Participation in the national finals of the CDS

After arriving around noon on the first day, some instruction and briefings followed. However, no one was able to relax with the second day looming before us, on which two exams awaited us at once: We started with a multiple-choice exam right after breakfast and in the afternoon still had to prove ourselves in a practical exam lasting several hours, in which our skills were tested by means of iodometry, reaction kinetics and substance separation. The third day was filled with an extensive social program, in which the excursion to the Leunawerke was one of the highlights of the competition. The four-hour theoretical exam took place on the next day, where our knowledge of almost all sub-areas of chemistry was put to use in tasks that would probably be a considerable hurdle even for chemistry students. On the last day, we witnessed a very interesting lecture on the use of artificial intelligence for drug research, after which the award ceremony took place. The eventual winners were no surprise, I myself placed 14th out of 18 students, a satisfactory result in my eyes. All in all, the competition was very exhausting, because besides exams and the social program there was hardly any time for preparation and rest, so that sleep was also a scarce commodity. However, the experience and the opportunity to network with others interested in chemistry justified all this, so that I can recommend participation in the Olympiad to everyone. At the same time, one also qualifies for the second round of the International Chemistry Olympiad, which is still to be held.