Two-year colleges (2YCs) provide a significant amount of chemical education to undergraduates in the United States. By design, the charge of the 2YCs is to provide coursework at the lower-division level. Nonetheless, general chemistry courses in 2YCs can be enhanced with content to prepare future chemistry majors for upper-division education. The use of instrumentation in the laboratory is particularly well-suited to introduce students to upper-division concepts and ideas. This article illustrates the use of infrared spectroscopy in general chemistry as a means to prepare 2YC students for upper-division experiences they may encounter at their transfer institutions. (Contains 2 figures.)