stuff. All that stuff is matter and when you really dig in to that matter, you are getting into the subject of chemistry. This is why chemistry is in everything around you. You are now supposed to go "awwww! wow! cool!" and be so pulled in you have no choice but to want more and be all ready to learn chemistry. Right? You're really ready to get all into the subject now because I pointed out it is everywhere.

Well, maybe. I bet that worked for about 25% of you. This 25% is into these sorts of things and will kind of geek out on digging into the subject and getting their brains all swole doing so. Good for you guys - it's a proven fact that students do better in courses that they are fully engaged with.^* This also means you need to come to class. You need to be there, sitting in the classroom, fully aware of what is going on. Anything less than this is a blueprint for failure or at least getting a much lower letter grade than you are capable of getting if you were actively engaged.

* I don't have a link there - but I'm sure I'm right, I've seen it up close and in person. Engagement doesn't necessarily mean an A in the course, but it certainly leads to a higher grade than when you are disconnected. Engage and win.

So now I have another 75% to get interested in some way. Hmmm. Did I mention there is cake? Yeah, you can get cake and cookies. Ok, I'm kinda lying there, I'm not going to give you cake or cookies - it's just that both cake and cookies are matter and that means they are chemistry. So is chocolate, and candy, and beer... Mmmmm beer. Excellent, are you in yet? I think I just got another 15% of you on that. Food is chemistry too! Woo hoo!

Damn, I still have another 40% to reach. Oh yeah, this is a requirement to graduate. This "science" course even carries the much needed QR Flag that you will need to graduate. QR, in case you forgot, is quantitative reasoning - a fancy term for math stuff. You are going to have to fulfill that requirement and that means you need to at least feign your interest in chemistry for about 3.5 months. See that 3.5 there? the 40% from earlier? Those ARE part of your QR flag. You're welcome. I just picked up another 30% of you folks on that. Awesome, I'm down to just 10% now.

Damn you 10 percenters. I don't know what else to tell you. I'll try to "make it fun", and "keepin' it 💯" and "try not to bore you to death" but then again, I really will just do what I do to get through the day's lecture/performance. So come on board if you can, I'd love you to join in on all the chemistry fun. And go all in, don't be one of those "keepin' it " types.

So what's it going to be? The  red  pill? or the blue pill?