There already are some great answers on this page that talk about the best approach for preparing organic chemistry. However, I will share with you all a simple mentality that you always need to have during your Chemistry study sessions.
Back in the day, when I started with my Organic Chemistry preparation forJEE, I was totally lost trying to figure out a compound is formed in a reaction.
I was intimidated by the complex structures and the reaction mechanisms and started committing one of the biggest mistakes in organic chemistry - I started memorising reactions. This is bad.
Never, I repeat, Never ever memorise Organic chemistry reactions if you want to score high in this section of Chemistry on your JEE Main / Advanced exam. (Although some memorising can be good, for instance you should try to remember the different Organic functional groups- Organic Chemistry Functional Groups Cheatsheet)
I was spending so much time focusing on the why and how of chemical reactions, but could not co-relate between the structures of the reagents and the resulting compounds.
This is when my mentor (AIR 359 - IIT JEE 2003) gave me the best piece of advice:
“When you are studying reactions in Organic Chemistry, ask yourself - what specific bonds are formed, and what specific bonds are broken”
Take this reaction: Now ask the question. What’s different? What bonds formed, and what bonds broke?
Follow the Carbon atoms numbered 2 & 3.
Someone professionally trained in organic chemistry could answer this question as quickly as they can speak.
An A-caliber topper student would take just a little bit longer.
But for someone like me who was struggling with organic chemistry, this simple rule came as a saviour.
So, from now on whenever you study organic chemistry and encounter any reaction just remember to ask this one question always - What specific bonds are formed, and what specific bonds are broken?
Organic Chemistry is easy. Trust me. You just need to focus.
Source:Askiitians