The first group of these was written by juniors, to advise new juniors, and the second group by sophomores, to advise new sophomores. They are otherwise in no particular order.

Dear Future Pre-Calculus Student,

I came into Pre-calculus as a junior, and I’m not sure if that warrants me giving any advice at all, but I did survive sophomore and junior year. I’m assuming that most of the people reading this are rising sophomores, so here’s my advice for sophomore year. For Pre-Calculus, the class seems very daunting at first, especially since it’s the start of relatively new material after Algebra 2 sophomore year. I found that I needed to get my assignments done, especially the homework Ms. Frisbie assigns. You can pay attention in class and understand what’s being taught, but until you do the work yourself, I guarantee you’re not going to get the grades you want. And that applies to all classes. Also, math requires repetition and effort. Please fill out the form Ms. Frisbie provides to ask questions about the homework. There are times I struggled because I didn’t ask because I was too embarrassed to, and I know many of my fellow classmates felt the same. If you don’t ask questions if you’re confused on a particular homework question, you might be confused for future lessons or even units, and worst comes to worst, a question just like that could appear on the test and you’re screwed.

I am definitely not qualified to give you advice on not procrastinating, but as you’ve heard it a million times, it’s for the best that you don’t (though I know you probably will). I will give you advice on how to be efficient with your work. With classes like English 2, Mr. Guice gives you ample time to do your work, and there are long periods of time where we learn and then he hits you with a big project. He gives you weeks to do it, so even though I know it’s hard, just try to start. Pretend it’s due tomorrow and get it done, and maybe the procrastination flow will possess you. For AP World, Mrs. Huggins is super into paper assignments, but you get them done in class. Literally, there is no homework except textbook notes (which are so incredibly easy and will help you on the AP test I promise). All you have to do is come to class and listen to her talk and complete the assignments and you have a guaranteed A and a potential 5 on the AP exam. I don’t know what to tell you about other language classes other than to listen. That’s it. I struggled with chemistry, seriously struggled, but that might not be the case for you. I learned to ask Mrs. Loweke questions and videos online helped me a ton, but I chose to do Biology junior year, which is definitely more my speed. Try The Organic Chemistry Tutor – YouTube or Crash Course Chemistry if you do find you are struggling, they explain things super well.

IB has its ups and downs. Freshman and Junior year were the worst of it. As a freshman, you’re getting used to this new environment, but I’m sure that you found it gets easier. Incoming juniors, congrats, you’re now officially in the IB program, and it’s going to be hard. Sophomore year is easier, but there are still struggles that come with new classes and new curriculums. My ultimate piece of advice and why IB is so great (I’m sure you’ll see this in every essay going years back) is to make friends. IB is a community and the only way you’ll get through it is to interact and share with people that are going through the same thing you are. Kind of like a better version of group therapy. No, but seriously, IB is where I’ve met the best group of people in my life and they’ve helped me with so much school-wise and personally. It’s good to get away from just school all the time, and a good group of friends really helps me relax from time to time. Clubs and events like the IB social are ways in which you can develop a community at IB and get stuff for your college apps as an added bonus, though college might be a little far ahead for a sophomore. This is getting long, but I hope it helps.

You got this,

Esha Modi

 

Dear student,

Congratulations on making it through the first two years of IB. If you haven’t noticed by now, it is not the easiest program in the world, so making it through two whole years is a big achievement you should be proud of. Now that you have completed your sophomore year, it is time to actually start IB, so buckle up.

Even though this may sound generic and something you have heard a billion times, the best advice I can give you is to not procrastinate. Procrastination is your worst enemy and will do nothing but hurt you in the long run. Make sure you stay on top of your schoolwork and take advantage of all the free time you have. I am not saying to not have fun but prioritize your schoolwork and try to complete all assignments on the same day given. Even if this means sacrificing some sleep, it is worth it as you will have done all your work, you will be caught up and not stressed, and you can then catch up on sleep throughout the rest of the week.

For APUSH, some helpful advice is to do a lot of research outside of class. I recommend you watch Heimler’s History on YouTube, as he is very helpful. Your teacher will not be able to go over everything in class, so it’s important that you go over the rest of the material on your own. Watch his videos on YouTube as he goes over all the main points that may not have been covered in class. Also, take advantage of your AMSCO book; it is very helpful in terms of reviewing for exams, and make sure to read over each topic you covered in class at home, so it stays fresh in your mind. History is not really hard; it just requires a lot of memorization, so dedicate time to this subject to do well in the class and the AP exam.

For AP Lit, pay attention in class. Mrs. Harb is an amazing teacher; if you pay attention in class, you will greatly benefit. You will be assigned multiple books to read and annotate, as well as an essay to complete regarding each book, so make sure you manage your time efficiently and read a couple of pages a day so you don’t have to read the whole thing the night before it’s due. Make sure you also take time to study the essay rubric to get all the marks possible, as most of the points in the quarter come from your essays. I would not stress the class too much, though; it is not hard as long as you pay attention in class and are actively engaging to make sure you understand everything.

If you are taking AP Chemistry, this is probably going to be the most difficult course you have ever taken in your life, depending on how good you are at chemistry. It is a continuation of your sophomore year and goes over most of the same material, but to a much greater extent. I recommend you watch as many videos online regarding the material you go over in class, as this will allow you to be exposed to much of the information on the unit you are covering, which will definitely help you on your tests. This course is mainly conceptual and not math-based, so make sure you understand what you are actually doing. I recommend you dedicate at least half an hour a day to reviewing your chemistry notes. The tests are difficult, so preparing ahead of time will definitely help you.

Pre-calculus isn’t too hard as long as you stay on top of your work. Make sure you are the one completing the work and not copying someone else’s, as this will do nothing but hurt you in the long run. The homework assignments prepare you well for the test, so make sure you understand everything on the homework assignments and ask questions. Ms. Frisbie does a great job of explaining the math you will go over in class, so take advantage of this great resource you have and don’t be afraid to ask questions. As long as you do all the homework and actually understand what is going on in class, you will do excellent on the tests.

Lastly, for Spanish, I would recommend you also dedicate about 30 minutes a day to reviewing material. It is sometimes confusing with all the conjugations and tenses you have to memorize, so watching videos will help you a lot. I would also recommend watching your daily shows or movies in Spanish; it may sound funny, but it will allow you to be exposed to many words and dialects, which will prepare you very well.

Amir Sallem

 

If you are about to be entering precalc along with the rest of junior year, don’t worry it is not that bad. People talk a lot about how junior year is the worst and that you will be overwhelmed with work, however this is not really the case, mainly because you don’t have to worry about writing the IA, which the kids a year ahead do. There is work, and some juniors do fall behind, but if you make use of the time, especially free time in class, it is actually pretty easy to get everything done, I had a lot of free time to do other things along with school. Prioritize the important classes to study for and do things based on how urgent they are.

While there is some variation in classes, your schedule is going to follow a general trend. Your most difficult class is going to be your science, you may need to take time for studying, especially bio, as there is a lot of material. English is ok, if you turn in the stuff on time , and foreign language is easy as well as history. If there are concepts that you need help on in precalculus, it is fine to prioritize extra time on learning it, as it may be one of your more difficult classes.

IB can be mentally taxing for some, and there are ways to combat this. For me, exercise is helpful in giving me a break and de-stressing. There are different things for different people, but it is important to find something else that you enjoy and can participate in a healthy amount. The biggest struggles for me have been other things that I do an unhealthy amount, such as a video game I just started playing, but still doing something that is fun is important. I have never really been mentally taxed because of this, and I don’t really feel any fatigue, despite the rigor. In the end, don’t worry, go to IB with an open mind and enjoy the community as best you can, it can be a really fun and rewarding experience.

Johnathan Marocco

 

Hi incoming IB Junior, congrats on making it past the Pre-IB hurdle! If you have made it this far into IB and have not dropped out, then you most definitely have the ability to succeed in Junior year. This year is the real beginning of IB, so make sure you keep up the good work and strong work ethic. The classes that I took were IB Spanish 4, AP U.S. History, AP Chemistry, AP Statistics/Theory of Knowledge (Split), IB World Religions, AP English Literature, and IB Pre-Calculus.

For IB Spanish 4, I believe that you will be having Santiago again, as you had her for Sophomore year. Continue to learn from her and work hard in that class because it will definitely benefit you for the Spanish Individual Oral (IO) and IB exams in your senior year. AP U.S. History is a rather difficult course, as the information you need to know in order to get a 5 and an A in the class is a lot. Watching Heimler’s History videos on YouTube helped me survive this course. AP Chemistry was the hardest course I’ve taken throughout my whole academic career. This course is extremely rigorous, but you can definitely do well in this class with strong preparation and studying throughout the year. If you have trouble with any of the content, make sure you ask Mrs. Loweke for help, as she is a great teacher and is always willing to help.

I took AP Stats in my first semester and will finish the second semester next year in my senior year. The class is very beneficial, especially for the Math IA that you start in the last quarter of your junior year. My second semester for junior year was Theory of Knowledge (TOK). This class is a free A, but you must complete your work. Mr. Guice is a great teacher who will help you understand everything you need to know for the TOK Exhibition and the EE. IB World Religions was an interesting course, as Ms. Chevallier is a great teacher who will definitely guide you to a passing score on the IB exam. The notes you will be taking are very long, so I would recommend taking notes on a computer. AP English Literature with Mrs. Harb is a course that requires you to keep up with the work that she assigns and to make sure that you understand the books that you read. The English IO seems very intimidating at first, but with good planning and practice, you will do well. For the AP Lit exam, it is important that you are able to understand poems and passages, but also create strong essays in the time constraints that the exam has. You can do well on the exam by practicing throughout the year. Finally, I had IB Pre-Calculus. Ms. Frisbie is an amazing teacher who works extremely hard for your success and learning. She makes math very easy and will help you whenever you need assistance. Paying attention to her lessons in class will be the key to your success. During the lessons, she asks the class questions, so always be ready.

Overall, your junior year in IB can be difficult and challenging at times, but by working hard, you will do well. Make sure to participate in any extracurricular activities this year, as they will help strengthen your future college applications in your senior year. Even though junior year will be tough, make sure you enjoy the good times that you have throughout the year, as those times will make everything better.

Nathan Sandoval

 

Reflecting on my experiences in school this year, there are several valuable pieces of advice I would offer to a student who is a year behind me. Firstly, I would emphasize the importance of time management. IB courses can be demanding and require significant dedication. Creating a well-structured schedule and adhering to it will help maintain a healthy balance between academics, extracurricular activities, and personal time. Prioritizing tasks and breaking them down into manageable chunks will alleviate stress and ensure steady progress.

Secondly, I would encourage my friend to actively engage with their teachers and seek help when needed. IB courses can be challenging at times, and I think it’s important to maintain good relations with instructors by turning assignments on time and maintain classroom educate. Also taking advantage of the resources that teachers provide, such as online study materials such as YouTube videos (Frisbiemath), can prove beneficial especially for classes like IB math and IB chem.

Lastly, I would stress the significance of self-care and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I have found myself easily overwhelmed with coursework and extracurricular commitments, but it’s important to prioritize well-being. Maintain adequate sleep, and regular exercise contribute to improved focus, productivity, and overall mental and physical health. Additionally by being organized, you can find time for relaxation, hobbies, which can provide a much-needed break from the stress of IB and foster well-roundedness.

By incorporating this, students who are a year behind can be equipped to navigate the challenges of IB courses while maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Remember, it’s not just about excelling academically, but also fostering personal growth and well-being throughout the journey.

Teryl Benjamin

 

Congratulations on making it to pre-calculus! The name “pre-calculus” may seem daunting at first, but I promise you, the class is nothing of the sort. Well, not really, anyway. With the right mindset, I know you’ll be able to achieve much more than you thought you ever could. It’s only natural for us to doubt our abilities sometimes, but I highly encourage you to not let that self-doubt have control over any part of your life — ESPECIALLY your academic career. Don’t discredit your potential to learn new things, you might surprise yourself with what you’ll achieve in the future. There may be some obstacles or mistakes on the way, but ultimately, YOU have the power to decide how those affect you- will you get caught in that cycle of negativity without any development, or will you learn from those experiences and keep moving forward? I like the latter option, so I’m a little biased, but again — it’s all up to you. Ms. Frisbie is also an excellent teacher, so she’ll help you on that journey. Ever since my freshman year, I’ve heard people swear up and down how “mean” or “scary” she is, but I beg to differ. I encourage you to treat her with just as much respect as she does you, as well as to ask her for math help when you need it! Helping students is quite literally part of her job! Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody has those days when we’re confused about a concept or not sure how to solve a problem, and Ms. Frisbie is always willing to help you on those days. I can’t think of a single time when a student asked for help and she told them no or berated them for it, so there’s no reason for you to think that you’ll be the first person she does it to. Working out math problems with your classmates is also a great way to boost your knowledge and understanding because you’re able to assist one another to know why something is correct or incorrect, and (hopefully) offer encouragement to one another. Sidenote, offering encouragement to your peers is just as important as receiving it, so don’t laugh when someone doesn’t get something right on the first try — it’s unnecessary and makes you look ignorant.

Now onto more class-specific tips! As the name suggests, pre-calculus is your precursor to AP Calculus as well as the beginning of your IB A&A math journey. Therefore, I highly advise you to take it seriously while you still can because you’ll be taking 2 important math exams back-to-back next year. I’m not saying you have to eat, sleep, and breathe math unless that’s something you genuinely want to or feel like you need to do, but try to be aware of the things you’re learning in class and if you ACTUALLY understand them. There was a big difference between my test scores for topics that I genuinely understood and topics where I would just be filling in formulas without understanding WHY I needed certain formulas over others, so please don’t make the same mistake I did. Frisbie does a great job of preparing you for these tests and exams, and I don’t mean to sound like a teacher, but if you aren’t doing your part (paying attention while she’s teaching, doing and turning in the homework), guess whose grade that affects? (Hint: it rhymes with Lou). Therefore, you should set aside time after school to work on your homework, but only for about an hour. If it takes you longer than that to finish the problems that she assigns on your own, you might want to consider asking her or someone else (Youtube, Khan Academy, or a classmate) for help.

Lastly, you’ve definitely heard this before, and I’ll say it again until you listen: stay organized! Organization may look different depending on the person, but for pre- calc, that essentially just means having your supplies when you need them, keeping your pre-calc assignments separate from your other classes, and taking notes as needed with special attention to vocabulary. Most of the people I know didn’t take notes during class, and that’s fine, but they also actively listened to Frisbie while she was teaching. I also found that I didn’t need to take notes, but I highly recommended working on problems with Frisbie while she does them on the projector and adding annotations as to why she did a particular step or what calculator function she used — it’s really useful.

Personally, I’ve never been much of a math girly, but thanks to Ms. Frisbie, this year was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. Remember, pre-calc is not only just a required math course for your IB diploma — it’s also an opportunity to learn more about yourself and develop your skills for the future. I hope my words were helpful and encouraging in some way, and I wish you the best of luck this year! 🙂

Ariyana Marshall

 

This year was pretty crazy, not gonna lie. Every year will be like that, future student, if you don’t stay on some kind of schedule, which I assume most of you reading this will be on a fairly decent one. But if you aren’t, my tip is to try to get on one fast; you more than likely will suffer if you don’t.

Sleep, and more importantly, a good sleep schedule, are important. Staying up late will kill you in class, leading you to get further behind. If you didn’t do an assignment one night or a big project, really weigh your options and decide if you want to mess up your sleep schedule instead of just possibly turning it in late, because sleep will really spiral you downward.

After sleep, I’d say diet is also really important to make sure you stay on top of. Even if many see school lunch as not the best or don’t like it, try to eat it anyway. Don’t skip breakfast, or any meal for that matter; food is fuel. Skipping meals along with a lack of sleep is even worse; make sure you don’t deviate from it. Sleep and diet schedules won’t affect you if you deviate for maybe a day or two, but the spiral mentioned earlier over a year or two can really affect your health. It put me in the hospital, putting me immensely far behind, something I had to work even harder to even attempt to get out of.

Other than having a schedule that works for you and eating well, try to exercise if you can. Exercise, whether just some cardio or weight lifting, really helped improve my mood, and especially doing it outside just makes you feel so much better and more refreshed, and it’s been researched to even help make you smarter.

If everything is going well for you school-wise, try to pick up a club or other after-school activity as early on as you can if you didn’t already, or really pursue a hobby you’re interested in and try to get certifications for it online. It will really help you in the future, even if you don’t know what to do for sure yet. If you don’t know what to do for the future yet, I’d say figure it out by the end of junior year, but if you can’t, taking it until near the end of senior year wouldn’t hurt, especially if you’ve been participating in activities or getting certifications that match your future desired career.

Sean Suter

 

Dear future pre-calc student,

You’ve already had a year in IB, and you should know that this isn’t something easy, this is something that effort needs to be put into. Managing the workload from all your different classes will be difficult but that’s part of the program. Having various projects and homework assignments due in span of one- or two-week procrastination can be a tempting, but it often leads to falling behind and unnecessary stress. This can very easily lead to tons and tons of just late and unsubmitted assignments for many classes. Instead, try to space things out and start early, maybe read and annotate the book Mr. Guice assigned for 20-30 minutes, then take a small break and move on to the Stats homework. Spacing things out and working at a consistent work to break ratio can really relieve the stress of being late on deadlines or just not understanding the material.

Many times during the year you will not completely understand a topic or subject in classes, this is where the importance of seeking comes in. Ms. Frisbie does a really great job at making sure you understand what you are doing as she provides extensive feedback on all your homework assignments as well as calling on you several times a class to answer questions, and she will be patient with you, unless you’re a total nuisance. IB is challenging, and it’s important to recognize when we need help. Whether it’s asking teachers to clarify, getting together with friends to study, or using online resources like YouTube. This is all because to be successful here you need to understand what you are doing.

Most importantly, have a good life to school balance. While prioritizing schools and your studies, it’s just as important to live your life outside of school, such as socializing, enjoying your hobbies, or just sleeping. Taking care of their well-being will contribute to their overall productivity and mental well-being. By finding a balance between work and leisure, they can prevent burnout and maintain a positive attitude towards their studies.

Also, IB is not a competition to see who is the smartest or who can get the highest GPA that just leads to a toxic environment, and no one can better themselves when surrounded by people that want to put you down for their own benefit. So, do not take classes that while they help your GPA, they end up leaving you burned out and just not wanting to do anything. Pick electives that you would enjoy.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Meneses-Paulino

 

As I’m finishing my second year at IB, there are many things to reflect on. I would say that the most important thing that I have learned during my time here is how to balance my work and how to manage my time. While freshman and sophomore year were both challenging, they were not nearly as difficult as I thought they may be. While I had to work hard, I was still able to partake in many of the activities that I love. I know that as I progress through this program, time management will continue to grow more and more important. Time management will allow me to continue to play tennis, spend time with my friends, and travel.

One of my biggest recommendations for IB students would be to find a sport that you love. For me, that sport is tennis. Tennis has allowed me to meet a lot of  people who are now some of my closest friends. It has also allowed me to get a break from the stress that IB brings. I really believe that sports are a great way to not only meet new people, but also take away some of the stress of school. With having practices and matches after school however, I had to learn how to better manage my time to accommodate these things.

Another thing that has really helped me through these past years is spending time with my friends. It allows me to take my mind off of school for a few hours. However, just like with tennis, in order to do this I have to manage my time to make sure I complete my assignments. I also really enjoy traveling on the weekends, especially to the University of Florida for football and basketball games. In order to make sure I have enough time to do these things, sometimes I have to spend extra time during the week to make sure I don’t get behind on my assignments that I should have done on the weekend.

In conclusion, time management is something that I have learned is essential to a life in IB and is something that I would suggest that all students try to learn as soon as they can. I also believe that IB students should make an effort to spend time doing things outside of school and assignments to ensure that they don’t get burnt out.

Liz Matteson

 

Hey kiddos,

My purpose here is to inform you about your upcoming year as a sophomore at IB at BHS. I have some points that I want to list, but before I do, congrats on your part for making it through your freshman year. 

Some general concepts (as said by everyone):

Try your hardest to not procrastinate unless you want to set yourself up for failure. I’m sure everyone in IB will tell you that, but it’s kind of hard not to. Everyone has that tendency to put off assignments until the last minute and while it will work, try learning stuff while copying your friends’ work (it’s hard); however, some form of procrastinating, where you can learn off your work, can be benefitting to your work pace, which I will address later.

Make some new friends or new relationships. You would be surprised how many people in your grade you barely knew. You would find that a lot of those people you never knew are useful in your academic and personal life. Also, reach out to your upperclassmen for help and advice, likewise respond to your lower classmen – for pity. 

Understand what you need to work on, and your weaknesses. After each test or homework (I will get into specifics later), look at each detail or question that you got wrong and the ones that you got right. On homework, try comparing your answers with others to find out any mistakes. You will learn that looking over other classmates’ homework for mistakes or learning from your mistakes found by other classmates doubles your understanding of that problem – that is if you pay attention to their explanations. 

Find yourself some extracurriculars. Outside activities like sports or volunteering help maintain your mental and physical health. I’m no expert but there are strong and positive correlations between participating in sports and volunteering and school grades. I’m joking but honestly, those activities help build relationships and relieve you of your stress in IB.

I haven’t covered all the concepts of IB life but reach out to me if you do have some questions – I’ll try my best to answer them.

This section is for a rundown of the classes that most sophomores take.

Pre-IB Chemistry (Loweke): This class is a wild card. From my personal experience, it either comes to you naturally or you have to sit there for hours looking at problems trying to absorb them into your brain. Everything in this class is taught in an order where one topic relies on the previous topic, starting from polyatomic. If you ever get lost, ask your friends, upperclassmen, or Loweke. Know the polyatomic.

Pre-IB English 2 (Guice): I have great memories of that class and Guice has bad ones, I won’t go into further details. Guice’s class is pretty much straightforward – know your parts of speech and vocabulary words and you’ll be pretty much fine. All his assignments are doable in the time that he sets so there shouldn’t be a reason for why they’re turned in late. Have fun in that class to the extent that you don’t piss him off and create laughter. Do NOT use demonstrative pronouns.

Pre-IB Spanish 2 (Santiago): I don’t have this class but from the complaining I’ve heard from others, get your speaking points in ASAP. Also, prepare for her tests, surprised or planned. Get those speaking points.

Pre-IB German 2 (Porter): Porter’s format for sophomores and freshmen is almost the same. The most significant change is the lack of VHL in quarters 2 and 3, which will be replaced with Das Magsiche Baumhaus. My biggest tip is to turn in all your work on time for extra credit. Know your verbs.

IB Pre-Calculus (Frisbie): I’m not qualified to talk about this class… What I will say is that Frisbie is a great teacher, and she can practically answer questions that you ask. Don’t be embarrassed to ask any questions in that class, even if you think it’ll make you look dumb; although you (and I) are kind of dumb compared to her. Sourcing from other people, her study guides help a lot since it includes a lot of questions that are similar to actual test questions. Take her retests if you do badly on her tests. I take shame in saying this – pay attention in class. 

AP Stats (Nakamura): Naki will teach you everything. If you miss any classes towards the second semester, your academic career is over (not really). Do his homework and you will understand his lessons and pass his tests. Know the conditions.

AP World History (Huggins): I hated this class (the class, not the teacher). Mrs. Huggins is the most energetic person you will meet in IB, and she likes to point out that she does it without caffeine. Her class consists of a lot of paperwork that will help you understand concepts, not dates. Reed the AMSCO book for understanding general topics and concepts since dates are not the main focus in this class. After the first quarter, you will be introduced to LEQs and DBQs and those will cause you pain, ask the upperclassmen. Likewise, ask them for help if you’re still struggling, I’m sure some will help. Find the mistakes? 

AP Psychology (Romaine): Self-study. Self-study this course, everything is memorization. Memorize the material.

This section is dedicated to your AP tests.

FLVS AP tests: Don’t take them. These tests are probably the hardest since you don’t have a physical mentor giving you instructions on the test. I repeat do NOT take FLVS tests – unless you want to.

AP Stats: Before the test, Naki will give you practice tests reviewing everything you need to know for the test. Take those tests seriously along with the grading of those tests. During the actual test, don’t panic and remember everything Naki told you and you can pass the test with ease. Know your hypothesis and conclusions.

AP Psychology: Everything in this course is memorization with little application. I recommend studying one week before the test and holding review sessions with your friends to help you memorize. This test is probably the easiest if you memorize your psychology and terms. Memorization is the key.

AP World History: Mrs. Huggins will teach you everything to make sure you pass. What you need to do is review those topics starting from the beginning. Take practice MCQs to understand the format of the MCQ portion of the AP test. You should be prepared to do well on the FRQ section since Mrs. Huggins will have taught you how to write those DBQs and LEQs. Find the mistakes.

As I said before, this rundown is just general and there may be specific questions. You can always reach out to upperclassmen or teachers if you need extra help or have any questions. If I had to say, the biggest tip to pass your classes is to enjoy your work. You will enter the zone much easier if you have an internal incentive of wanting to do assignments which allows you to complete assignments more efficiently while retaining the information.

Hmmm maybe take the easy route and drop out? Nah not that mindset. Believe you can make it through your sophomore year. You got this and honestly, good luck and have fun.

Some random kid,

Johnny Wu

PS… Thanks for the format Kim-Linh :).

 

As my sophomore year of IB ends, I am taking the time to reflect on the decisions I have made this year and last year. In the past two years, I feel I have accomplished what I interpret as success, which is earning all A’s and being in the Top Ten for GPA in my grade. I feel that others can accomplish my success or even better if they put in the work. I am saying that from being a clumsy student who has made many mistakes, many of which have cost me at some point; hence, my advice could be helpful, and I will try to make my advice as helpful as possible.

As of the school year I am writing, the 2022-2023 school year, I have taken many courses that have been or less demanding than I expected. For example, I felt both my AP World History, Pre-IB English II, Pre-IB Spanish III, and Pre-IB Chemistry classes were all less difficult than I had initially anticipated; however, that did not mean I could sleep through those classes. I still had to complete World History reading notes, write literary criticism essays, talk in Spanish the entire period, and study for 200-point Chemistry Unit tests all this year, so life is not necessarily carefree on any student in this program. I will admit, I feel I was able to work less hard than last year, but at the same time I felt that way because classes like English which I struggled with last year were less difficult than last year. Regarding my math classes, AP Statistics and IB Precalculus, I did not know what to expect. I somewhat expected that statistics would be easier in comparison to Precalculus, but I was wrong since I think I performed poorer in Statistics than I did in Precalculus. Although I still earned A’s in Statistics for all 4 quarters, I feel I still struggled sometimes on the tests, and I scored mid to low B’s on tests where I felt I could have earned low to mid A’s, let alone some of my classmates who were earning mid to high A’s. Therefore, I could say that despite advice from past sophomores from last year, I truly experienced things different from what I was told to expect, which leaves me to say that every school year, we students cannot have a truly exact idea of what to expect.

My final advice to all incoming sophomores or incoming IB precalculus students is that you all must be ready. At the beginning of the school year, be prepared to take on things a little worse than you would expect. I feel that if you all walk into your next school year prepared for not necessarily the worst, but for a difficult experience, you all will find it much easier to successfully manage classes that challenge you all but also find that you will excel greatly in classes that challenge you all less. Another thing I advise is to complete homework on time and study well so you can maintain the best grades in your class. Study more for tests you feel uncertain about, but study less for tests you feel more confident about. I would recommend that you all skim over any notes or assignments you had for a given unit and study what you feel you understand less or what you did not feel you remembered before you saw your notes and such. If you do this, always make sure you do not establish that you know something with uneasiness or uncertainty. You can also save time, which is very important to help you get back to homework or extracurriculars and hobbies you enjoy. In the end, if you feel uncertain about anything, you should study it, no matter how much you do not want to, which leads me to the next thing I advise. As an IB student, you should always pull through all the things you are given to do, even if you don’t want to or hate them. One of the best bands in history, the Rolling Stones, had a song called, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, which is my favorite song by them. I bring this up because the main line of the song is, “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need”, which in my opinion applies pretty well to IB life. I think that as a student, you must try and do things you do not want to do while giving up stuff you want to do sometimes to get what you need, which are academic goals you strive to achieve. Personally, my main goal is to get all A’s, which I feel I achieved by sacrificing some of my free time to achieve. So, in the end, I wish you all well in IB whether you are entering sophomore year or entering IB Precalculus, and I hope my advice helped.

Eshan Alam

 

Dear incoming pre-calc student,

I have completed the pre-calc course and now I have much advice to give. Firstly, I recommend paying attention in class and not going on your phone because if you listen to what Ms. Frisbie is teaching you will genuinely understand the material. Personally, I found just listening to Ms. Frisbie teach was better than taking notes because when I would take notes I would end up missing something important that was being said. Before you take any of your tests in precalc I highly recommend doing the practice problems on Schoology because if you can do those problems you will ace the tests every time. Do not be scared to ask questions because if you do not understand one thing then you will be in trouble because the topics tend to build on each other. Make sure to turn in all your work on time because no one likes the thumbs-down stamp on your work.

Now for some general advice about IB/BHS, make sure you do not procrastinate because that will be your biggest enemy. Creating study schedules and not cramming for tests will be your biggest help in reaching your academic goals. I recommend studying at least studying two days in advance and if you have the time start earlier. Having time management skills is another thing that will help you fight off procrastination; for example, doing all your homework before watching tv and relaxing. Make sure if you have due dates for assignments you plan accordingly around your schedule because if you do it right you can still have fun and do exciting things while at IB. Honestly staying on top of all my work made my sophomore year run smoothly. Sleeping is super important to help you focus at school because personally, I can learn 100x better when I get a good night’s sleep. I have personally struggled with letting one bad grade get to me and ruining my day, so learn from my mistake and instead of focusing on the one bad grade think of ways you can improve next time.

Join clubs and extracurricular activities that interest you because they will help you meet people with similar interests and are a great way to make new friends. I think it is important to make friends with people that have good intentions because the people you surround yourself with affect the way you do in school. Make sure you do not compare yourself to everyone else because some people will be good at some things, while others are not. During sophomore year, I learned how to stop comparing myself to others by focusing on trying new things so I can improve on the things I am bad at like new study methods. I am a big believer in the saying “Practice makes perfect”, so if you are struggling practice those concepts and ask questions. Make sure to always stay on the good side of your teachers because goofing off is not worth it and will not get you those recommendation letters for anything in the future. I wish you the best of luck as you navigate through IB! You got this and just take everything day by day!!

Nandika Sreeram

 

Dear incoming Pre-IB sophomore,

You did it! You got through freshman year as a pre-IB freshman, and I am telling you now, if you were able to do that you could without a doubt get through sophomore year as well, you just gotta want it! Many things go into succeeding as a sophomore at IB Bartow, and you’ll come to see that some have a tougher time getting through it than others, but in the end what matters is keeping that finish line in mind and never losing sight of it. Understanding your individuality amongst others when being in a class of like-minded people is very important. Don’t forget why you joined IB in the first place and become discouraged over minor inconveniences. You must do not only what is best for you in school, but out of school as well.

During the school year the most crucial weeks are testing weeks, and the very first few weeks of school when you are adjusting to your new schedule after summer. Getting into a routine as soon as the year starts is crucial to setting your best foot forward into being successful. You don’t want to get into the bad habit of not doing your homework on time (especially with the new bell schedule), and risk turning in late work. Though some teachers may be lenient on late work now (such as Ms. Frisbie and her 2 late passes per quarter) these privileges slowly get revoked year by year until you reach college and even if it’s a minute late, penalties will be enforced. Getting into the healthy habit of turning in things on time and getting into your own routine that works best for you at a young age not only allows you to be successful during your sophomore year, but later on in life. One piece of educational advice I can give you is to never slack off in Mr. Guice’s class. Though his classroom is very chill and laid back, the grammar he teaches us is very useful for the rest of our educational careers. He fills in all the grammar gaps that we tend to miss out on throughout elementary and middle school. Don’t take his class for granted and make the best of it.

If you have your time managed well you’ll be able to peacefully balance your life through extracurricular activities such as sports, jobs, or hobbies. I am a sole believer that if all you do is strictly stick to school you are beginning a very toxic relationship with yourself and your academic career. You will end up burning out after being at it for a couple years and all your work would have gone to nothing. Giving yourself time to engage in things you like will act as a reward for your good time management, further reinforcing you to do so. Spending time with your friends at school is a crucial part to building lasting relationships that flourish off of each other. Given you are all in the IB program, the majority of you want the same thing after high school and will end up taking very similar paths, bumping into each other even after high school. Building strong relationships with friends from sophomore year on allows you to initiate possible lifelong friendships from such a young age. Doing what you like is important, but so is staying healthy. Things such as ensuring you get a proper amount of sleep and drink enough water, these seem like things that should go without saying, but we all know a lot of us could have a better sleep schedule, or may have gone a day only drinking a bottle of water. When you take on healthy habits you not only feel significantly better, but you perform better.

Nevertheless, sophomore year was filled with fun experiences, and many new educational opportunities such as dipping our feet into the complex waters of chemistry and calculus, to being taught by one of the best, most engaging history teachers (in my opinion). Though these subjects seemed very difficult in the moment, looking back on the school year I remain very thankful of this program and intend to make the best of it in the couple of years I have left, and I think you should as well!

Danielys Estevez

 

Man oh man, how this year has been an adventure! It was definitely one to remember! When I think back on my experiences throughout this year, I have moments of joy and moments of sadness. I dedicate this year to growth and finding my passion in math! I enjoyed how each assignment made me stronger, and how each test brought me down, however I did not give up! But, in the end, what really matters is how much you learned, not a grading system. I reflect on this year and I see how much I have really learned and engulfed in Precalculus, a learning pinnacle for the math years to come.

To my fellow underclassmen that will encounter this challenge of math, I hereby declare you all champions! You all have taken the necessary steps and conquered them with great determination to get here. I advise you all to never give up and keep moving forward with triumph. No matter how difficult this course may get, never break down and stop learning with your full extent! When you stop learning out of your own will, math will become a painful, obligatory contrivance you will have to deal with for the rest of your life. Into the bargain, you scholars must be able to deal with the ability to query for help. Regardless of it making you appear vulnerable and weak, imploring aid will strive you for greatness. Possessing valuable companions allows you to enter this champion’s challenge with assistance of individuals you are snuggly with. Partaking in conversations with your instructor will set you up for numerous benefits throughout this course.

No matter what circumstances are bestowed upon you, you will have a substantial outcome during this trial of math. I wish you champions to make astonishing strides in your mathematical career following after Precalculus and during. Please, please, please I beg for you all to do your finest. Do not let minimalistic or macro-sized tasks astray you from the path of mathematical accomplishment. You all will do amazing in whatever assignment you do. Go on champions and step over any obstacle in your pathway. Acquire this scholarly education and move on with your expedition. PRECALCULUS ROCKS!

Tahsin Iqbal

 

Dear tenth grade student in Precalculus,

Congrats on choosing precalc as your math! Although it may be challenging this math route is amazing and will help you improve your math skills a lot. Here I have some advice and tips for the class. Depending on your schedule, this is one of the only classes that will assign homework every class, so make sure you do your assignments on the first day if you can, or else it will pile up very quickly. Speaking of doing your assignments, Ms. Frisbie does give out two late passes per quarter but I would advise to not use them because they count as extra credit at the end that you will probably need. Make sure during class that you are paying attention enough so that you can answer questions. Ms. Frisbie calls on people randomly with cards and there are three cards of your name, so the likelihood of you getting called on is pretty high.

Some more tips for the class are to start thinking about your IA early. Your IA is the “internal assessment” and is an essay you write about math. Ms. Frisbie helps a lot with the planning and writing of the essay, but you could start thinking of ideas of math topics that you like and/or are good at that you could write about. The essay is an exploration of a real-world problem, so try to relate the math to something in real life. I struggled coming up with a good idea that I was excited for, so taking some time to think about it early could be beneficial. Also make use of all the resources Ms. Frisbie gives you. She gives a lot for review or practice or explanations, so make sure you are utilizing it because some of it is really helpful.

Additionally, I noticed that the AP stats class helped my friends in the statistics portion of precalc. And not just that, stats came in handy in my elective AP psych too. Even if you’re not in the class you’ll do well, but taking that class at the same time helps with quick understanding in both classes. Actually, on my psych AP exam there was a question that was not covered in the class but some people got right because they took stats and knew what it meant. Although taking stats does not necessarily mean that you’ll do better, I observed that stats was very prevalent in other courses and the people that took stats had an easier time with certain things.

Hailey Turturro

 

Dear Incoming Freshmen,

I think that the only way to succeed as an IB student is to get enough sleep. Which is why the biggest piece of advice I can offer is to stop procrastinating. I find that it is easy for any IB student, myself included, to procrastinate: to tell yourself that you “will do it later”, when in all honesty you won’t. Don’t wait till the last second on that book you were supposed to read or the essay you were supposed to write. Do it as soon as you can; get yourself ahead. In the long run you will thank yourself as you actively avoid having to pull an all-nighter to finish piles of homework. Without homework “snowballing” (as Ms. Devore refers to it), you can get a good night sleep so the next day you don’t fall asleep in the middle of Ms. Frisbie’s class.

I find that sometimes IB students get so focused on playing the GPA game that they forget to do things they enjoy, whether it be in school or out. In school, IB students will oftentimes not take the elective/course they want to take and instead take an AP class they have little to no interest in just to improve their GPA. At the end of the day, take the course you want to take or join that academy you find interesting. That one class won’t matter in the grand scheme of things; it won’t tank your GPA. These behaviors often carry on outside of the school. I also find that IB students will forget to participate in the sports that they enjoy or the hobbies they love. It’s easy to forget, but a good portion of IB is finding that balance between school life and home life. While I am not suggesting that you procrastinate and never do your homework, I am suggesting that you take time for yourself.

And lastly, be prepared to have your ego knocked down a peg or five. IB is tough and even if you were the best in middle school, you probably won’t be the best here. No matter where you are there will always be someone who is smarter or better than you and that is okay. You don’t need to be the best. You don’t need to be perfect. You are going to fail and you are going to feel dumb at times. It comes with IB; it’s a part of the learning curve. You will get it eventually. So, as cheesy as it sounds, don’t give up 🙂

Best of luck,

Madison Odum

 

Dear Pre-Calculus Student,

As I reflect on my experiences this year, there are a few pieces of advice that helped me throughout the year. Firstly, it is important to make sure that you have a balanced approach to your schoolwork. Sometimes the workload can be overwhelming, but you must persist and remember to give yourself time to relax and for hobbies. Don’t burn yourself out and be sure to manage your time well without procrastinating.

Also, there are often times when you may be struggling, so don’t hesitate to ask others for help. Your family, friends, and teachers will always be there to help you whenever you need it. Being in IB can be challenging but encountering obstacles and difficulties along the way is completely normal and is part of the journey at IB. This journey is not one you have to take alone. You can form study groups with friends or look for guidance from mentors and teachers. Never be afraid to ask questions because they will significantly improve your understanding of the topic.

Lastly, remember that there is life outside of school. Take advantage of the extracurricular opportunities that you have available to you and participate in clubs, sports, or other activities outside of school that interest you. Participating in extracurriculars like these are very important because they provide a break from academics and give opportunities for personal growth and leadership development, and also help people build friendships. One of my favorite extracurriculars is tennis and it gives me a fun way to take a break from school and spend time with friends. Taking part in activities like these will make your journey through IB a lot more interesting and will also have a significant impact on you and your future.

Keep in mind that your journey in IB will not necessarily be easy but be sure to embrace the challenges you come across, seek help when you need it, and have fun! I believe in you, and I know that you have what it takes to succeed and excel this year. Good luck!

Sincerely,
Sahil Ande

 

Looking back on this year, I’ve learned skills and assets that I will carry with me throughout my high school career. And if I were to give advice to a friend a year behind me, the first thing I would tell about the IB program is to do your work on time. I say this because I have friends in IB that don’t turn in their homework on time or don’t do it at all, and their grades have to suffer for that. The worst thing you can do is not do your work on time and wait for the assignments to pile up, which is very stressful. So every time I receive an assignment, I try to finish it as soon as possible and turn it in on time so I don’t have to stress over overpiling assignments. So if you stay as work-oriented as possible you will be successful with your outcomes. So I would suggest keeping up with your assignments and finishing them as fast as you can.

Another word of advice I can give is to study for tests and try the best you can on tests. If you don’t know an answer to a question, at least try to work it out or put something down. The worst case scenario for choosing an answer is getting the question wrong, but if you don’t answer a question and leave it blank, you automatically get points taken off for not answering. I’ve learned that when it comes to a test and I don’t know the answer, at least try because you might get points for trying, or pick an answer closest to what you got. So don’t stress yourself out and always try your best because you’ll always be rewarded for your hard work.

One final word of advice I can give is to stay focused and stay organized. What I mean by staying focused is to always stay work oriented and stay with good habits like studying for days or reviewing past notes. Sometimes things around you, like homework/assignments or things in your life, can become really hard to overcome and it’ll feel like you can’t go on anymore but at least try to make it through the year, don’t give up in the middle because your grades will suffer and you’ll have assignments piling up. Staying organized means keeping up with your grades and assignments and keeping papers in binders and folders instead of just throwing them in your backpack. By staying organized you’ll be less stressed when finding assignments to turn in. So if you follow these words of advice, you’ll be set for the new year.

Kimmor’e Zipperer

 

IB has been a roller coaster of emotions. Over the past year, it has been a big obstacle but I’ve managed to pull through. I’ve learned many skills that will be helpful to me in the future during the rest of high school and throughout life. IB is not easy and will never be easy no matter what. It requires a great deal of concentration and commitment to your studies and also to the classes. Just remember that it will get harder from here and you have to figure out ways to stay committed to the program. But it’s okay to sometimes take a break and reflect on what’s best for yourself and your mental health. It’s important to set goals for yourself and see if you’re able to reach them.

IB will teach you valuable lessons that other places just won’t do. These lessons will stick with you for the rest of your high school life and as you enter college as well. You will also make friends that have the same struggles as you and you’ll be in this fight together. You won’t have to feel like you’re alone. Teachers such as Ms. Frisbie are also here to help you and get through the course as well. Pre-Calculus is not an easy class and sometimes it would be a wise choice to get help from someone else because the work won’t always be as easy as it seems. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from other people and especially ask questions to the teacher as well so that you’ll better understand the subject.

Overall, if you stick with IB and do your work, you will benefit from it in the end. Don’t forget to study, stay organized, and be respectful to others. It’s okay to take a break once in a while and think back on your accomplishments. Keep pushing through and if you feel burnt out, that’s okay. If you feel like giving up try to push through a little bit before giving up completely. If you feel like leaving sometimes that’s okay too. What matters the most is that you are happy and have a good mental state. Knowing what’s best for you is the most important. IB is not all there is to life but that doesn’t mean slack off in class.

Kylee Zipperer

 

Going into my 10th grade year, I was told that it was going to be easier than freshman year by many teachers and upperclassmen. Unfortunately for me and many of my classmates, this was not the case and my time as a sophomore was much more difficult than any other academic year. As a sophomore you have to manage yourself much more than freshman year which was a struggle for me as I often fail to organize myself effectively. Many people struggled with AP World History and ELA but I am really good in those subjects so those classes were a breeze for me. The biggest thorn in my side was chemistry where I got my first C ever on my semester report card.

Going into chemistry, don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the first unit because it rapidly becomes quite the challenge after that. The most important thing is knowing all your polyatomics before the school year starts because that knowledge is imperative to your success in chemistry. It’s also important that you memorize the metal charges as I never got around to doing that which caused me to struggle all year. One thing that a lot of students overlook is actually doing the worksheets Ms. Loweke assigns because they’re good practice on the difficult concepts you must understand. I often didn’t do the worksheets thinking I could just pass the test but upon taking the test I didn’t know any of the information because I didn’t do the worksheets.

More generally, I would also recommend staying organized all year. Even if you can’t keep papers in folders for designated classes, at least have one folder where you keep everything. I spent most of the year stuffing papers into my backpack which caused me to lose a lot of valuable work. When it comes to time management, I’ve found that having a calendar on your wall to write dates on is the best way for me to keep track of dates and you might benefit from getting one. You could also write due dates on sticky notes and stick them somewhere you will see them regularly, look at the rim of your computer monitor. Many students are afraid of Pre-calculus when they start 10th grade but I think pre-calc is one of the easier classes that 10th graders take. As long as you pay attention to the lectures you should be able to pass the test and the course gets easier in the second semester. Despite its struggles though, 10th grade can be an amazing year to make new friends and experience new things as long as you keep on top of everything that’s thrown at you. The challenge may seem insurmountable at times but I promise plenty of students have made it through alive and so can you.

Joshua Gray

 

To the incoming IB students, I know IB seems rough and it is but it is so rewarding to look back at your year and see how far you have come. Before you start I want to give advice on starting your IB journey. Adjusting to the amount of homework and extracurricular activities, along with sports is hard. Time management will be your best friend. I know heavily rely on time management. If you learn how to manage your time well, you will have time to hang out with your friends and family and not spend all your time doing homework. Some kids might believe that they can do IB by themselves but they need a good support system. Surround yourself with people with your best intention in mind and people who lift you up. IB will challenge you, push you, and make you cry possibly, but just know that with people supporting you from behind, you are strong and more than able to make it through.

Please don’t forget that a grade does not define you and makes you less of a person than a person with a better score or grade. I had to learn that the hard way. Yes, maybe you should have studied more or spent more time on that subject but at the end of the day, you are worth so much more than that score. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out, the teachers are always more than willing to make sure that you understand. Treasure the time you spend here at IB, you don’t get these four years back.

Talk to the upperclassmen, you might think we don’t want to talk to you but we want to help. Some of the best advice I have had came from an upperclassman and they have been in your shoes. They know what it is like and the struggles that come with IB.

Grace Ham

 

In the sophomore year of IB, I have undergone many positive and negative experiences academically and personally. In my opinion, this year has been slightly easier than freshman year because I thought a few individual classes became easier, specifically English and Chemistry. However, the overall workload was a bit more, but it was easier to handle with more experience in IB under my belt.

As far as classes go, here is how I would rank my classes from hardest to easiest: Pre-Calc, Spanish, Chemistry, World History, English, Human Geography, Band. Starting from the top, I found Pre-Calculus to be my hardest class, coming from a semi-math person. However, the hardest class I have taken in IB thus far is English with Rossi, the 2^nd hardest being Pre-Calc. For Pre-Calculus, I would say the hardest part was most definitely the first semester exam, as it was much harder than I expected. That quarter I only squeaked out a 90, but it remained an A due to my lack of late pass consumption and homework grades. My biggest tip of advice for Pre-Calc is to please, please, please study for the first semester exam extensively and the rest of the exams fairly rigorously. This is a manageable class for any math nerd and other people like me as long as you do the work and study. Also, Ms. Frisbie is a great teacher who teaches through example problems, a method that I find to be effective. For Spanish, I found the class to be somewhat tricky with Santiago’s talking point system and difficult tests forcing me to quickly adjust from Spanish the previous year. The books that we read are easy to understand and I felt somewhat prepared for this class. Moving onto Chemistry, my opinion is controversial because I personally think Chemistry is fairly easy. I am not a major science person, but I was able to comfortably get As on most of the tests with minimal studying. However, not studying for one chemistry test could ruin your grade because the tests are worth 200 points and the homework is worth 10 points. The hardest test for me was the solutions test or the second semester exam. In AP World, the class is very simple if you do your work. The point system of 25 points per assignment means as long as you get good grades on the classwork, you can drift by with an A even if you get Cs on the test. I also found this class to be very enjoyable and I was well-prepared for the AP exam. English with Mr. Guice was the easiest core class with his teaching style being very laid-back and funny. The hardest part of this class is probably the semester exam, all of the projects are a piece of cake as long as you sell the idea. AP Human Geo was easily the easiest AP course I have taken and the point system with each assignment being around 300 points was interesting. I felt prepared for the AP exam, but then again geography is my favorite subject. Finally, Pre-IB Music is a really easy class with grades being attendance at rehearsals. It does require a significant time commitment though, which I personally think is well worth it.

As I mentioned previously, I think the sophomore year of IB is easier than the freshman year and you start to settle into a groove of academic success. There are a few common electives that I didn’t take, which I can provide a semi-reliable opinion on based on friends’ accounts. AP Statistics sounds fun, and it prepares you well for the exam, it also makes Pre-Calc easier for the stats and probability units. AP Psychology sounds easy, seems to be a class where you need to study more for the exam with the help of resources. Also, many students including I choose to take extra classes over the summer to pad their GPAs. I personally recommend taking classes through Dual Enrollment because I found it significantly easier than an FLVS AP course (Microeconomics). I took Art History last year which was extremely easy, and I am currently taking Art Appreciation and Music Appreciation, both of which are relatively easy. When taking extra classes, try to take courses that aren’t offered at IB, or else it will look like you’re taking the easy way out to college admissions people.

While many students spend all-nighters “studying” and physically burning themselves out, I think this is pointless. If you are spending hours studying for basic tasks such as chemistry tests or trig quizzes, the chances are you’re doing something wrong. I always try to study about an hour or so per test and go to bed around 10:00. If you stay up later to play video games or scroll through social media, this may seem like an okay idea, but I personally disagree. It may relieve your stress temporarily, but it will likely lead to a lack of sleep, degraded mental health, and a potential snowball effect of missing assignments. Overall, I think sophomore year at IB is manageable as long as you submit your work on time, study for tests, and don’t get burned out. It would be hypocritical to say “don’t procrastinate” because I unfortunately do this all of the time. Junior year is where that will start to hurt you.

Nicolas Miller

 

Welcome new sophomores! As I write this, the school year has wrapped up and you all will be entering your tenth-grade year (already!) in roughly 3 months. I am writing this essay so that those who read it get a feel for what’s coming up. This letter intends to not only give you a rundown of the required classes that you willtake, but also the possible electives that you may choose and how to tackle them. Before diving into the specifics, there are a couple of key – some being obvious – points. With utmost imperativeness, finish your work on time. The stress relief after finishing homework 2 days ahead of schedule is very alleviating and leaves you time to study, practice a sport, or get some community service done. It’s also very important to consider that every teacher is there to actually help you. Ask them for help if you’re stuck so that you don’t fall behind. They wouldn’t be there if you could just learn everything perfectly from the textbook in 1 try; it’s perfectly okay to ask for assistance from a teacher, but make sure to give your best effort beforehand and explain what got you stuck.

Onto the specifics, you will be taking Pre-Calculus, English II, Chemistry, and AP World History. Not all teachers are made the same, but I guarantee you will learn the material for every one of these courses if you focus and do your work. While one teacher, such as Ms. Frisbie for Pre-Calculus, gives you detailed information on upcoming assignments and goes out of her way to post the material from every class online, you might not expect the same from a teacher like Mr. Guice for English II or Mrs. Loweke for Chemistry; however, this doesn’t mean you won’t get the material. English gives you a lot more liberty in decision-making for book annotations, projects, and is generally more improvised. Chemistry learns toward straight-forwardness and requires that you take good notes and write all the examples to understand the material. AP World History (your first required college-level class) is taught by Mrs. Huggins, who might be a little too fast-paced for you all just coming back from summer. From my experience, I found that I quickly adapted to her learning style, and it was truly effective in making sure we got all the material before class was over. I’ll warn you: most of these classes require considerable time dedication. That’s why you’ve entered this program – these core classes are prepping you for success within IB.

Electives, or otherwise known as your choices outside of the core classes. Freedom! If you chose like me, you would be taking German II, AP Psychology, and AP Statistics. Since you’ve already made your language course selection before freshman year, Herr Porter is fresh in your mind. German II expands on your previous vocabulary and builds a stronger grammatical understanding, which means expectations have increased. Make sure you read the books he gives you thoroughly. If you really want to laser focus on German, check out a couple of the books by his desk. AP Psychology is a memory-based class which has strong expectations, so assure you’re caught up on your reading and are using effective studying methods, such as spaced repetition, over ineffective studying methods, such as multitasking and last-second studying. (Hint: you will learn about this in this class.) While you might think AP Statistics is a math-based course, you would be wrong. This science-based course is one of my strongest recommendations due to how helpful you may find it in the future, mainly for your Math IA. The TI calculators are your best friend in this class, as you’ll be basing most of your arguments on analysis of outputs from this calculator.

A final note before I end this letter. I’m sure there are some of you who excelled during freshman year, while some struggled but persevered and are loading up for tenth grade. For both ends of the spectrum, expect an increase in not only course difficulty, but expectations of respect and courtesy towards your teachers. Yes, they do have a sense of humor – they are not robots; however, don’t simply fool around in class. Following the path I took, you would be in 3 college-level courses at Bartow IB + an online college-level course on FLVS. If you assume this number of college classes, know that there’s a mutual understanding between you and your lecturer that you will be attentive in class. If you don’t follow that advice, you aren’t setting yourself up for the success you should be trying to achieve. Build a good character and follow up on your freshmanyear successes to continue the climb up to IB. Good luck!

A fellow student who wishes you luck,

Alexander Andrade

 

Dear future sophomore

You’ve made it through Freshmen Year! Although it is probably the easiest, do not expect the rest of your time in IB to be the same. The amount of work you get in sophomore year is significantly more than the work you get in freshman year. The hardest part throughout the year is procrastination and I definitely procrastinated a bit too much throughout the year. I understand burnout may happen, which happened to me near the end of both semesters, but sometimes you just have to push yourself just a little more. While mental health is important, the purpose of being in IB is to push yourself beyond your limits, but just always remember it’s ok to take a break every once in a while.

Do not let school be your entire life. Always try to go to social events whenever you can and especially if you’re invited by your friends to come. I still maintained my hobbies throughout the school year, and they significantly helped me relax and calm myself down when I needed it the most. Also don’t forget that you have friends and good friends are always willing to help you out either academically or mentally.

It’s important to look back every once in a while, and witness at how much you have achieved. Try doing your summer homework as early as possible because you don’t want to pull an all-nighter doing your homework the night before the first day. I have only one more important thing to tell you, NEVER FORGET A CALCULATOR TO CHEMISTRY; it could cost your grade to drop from 94% to 87%, which would ruin your chances of getting an A that semester, but that is just a hypothetical situation.

Good Luck!

Martin Hernandez

 

Dear underclassman,

Welcome to another year of IB at Bartow High School! These next few years will be both some of your hardest and most exciting years. By now, you realized that even if you didn’t study in middle school and still got straight A’s, that is not happening here in IB. You will be academically challenged to get A’s and will have to learn how to take notes for different classes, before studying them later for your test and understand the concept in your own way. I can’t stress this enough but ask questions in class. A high majority of the teachers here in IB wouldn’t mind having students ask questions during lectures. Some students may have the same questions, so you are helping them understand the lesson as well.

Speaking of your fellow students, they are also your friends. I realized that some schools assume that IB is very competitive, but it really is not. Spending 40 hours here every week, you will start to develop friendships, whether you are social or not. Not only is the program quite literally forcing you to interact with each other through CAS projects or any other extracurriculars, you will have spent at least 4 years with those people, and might be together for longer, even after college. IB is really just a big community and family, so everyone is helping each other pass and finish strong.

I feel like IB as a whole is very different compared to other schools in its own special way. For example, some classes are smaller, so students have better feedback from their teachers and more one-on-one help with them. Here, teachers really care about their students and are willing to provide aid when asked for it, which is very helpful with the rigor of the program. However, you must also help yourself, and one of the biggest challenges for an average IB student, is procrastination. Everyone in IB eventually procrastinates, and sometimes, it’s not even on purpose. One rule that really helped me so far is the 30-minute rule. If you have a task that takes less than 30 minutes, do it now, and get it out of your way already. The days that you don’t follow this rule, you will most likely end up doing the assignment on your way to school or five minutes before it is due, so you can’t really process the information you are writing on your paper. Getting a short assignment done early, on the day it is assigned is not only efficient, but it  definitely decreasing a huge amount of stress. And I can confirm that since I have literally been in both situations, unfortunately. So, in conclusion, to not procrastinate, use a planner, and do easy tasks first.

You will learn a lot of life lessons through IB and eventually find your true self. These are the years for you to develop a personality for yourself and find what you are really passionate about! You were admitted into this IB Program for a reason, and I am sure you will all do amazing things here. Best of luck!!

Yasmine Lakhouaja

 

What I would say to someone about to begin sophomore year is to study and take notes, even if you don’t have to. I only studied the day before tests and didn’t take notes in English or Pre Calculus which made it harder to do well on tests. Writing down things makes it significantly easier to remember them even if you don’t look at them frequently. If you feel you are familiar with a topic of a test, make sure beforehand with practice questions or something similar instead of being caught off guard on the actual test. I would recommend taking one non-AP elective because they make days much easier and the end of the year much less stressful.

I would also recommend taking AP Psychology because it is a very easy class for AP credit. The tests are quite easy and so are the assignments. The classes that I had to study for were AP world history, English, chemistry, Spanish, and pre calculus. With that many classes, it was important to spread out my study time and see what worked for me. What worked for me (most of the time) was studying using Quizlet and flashcards. There was always some downtime where I could pull up some flashcards and study at school.

If I lived closer to Bartow I might’ve participated in extracurricular activities because that always helps on a resume and would’ve been fun. Keeping an equilibrium between what you want to do and schoolwork is essential to staying happy. Discipline is required to performing well in all aspects of life. Make sure you sleep a reasonable amount of time, around 7 hours or so. Being tired will undoubtedly lead to poor academic performance.

Liam Basila

 

Hey there incoming freshman,

 

Welcome to IB, congrats on getting here. When you enter IB you think everything will be different, such as so much homework and so much stuff to do and keep track of. There really isn’t anything drastically different. All the changes will be gradual and something that you will have to adapt to, something that you will adapt to. The beginning is where the most changes occur with every teacher and test grade that you receive making you adapt. Know that the teachers here are some of the best teachers that you will ever have. You may dislike them like I have but looking back, the teachers teach in such a way that you do not feel like you are learning the content of the class even though you are, and it is such an amazing thing to have from a teacher.

The main advice that everyone hears but nobody follows is to keep ahead of your work. Trust that advice. Burn it into your soul. There is a reason that everyone says to keep ahead of your work. Adapting to new things is a very useful thing to be able to do when in the IB program. Being able to adapt to the workload and develop a set work schedule is necessary to IB. Learn that you cannot force things in life. You cannot force relations with people, you cannot force your teacher to give you points, you cannot do things past a deadline. You learn many things by experience and while it may suck at the time, they provide valuable lessons that will stay with you. You may have to make sacrifices between things you like to do and your grades. Everyone likes to hangout, but not everyone has the same amount of work that you must do. Sometimes there is not enough time in the day to do the things you enjoy and do your homework. This year I have played tennis and loved my time doing so but have gotten home 5:30-6:00 too tired to do anything. I have learned that I must make sacrifices when it comes to tennis and cut my time short in order to be able to keep my grades up and have time. Studying is also something that is very important. There will always be the person that doesn’t have to study and gets the best grades in everything, and you might feel envious or jealous of them and try to do be like them. Swallow your pride and study for tests so you don’t regret it later. Do things that make you happy in the long run.

IB will teach higher education, but it will also teach life lessons and it is important to incorporate the lessons and education that you receive into the life you lead. I advise you to be nice to all your peers and teachers. They will help you every step of the way and help you to succeed. It is also important to remember that you are in total control of all your actions and the grades you receive. Every grade you receive is the result of the input of effort that you did. Remember that you can enjoy your time at IB hanging out with friends and having fun. Surround yourself with good people. The lowest lows come the highest highs and sometimes you just have to wait to see what life will bring you next.

Have fun next year, enjoy your time,

Jon Dacalos

 

A lot has happened this year, but if I had to break it down into one word, my word would be: growth. Throughout this year I have learnt so much, not just academically but in other ways as well. There are some classes that I would totally take again, and some classes I wish I hadn’t taken at all. Either way hard work definitely plays a role.

This is my second year in IB, or should I say pre-IB? Regardless, this year was much different than my last. In my freshman year I learnt the way this school works and what I needed to change in my schedule. It challenged me to a level, but I was able to manage it easily. Though despite what a majority of others say about freshman year being harder than sophomore year, I thought my sophomore year was harder. The classes I took this year were more advanced such as AP like psychology, stats, and world history, not to mention taking AP microeconomics online. This year I had to work really hard for every success. I know the way I said it doesn’t sound great, but it is the truth. Last year and in middle school things came easy, and this year I learnt that it isn’t gonna be laughs and rainbows all the time. For example, stats. When I went into stats my thought process was, “It’s math. How hard could it be?” and I was very very wrong. AP statistics was a class I had to work really hard in to manage. There’s always gonna be that one kid who makes it look effortless; my advice to whoever reading this that you have a growth mindset. I know that’s like cheesy or whatever, but honestly, you always have room to improve. That’s what I wanted to say about hard-work in general.

In classes, you really want to explore everything. I think that before you set your mind on some profession, make sure you like it. A good way to discover that is through electives. I want to be a doctor, but my parents told me to have a plan B or something alternative just in case. So this year I decided to take AP microeconomics to see if I like economics. Long story short: I don’t love it. So that class helped me see that’s not what I want to go into, even though previously I thought that economics was my plan B.

The classes I grew to like most this year were psychology and pre-calculus. Starting with psychology, to be completely honest the class procedures were not what I expected, and I wasn’t a fan. The content was what I liked, which only proves to me more that the medical field is something that interests me despite the environment. In that class studying never felt hard or tedious by itself. My point is that the learning process felt motivated by internal motivations instead of external ones. Pre-calculus was interesting, and my opinion changed as the year progressed. And no, I’m not including pre-calc just cause Ms. Frisbie is reading this; I genuinely felt that it was one of my favorite classes. In the beginning of the year I wasn’t the biggest fan, but really it wasn’t that I didn’t like it. It was more that I gave into conformity and I wasn’t used to change. Though as the year progressed I started to like pre-calc, half because I was getting higher and higher grades, and the other because the class became more relaxed. Looking back I really wouldn’t have wanted any other class for fifth period. One class I never grew to like was AP world history. History is just not my thing, it doesn’t entertain me in any way. I did love Mrs. Huggins and I still made good grades, but it just wasn’t interesting to me individually. Since AP World History is a mandatory course my advice would be to pay attention in class. Though it may be hard to be 100% focused in class all the time, if you do pay attention, getting high grades in the class becomes easy. All my other classes were normal, there wasn’t really a big change in feeling towards them.

Being a year wiser, I also came to the conclusion that the world is much different than I was sheltered to believe. With that being said I also wanted to mention things change, and that’s never bad. Change happens for a reason and ultimately fits into life so perfectly you don’t understand why you doubted your ability to withhold the pressure in the first place. In IB, as far as I’ve come, my best advice would be to just take things one step at a time, and don’t give up easily.

Dhanvi Lakshmanan

 

During my two years in IB, I have learned many extremely important things that are essential in the IB program, not just a single class, whether it be academic wise or personal. It is an absolute requirement for you to always stay on top of assignments or else you could find yourself drowning in homework during the last week of the quarter (this may or may not have happened to me a few times). Although procrastination may seem desirable and you may think you have time, this mental set will give you the false idea that you have enough time, but by the time you decide to do work it will be too late. Apart from avoiding procrastination, make sure to study, it could be the difference between a 99 and a 100, and it feels awful when you end up one point short of a perfect score or a passing grade. Not only will studying help you for tests but in the long term as well to help you memorize information better, as this information is always revisited in some way throughout the full year. Another thing you should do is always take notes, because when you decide to study these notes will be what help you the most as they are your personal copy of the teacher’s notes. Without notes, it will be much more difficult to study and prepare for tests.

The entire IB experience does not solely revolve around academics and work, you must also take care of yourself. While you must do the best you can in IB, that does not mean that you must overwork yourself and overstress. You must also allow yourself to get enough sleep and keep a stable and healthy mindset. Do not become obsessed with obtaining the highest GPA although a high GPA is good, but it should not interfere with your learning. You must do what pleases you the most and see IB as a good and helpful experience for your own self rather than an energy draining program. While you may have to stay up late on some nights to finish a task that took you more time or were not able to complete it should not become a regular thing, which also relates back to the whole idea of procrastination, as sleep is important in maintaining the brains function healthy and stable. Remember, you have many other students in IB that are going through the same and teachers that are willing to hear you.

Lastly, who you interact with socially is a large factor in your IB experience. Do not surround yourself with people that do not take their education seriously. These people will cause you to lose the importance IB has to you. Make sure to always surround yourself with people that will help you become a better student and help you succeed in your path as an IB student. Equally, you should help others improve and feel comfortable about themselves in the IB program. IB students should be there to help each other and build each other up as we are all going through the same thing.

Snaider Lopez

 

Hello future sophomore,

I am writing to you to give you my knowledgeable advice on how to survive sophomore year. I will take you to three key aspects of my tenth grade IB life: Sports, AP classes, and the fun stuff.

To begin with, this year I decided to join the girls’ varsity lacrosse team and it was the best decision I ever made. Freshman year I decided not to join any sports because I was already overwhelmed with the fact that I was in high school. To be honest with you, I did decide to join the team so it would look good on my college applications, but as time went on, I began to love the sport. I entered the sport not knowing a single thing about lacrosse. But like many sports here at Bartow, the girls were so welcoming, and I was able to learn very quickly through conditioning and captains’ practices before the season. During the season, we went to games in Orlando on a school night and came home at 11! I know it’s as exciting as it sounds. Throughout our 12 games, whether we won or we lost I was able to grow my connection with my amazing teammates. So, I suggest that you join a sport that you are truly interested in and I promise you that you will make unforgettable memories.

Next, although dreadful, my AP classes have been really beneficial to me this year. This year I took AP stats, psych, and world. I am so happy I took AP stats with Mr. Naki, especially because it is his last year at Bartow. AP stats is most probably the most useful AP classes you will ever take, as it is necessary for almost any profession. AP psych is a really good course but I recommend that you take it online rather than with Ms. Romaine, because me and a lot of my classmates have had a very difficult time with her teaching style this year. However, AP psych is a very easy course that you will most certainly do well in if you can memorize some words. AP world with Ms. Huggins is the best. Ms. Huggins is an extremely good teacher who will always find a way to plug knowledge into your brain. Even with limited studying for the AP exam, I was able to remember activities and games that we did in the beginning of the year during the exam.

Finally, the fun stuff! This section includes events like Friday fests, the IB decathlon, clubs, homecoming, IB social, and so many more. My most important advice to you would be to make sure that you give yourself time to have fun even if you are in IB. These events this year have brought me so much closer to my classmates. My most favorite event would be homecoming, so make sure you don’t miss out on that opportunity!

Good Luck,

Sumi Muthiah

 

I don’t know how to start this but here we go, IB is a big commitment and I (as an IB student) understand how difficult the program can be, but you must remember to never give up. When a rocket is soaring through the air into outer space, it doesn’t pause; the same thing with your IB career, you are that rocket, and if you genuinely believe that you can reach the stars of IB, you can do anything you put your mind to. The only thing in this entire world that can stop you is yourself, not your friend, not your teacher, not even your parents. Any time I feel unsure about something I always tell myself “Who is gonna stop me”, and I said before that you are the only person that can stop yourself and why would you want to not help yourself. All you must do is believe that you are the best and you will unconsciously start to prove it.

This part is about some do’s and don’ts, some do’s are to always make sure that you try your best, and yes I know you have heard this thousands of times but if you genuinely take it to heart then your mind will become more positive and a positive mind tends to result in a positive life. Another do is to prioritize your sleep over your homework, this is just a personal opinion but when I stopped worrying about homework so much and started sleeping longer, my IB experience definitely improved. Some Don’ts are to not procrastinate on your stuff, now that is an extremely hypocritical statement because I procrastinate on everything, including this essay which is due today and was assigned 2 weeks ago. Another don’t is to never create bad relations with anyone in the school from the principal to any student, because it will come to bite “your behind” in the long run. Just make the best of your experience.

I am unsure of what to add because I already said most of the stuff, uhhhh, oh yeah make sure you pick classes based on what you like, not what looks good on a college paper. I understand that a bunch of online AP classes may look good on your college application but you will not be motivated to do them unless you are that disciplined. I know plenty of students who took extra classes as GPA boosters but most never finished because IB is enough of a load on its own but adding online classes is a pain. I personally never took them because I knew that I would not commit to them. My final piece of advice is to remember that the whole point of IB is to have a stressful type of fun, so make sure you do that.

Krish Nair

 

Future 10th grades at IB taking pre-Calc,

Your first two years in IB are always a big change you will have to deal with. With new challenges in IB you need to make sure that you motivate yourself by setting a goal which you can reach. As you process in your journey in IB you need to make sure you are consistent in your work, and that you turn in your assignment in time. One future class you will be taking is pre-Calc in which you might struggle. In Pre-Calc you need to pay attention to all of Ms. Frisbie’s lessons in class, and don’t slack off in the back of the classroom.

For example, I struggled in the beginning parts of pre-Calc due to me not understanding the math I was being taught. I eventually started getting help from the teacher and classmates, who helped me pass along in that classroom. As you get deeper into your IB journey you will feel like IB is hard and that you won’t be able to finish IB. In these types of situations, you need to relax, and slowly work your problems out with help. All of you students will have a hard time in IB, and you will struggle on a test and even completely fail a test. For Pre-Calc, your generous teacher will give you GRQ (Grade Recovery) opportunities in which you can get half of your points on a test back.

The grade recovery really helped me maintain my grades in IB Pre-Calc and eventually in the second quarter I started to improve on my tests in Pre-Calc. As you continue your journey in IB you will have a lot of opportunities for fun activities such as prom, and Friday fest. Future IB 10th grades I believe in you , and lastly have fun in IB. There is no need for you guys to stress over your grades, because at the end of the quarter your efforts will show your grade accurately.

Soham Patel

 

Dear Student,

10th Grade has been hard, but it has been much more fun than the ninth grade year of Bartow IB. Some advice that I would give is to be kind to everyone because you never know who you will end up becoming friends with and everyone has a good side to them. Also, stick to the group of friends that you have because you will need their support and advice to shape yourself into a better person. Make sure that you form close relationships with your teachers as well because they will really help you throughout the year, so feel free to always ask them for their help.

Also, there is a mandatory AP course that you have to take this year, AP World History, so you need to make sure that you are paying attention in that class and understanding the content that is being taught. The workload for 10th grade is larger than that of 9th grade, but it is surprisingly much easier than in 9th grade to finish all your work. This is because 9th Grade has now prepared you for being able to handle the work for 10th grade. Make sure that you do not procrastinate in any of your classes though because this will cause you to struggle. Another thing is that you need to make sure that you study for AP exams ahead of time so you can space out your study sessions effectively.

Last thing I want to mention is that you need to make sure to balance your school life with your extracurricular activities. I had to play tennis during the second semester of school and that kept me really busy with the everyday practices and weekly games. But, I was able to balance my school work as well because I made space to be able to do both proficiently. Do not sacrifice your extracurriculars for your school, just make sure that you can balance them together. Also, do not be afraid to run for officer positions in clubs. These would look really good for college and it is never too early to start. Do not be stressed for next year, it will be a breeze!

Sincerely,

Bhavya Pinapala

 

Dear incoming sophomore,

Sophomore year has been hard but, here I am, living proof that it doesn’t last forever. In this letter I will give you tips regarding your social life and academics. This letter is formatted in the same way that you should format your life (at least this period of your life), academics first.

Sophomore year is going to expose you to even more due dates and exams than last year. However, you can easily stay organized by keeping a planner at all times. Even if you think you have nothing due soon, still check your planner every day. After analyzing due dates, establish a study plan. Realistically you will often find yourself just studying the day before a test. Although studying the day before a test is not the goal, if you do find yourself in this situation don’t panic, just make sure your studying is effective by turning your phone on do not disturb and by taking short mental breaks that do not include being on your phone.

Academics are very important. However, your social life is important too. If you are always studying and doing homework you run the risk of burning out and losing motivation. Don’t forget to plan things with your friends. I personally just love going out to grab lunch with some friends or catching a good movie. If you remember anything from this letter remember to make the most out of every situation because as much as we complain about high school, it does go by pretty fast.

A future junior,

Amanda Rico-Toro