How to Study for Your Organic Chemistry Midterm (Without Burning Out)

🎯 Real strategies for real students with real deadlines.

Section 1: Assess Where You Actually Stand

Don’t Just Start Studying — Diagnose First

Before you dive into studying for your next organic chemistry midterm, pause for a moment and take an honest look at where you stand. One of the biggest mistakes students make is skipping the most important first step: assessing what they actually need to learn.

Organic chemistry covers a ton of content — and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure where to begin. That’s why your first task is to identify what topics will be on the exam and how well you understand each one.

Start by looking at any course schedule your professor has provided or use the chapter outline in your assigned textbook. This will give you a high-level overview of the key concepts covered so far.

Once you’ve gathered that list, it’s time to test your understanding:

• If your professor has shared a practice or past midterm, start there. It’s your best window into the format, difficulty, and style of the upcoming exam.

• If not, check whether any worksheets or online homework problems (e.g., Cengage, WileyPlus) are available. These are usually aligned with your course material, though often easier than the real test.

• Still stuck? You can search online for practice problems by topic — or try this curated set of midterm-style questions I’ve created (link).

⚠️ A quick warning: Don’t rely too heavily on textbook problems. While helpful for building foundational skills, they’re often not reflective of the style or complexity of actual midterm questions. Most real exams test your application, not just recall.

As you work through practice problems, categorize each topic into one of three groups:

• I don’t know this at all

• I kind of get this

• I’m solid on this topic

From here, focus your energy on the first two buckets. The goal is to steadily push more and more topics into the “I’m solid” category as you study.

Section 2: Focus on High-Yield Topics

Study Smarter, Not Slower

Not all topics are tested equally — and recognizing that is key to studying efficiently.

Pay close attention to the clues your professor drops throughout the semester. If they spend 10 minutes explaining a single concept and breeze past another in 30 seconds, that’s often a strong indicator of what’s most likely to show up on the exam.

Here are a few ways to identify high-yield topics:

• Review the practice exam or any prior midterms, if available. Take note of which types of questions come up again and again.

• Listen for hints during lecture. Professors often say things like, “Make sure you understand this,” or “You’ll definitely see something like this on the test.” Don’t ignore those signals.

• Ask directly. If you’re not sure what to focus on, don’t be afraid to ask your professor, “Which topics do you recommend prioritizing while studying?” Even if they respond with a vague “everything is fair game,” some may still drop a helpful clue.

• Talk to your TA or past students. They may have insights into how heavily certain topics are tested or which types of questions to expect.

  
  

The clearer you are on what’s being emphasized, the better you can allocate your time. Instead of spreading yourself thin, this approach lets you double down on the concepts that actually count — so you can study smarter, not harder.

Section 3: Create a 3-Part Study Plan

Plan It Like a Workout — Warm-Up, Core, Cool-Down

Alright, so you know what to study — but now the question is: how do you study without burning out or spinning your wheels?

Think of your study session like a workout with three phases:

Warm-up, Core, and Cool-down.

🔥 Warm-Up (15–30 min)

Start by getting your brain in gear. Spend a short block reviewing:

• Reaction flashcards or summary sheets (or use mine linked here)

• Key concepts, mechanisms, or vocabulary

• Any visuals you’ve made (reaction maps, flowcharts, etc.)

  
  

This isn’t about deep learning — it’s about orienting yourself to the material and getting in the zone.

💪 Core Study Block (1–2 hours)

Now comes the heavy lifting: active problem solving.

Use this time to:

• Practice predicting products, drawing mechanisms, or solving multistep synthesis problems

• Focus on active recall — that means testing yourself without notes, identifying patterns, and training your brain to recognize what’s being asked

  
  

Avoid passively copying notes or watching long videos. The goal is to simulate the exam environment and train your decision-making.

🧘‍♀️ Cool-Down (15–30 min)

Wrap up by reflecting on:

• What topics you crushed

• What tripped you up (and why)

• What you need to review or revisit during your next study block

This reflection helps you study with intention and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

🚫 Section 4: What Not to Do

(Mistakes That Kill Your Momentum)

Now that you’ve got a solid plan for how to study, let’s talk about some common traps to avoid — the habits that can make you feel busy without actually helping you learn.

❌ Don’t memorize problems

Organic chemistry is about patterns, not memorization. Your professor can swap out the molecule, change the wording, or test a concept in a totally different way — but the underlying principles stay the same. If you only memorize exact problems, you’ll get tripped up on even small variations.

❌ Don’t Avoid Practice Problems (and Replace It with Staring at Notes)

Re-copying notes or staring at lecture slides might feel productive, but it doesn’t help you practice what the exam will actually test. Similarly, running through flashcards or reading worked-out problems isn't enough. These tools are useful for review, but they are not a substitute for solving problems yourself. Organic chemistry is a skills-based course — and like any skill, you only get better by doing.

You wouldn't try to learn piano by only watching someone else play. The same goes for O-chem.

If you're not solving problems with a pencil in hand, you're not preparing for the exam.

As you are reviewing lecture notes prior to beginning your applied practice, here are some helpful questions to keep in mind.

• Can you explain this concept in your own words?

• Can you teach it to someone else?

• Can you solve a problem without looking at your notes?

  
  

❌ Don’t rush to the answer key

Struggling is part of the process. If you jump straight to the answers every time you get stuck, you rob yourself of the critical thinking you’ll need on exam day. Practice sitting with discomfort — try the problem, mess up, then learn from your mistake.

❌ Don’t over-study what you already know

It’s tempting to stick to “safe” topics you’re already good at — but real progress comes from stretching your limits. Seek out the problems that make you pause, feel unsure, or even frustrated. Those are the ones that will help you grow the most.

Section 5: Use Practice Problems Strategically

Get In Exam Shape — Don’t Just Lift Light

🔁 Work Through Problems from Easy to Hard

One of the smartest ways to study efficiently is by progressively increasing the difficulty of the problems you work through. This helps you build a strong foundation while avoiding the trap of jumping into complex problems too early — or worse, only sticking to easy ones and giving yourself a false sense of confidence.

Start with intro-level questions that test basic concepts. Once you feel confident, move on to intermediate problems, and then tackle challenging exam-style questions.

Not sure how to gauge difficulty?

• Textbook or online homework platforms like WileyPLUS or Sapling often include more straightforward (easy) questions.

• Professor-made practice exams or departmental review packets usually represent moderate to difficult problems in both format and complexity.

• Worksheets designed to ramp up in difficulty (like the ones I’ve created!) are a great way to make sure you're mastering the material step by step.

👉 [Link to worksheets]

Don’t just aim to get problems right — aim to understand why they’re right. That’s what prepares you for new variations on the exam.

Section 6: Protect Your Brain and Energy

Study Without Burning Out

One of the most common mistakes students make when preparing for an organic chemistry midterm is waiting too long to start, leading to late-night cramming and burnout. The truth? Cramming doesn’t work for this class — and it definitely doesn’t help your long-term retention.

Instead, use evidence-based study strategies to stay sharp and productive without burning out. One of the most popular is the Pomodoro technique, which involves studying in focused blocks (typically 90 minutes), followed by short breaks. While some students can handle longer sessions and others may need shorter ones, 90 minutes is a solid starting point if you’re unsure.

During breaks, be intentional — get up, move your body, eat something nourishing, and most importantly, get enough sleep. You’ll retain more and perform better.

If possible, start studying at least 7 days before the exam. Early days can be light and flexible, but your study intensity should ramp up as the test approaches. I always recommend this timeline to my students — it helps prevent last-minute panic and gives your brain time to make real connections.

Already within that 7-day window? Don’t panic — just pivot.

• Focus on short, high-intensity study blocks using challenging practice problems.

• Have your reaction summaries or notes handy (or grab mine below!) so you can quickly check anything that’s unclear.

  
  

The key is consistency, not perfection. You’re building skill, not just memorizing facts.

Conclusion:

Midterm Success = Smart Strategy + Mental Endurance

To sum it up, the key to succeeding on your next organic chemistry midterm is to be proactive and start early. Don’t wait until the last minute or rely on a crammed all-nighter — that approach rarely works in a class as cumulative and concept-driven as ochem.

If possible, study a little bit every day, even if it’s just for 20 minutes. Repeated exposure and consistent practice will do far more for your memory and understanding than one long, stressful session.

And if daily studying feels overwhelming? Aim to start at least 7 days before your exam. That gives you enough time to build confidence, spot patterns, and tackle the concepts that feel the most challenging.

You’ve got this — and if you need extra support, check out the resources I’ve linked below to keep you on track.