The majority of these were written by students in the International Baccalaureate program, but there are also several grouped together at the end written by students in the traditional Bartow High School program and by Summerlin Academy students. The essays are otherwise in no particular order.

During my experience as a senior I have undergone many experiences and learned many things that would have proven vital to me had I known about them before entering my senior year. The first thing that I have to share is that senior year of IB is unlike any of the other 3 years prior to it. It is without a doubt the hardest year of all, vastly more so than junior year was. In fact if I had the option of redoing 3 more years of high school instead of going through senior year of IB, I would. Just a few things that you will encounter during senior year: Stress of finishing CAS, Internal assessments in every class, TOK essay, Extended Essay, college applications, applying for college scholarships, Shuff, studying for IB tests at the end of the year, studying for normal tests throughout the school year. Now that is just a few of the things that you will encounter but the thing that makes it the worst is that many of these things are going on all at once or very close to one another. Maintaining a life outside of schools and extracurricular activities combined with maintaining good grades becomes increasingly difficult the further into senior year you go. Having fun classmates, some teachers that understand your struggle, and parents that can motivate you can help mitigate some of the stress from IB however many kids may not have all of these luxuries. So in order to prepare you for senior year of IB whether you have these luxuries or not, I will share some of what I have learned.

The first thing that I suggest you do is to take things slow enough for you to comprehend yet quickly enough that you are able to stay ahead of the game. I frequently found myself becoming overwhelmed with all of the things going on at once in my life that I began to shut down and neglect school, choosing instead to sleep or procrastinate. This hurt my grades compared to my year prior. I suggest that you devote yourself to accomplishing one task at a time in order to be productive. For those that are able to get themselves to work, however, I suggest that in order to maximize efficiency when doing schoolwork I suggest setting a timer for both work and relaxation. A timer allows you to work in an allotted time with the hope of a reward (relaxation) later. When I did this, I began to feel a greater sense of satisfaction when I accomplished a task and felt as if I had spent my time efficiently. This method may help you with school but more importantly this method of completing tasks will help you as you transition into becoming an adult. Having bills to pay and a profession can become just as overwhelming as being in IB and establishing a strong work ethic now can help you immensely later in life.

The biggest projects during my time so far as a senior has been the extended essay and Mr. Shuff’s class. Those two things have required an immense amount of work from myself and thus should require work from you as well. For the extended essay, I suggest choosing a topic that truly interests you. If you write about something passionate then having to write and find research will feel like less of a burden and more of a hobby. I personally found this helpful. I chose to write on music, which is relevant to me since I play an instrument. I suggest you find something to write about that is relevant to your life and seriously interests you. Lastly, for Shuff’s class there is no hope for you. You’re just gonna have to fail that class… Just kidding. Actually, his class is 100% accomplishable; you just have to devote yourself to READING THE BOOK and finding a way to study that if more than just re-reading the book. I cant really help you find an effective study method but if you want to do well, you will have to find some way to study. Believe it or not, it doesn’t require endless hours of study. But if you break up the readings then you can easily accomplish it. For me, I like to use post it notes and jot down information that I just read on those notes. This helps to train you to process the information and recall it when you write it down again.

I hope these words of advice are helpful to you should you happen to even come across my paper, but for the ambitious mind that does happen to read this I say good luck and Godspeed as you embark through perhaps the roughest year of your life!

Antonio Glenn

 

IB has taught me several different things throughout my time here. Most importantly, IB has taught me how to manage my time to balance both the things I enjoy doing with the things I need to do to be successful. The teachers and staff have all assisted in this process in their own individual way. Looking back, IB is not nearly as scary as it seems your first day on campus. You just have to know what to do and how to do it in the most effective manner.

The first pitfall one encounters in IB is the last nine weeks of your 10th grade English class. This is the first time one will experience an extensive workload in IB. Mr. Guice does a fantastic job preparing his students for their futures in IB. During this time, he stacks several assignments on top of one another and requires them to be turned in within small intervals of time of one another. My advice at this point is to treat it as if you are a junior or a senior. Take it seriously as this will be very similar to your experience for the next two years. Manage your time correctly, and you will be fine. However do not forget to leave time for things you enjoy so that you actually enjoy, well, living.

The final thing I will discuss is what occurs junior and senior year. Is it difficult? Yes. Extremely. Yet, you knew it was coming and its best to accept that it is difficult and be prepared. Junior and senior year work very similarly to the last semester of sophomore year in that there is a lot of work and little time to do it. Something I noticed is there are sinusoidal timespans of workloads. What I mean by this is there are periods of time where a lot more work is due than other times. It is almost as if the teachers want to break you during certain times and then give you a break recognizing that you survived. I recommend that in the spans in between major assignments being due, that instead of doing nothing you slowly do the things that will cause stress when another wave of major assignments pop up. As a senior, the moments of hard work have occurred in October and in February. So acknowledge these times, and plan accordingly.

Ryan Klimas

 

To whom it may concern part deux,

I’ve deleted and restarted this stupid thing at least five times. My previous attempts have ranged from privileged and ungracious to downright callous and obnoxious. I don’t know why this is giving me so much trouble, I’m usually fairly dexterous with the written word and it’s not like anyone is going to read this anyway. I guess I feel that if even just one freshman reads this and I’ve given bad advice, or messed up somehow, then I’ve failed. So here’s my one and only piece of advice that I will offer in this essay. You ready? It’s a doozy. Don’t take advice from sixteen/seventeen year olds. Bam. Done.

………….

Hmm? Still here? Why? Me, a copout? Pfff, well that’s what you get for going to a hastily written essay looking for some great revelation on how to live your life. How about this, I’m not going to give you any of my so called “wisdom”, but instead I will tell you a story and you can draw from it what you will. Deal? Good. This story doesn’t have a title, so let’s make one up. The Gospel of Bryce sounds too pretentious and self-important, and East of Bartow is too obvious, so let’s go with Dr. Strangeschool or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Nap.

I’ll try to keep this brief, as it’s late and I’m sure that no one actually wants to read this drek. This story starts with our protagonist, a wide eyed wee little Bryce Jr., taking his first tentative steps into Freshman year. My, what an experience! And my, how it all spiraled out of control so quickly! Bryce received a C in Spanish! Can you imagine, a C!!! He had never received a C in anything before! Yet he pressed on, determined to fill the large, smelly, fungus infested shoes left behind by his brother. Freshman year was over before he knew it, and what a time it was! Bryce really hated it! But he comforted himself with the knowledge that Sophomore year would be better. He knew people now, he wouldn’t have to go through the initial awkward phase of meeting and befriending strangers, Sophomore year would be a vast improvement over Freshman year. My god, what an idiot this Bryce guy is! In that year, he struggled with insomnia, and what he thinks was depression, but isn’t quite sure. His parents wanted to get his head shrunk, but he was said “No way Jose!” Though he was tired and sad, so it was probably more like ” *grumble grumble grunt*. ” He started communicating with someone, things got better, that person really understood, you know? Suddenly life sucked just a little bit less, the flowers were a little less gray, and the sun searing his skin was just a little more bearable. Bryce will probably never tell this person what he thinks of them (because he’s a HUGE coward) but oh well, that’s not what this story is about. Now, halfway through Junior year Bryce is only certain of three things in regards to the International Baccalaureate School for Masochists: 1. The teachers are the most dedicated he has ever seen, and all deserve better than to be working a low paying, thankless job like high school teacher. 2. Never before has he seen such a collection of like minded individuals as in IB, he has made some friendships that he hopes will endure past high school (though in his heart of hearts he knows that after college, he’ll probably never see any of his classmates again) And 3. He is certain that he wishes he had gotten out when he had the chance. I’ll cut the bull now and just tell you. I don’t like IB. I don’t see the point. It will likely not effect what college you get into, nor what scholarships you attain (unless you get straight A’s and nail the SAT/ACT and do service hours and participate in sports and and and and and) . But I won’t tell you what to do. That’s not the purpose of this. Draw your own conclusions from my experience, maybe I am just a whiny privileged white kid. Who knows? Sorry this is so long, but I enjoy writing, ya feel? To any freshmen who made it this far, or anyone for that matter: Thanks, and god speed.

Bryce Hewett

 

The first semester of my senior year was honestly much more difficult than I had intended it to be. First tip of advice, DO NOT listen to ANYONE who tells you that any year is harder than senior year. You have it pretty great as of now because I consider freshman year to be the second easiest year in IB after sophomore year.  Last year when I was preparing myself for my final year all I was really concerned about was finishing in April before all of the other seniors (IB seniors test for virtually the entire month of May). Now, however, I realize that just because you’re closer to the finish line doesn’t mean you’re any less fatigued. My second tip of advice would be to do as I did: try as hard as you can to stay up to date on all schoolwork and even get ahead on some, if you can. It pays off tremendously later. For example, I’m completing this assignment four days before it’s due. Would I rather be doing other things like watching Family Feud? Of course. But I know that finishing now will give me more time later. Do the same, young one. That brings me to my next point- don’t become distracted. Whether it is friends (haha what are those), boys/girls, social media, or anything else, don’t let anything get in the way of your school work because it will be what matters in the long run. I know IB itself is a handful but I would also encourage you to become involved in a club and/or sport. That’s my third tip. They help distract you from the drag that is IB and they allow you to meet new and interesting friends. Plus, if you can manage a leadership position in anything, it will help immensely with college and scholarship applications.

One pitfall that I strongly advise you to avoid is the classic “all-nighter IB student”. Yes, I know you have probably heard this a lot but I am being very serious right now. You might not notice it now (or even later) but sleep is super important. Not only did it keep me from being irritable when I got enough of it but it has been proven that adequate sleep strengthens the immune system (which is why I attribute stress and sleeplessness to the only reason for my being sick during high school). You will soon find out that many IB students “get sick” often (this is to be taken as both a pun and in the literal sense). Coincidence? I think not. I also believe sleep reduces stress and improves focus. I have never understood why some students PLAN to do all of their homework late at night instead of sleeping. Some claim the wee hours between 11pm and 3am are when they work best while others claim it is because they either procrastinated or did not have time to do it any other time (but let’s be honest, that is also procrastinating in 90% of all cases). Either way I cannot stress to you enough my advice to do your homework on time, get ahead, and enjoy some well-deserved sleep. In my opinion, (until you get to junior year) if you can go the entire year without staying up until 11pm or 12am, you have succeeded. The best part about my school was when I didn’t have to stay up late and/or stress about schoolwork.

Ok the last item I have to address is “what seems to have been most important and deserving of the most study?” and to that I answer with an acronym you may or may not know by now- APES. I will admit, I hated it at the time. It had so much information and so much memorization that I was completely overloaded. I don’t think I ever made above a B on any APES test but Ms. Allison is a wonderful teacher and I ended up passing the AP exam. Make flashcards, take good notes, and read the textbook. Find time to study because that seemed to help me a lot. Also, the same (if not more) goes for biology. Most of you will find that subject to be a never-ending struggle until you graduate so you might as well get used to it as soon as possible. Oh and try your best not to let Ms. Kennon make you cry (never mind we all know that’s inevitable whether caused directly or indirectly). She’s a nice lady, just a little overwhelming sometimes when you ask stupid questions (which is completely my fault, don’t get me wrong). In the coming semester I am looking forward to taking my exams only because it will mean I can finally relax and be done with IB forever. I am tired but I don’t want to give up. I hope that you never give up. There are no second chances in IB so make your first and only run the best that you can make it.

With love,

Courtney Lamoureux

 

Underclassmen, rookies, novices, etc.,

To start off this wonderful letter, DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. You have probably heard this hundreds of times (there is a reason why) and you’re probably thinking “yeah, I know” but you really don’t! I can almost guarantee that if you procrastinate, you will hate yourself until you’re caught up and you’ll still probably be irritated that you procrastinated all those weeks ago.

***Key places to never ever ever procrastinate: studying for bio (9th and 11th), studying for APES (9th), bio lab (11th), writing an English essay (11th), reading the assigned pages in a novel (10th), doing world notes (10th), APUSH notes (11th), and the Math IA (calc). Procrastinating on your Math IA in Calc is one of the worst things you can do because it can be extremely simple and interesting at the same time if you do it in moderation. If you don’t, you may experience fatigue, dizziness, and extreme hate for math for the next week.

Don’t complain to upperclassmen about sleep. I say this because I hear it all the time and it is very irritating. By all means, complain to your friends that are in your grade or in 10th grade (because lets be real, 10th grade was easier than freshman year) because you all have about the same workload, but the second you complain to an upperclassman, it’s all over. Also, don’t complain to upperclassmen about why you pulled an all-nighter because it was most likely your own fault (but honestly if you follow what I said before and you don’t procrastinate, you won’t have to pull one).

Look here, rookies. GPA is not everything. I think it is very important that you understand this. In 10 years, you probably won’t even remember what your GPA was. Yes, it is part of what determines if you get into the college of your dreams, but it is one of many factors. Strive to be your own personal best, not better than everyone else. Boasting about your GPA or even grades in general is by no means the best way to make friends.  Just because you have a 187 (not really) in a class does not mean that all of your friends do. Everyone has their own strengths and boasting about your grade will only bring other people down.

But anyways, everything I just told you was for the IB part of high school. Now for the normal part… 1. This is nothing like High School Musical. No one randomly breaks out into song ever. 2. Do not act like you’re better than everyone. The more you try to act like royalty, the more of a peasant you become. 3. Acting stupid does not look impressive or cute. If you are intelligent, act like it. 4. Your friends are the most valuable people after teachers. Respect both of them. 5. Don’t be afraid to join a new club! Try new things! 6. Avoid being clique-y. Being open-minded will make things more interesting. 8. Doing well now will pay off in the future ($$$) 9. Don’t be too serious. High school will only happen once. 10. The last thing you need to worry about is “popularity.” It does not matter in the long run. 11. Do what will help you be successful, but don’t forget to do what will make you happy.

I was going to write this in the form of a eulogy, but then I decided that most of you that are taking the time to read these morsels of extremely useful advice will probably be very successful at IB.

You’re all very welcome,

Reha Patel, @rehayp98, 11th

 

Senior year has definitely been a challenge for me. There are a lot more things to worry about like 150 hours required for CAS, the Extended Essay, and a schedule full of AP and IB courses. On top of that, you have to apply for college, apply for scholarships, work on IAs, and write your TOK essay. Senior year is without a doubt way harder than junior year. However, at this point at least, I feel like freshman year was still the hardest for me. I came into IB from a small graduating class of 38 students from an even smaller private catholic school. I guess you could say that Bartow was a huge eye opening experience for me. Not only did I see new people everyday and not know everyone’s names, but I also witnessed things like guys wearing their jeans at their knees with half of their underwear hanging out and a whole new vocabulary filled with vulgar language that I didn’t really know existed. The first semester of freshman year was definitely the hardest. I came into IB knowing only one person, and it was hard making friends when everybody already knew each other from Union and Lawton Chiles, but I survived, made friends, excelled in my studies, played sports, and look where I am now: my very last semester of high school! Woohoo!!

The first two years of math were a breeze, for me at least. Geometry with Mr. Garrison was great, he made it super fun and really easy to understand for my little freshman mind. Then Algebra 2 with Naki was even better, I mean, it’s Naki. And who doesn’t love Naki?! And then, the hard part came: precalc. Precalc was without a doubt my hardest class last year because it’s a kind of math that goes so in depth with the different concepts that it’s more difficult to understand for me. Unlike geometry and algebra 2, it’s not black and white anymore. Precalc has it all: black, white, and some color splashed in there. However, I’ve found my way through it. I didn’t expect precalc to be hard for me, but it was without a doubt my hardest class in junior year. I thought it couldn’t get much harder, but then, Calculus came. Calculus is definitely the hardest class I have ever taken. I’ve had to work really hard to maintain the grade that I have, which is not as good as I would like it to be. It just requires me to stop for a second, and really think hard about what I should do to solve the problem, which is a great life skill.

The best part, by far, about this year was swim season in the fall. I had a blast swimming and I could not have asked for a better, more supportive, and more fun team. Swimming really helped me adjust to the overwhelming first semester of senior year and it was also a huge stress reliever. Every time I went to practice or a meet, I wouldn’t once think about work and I could just concentrate on having fun and swimming my best. It was really satisfying seeing my times improve and getting better and better throughout the season, especially since I worked so hard off-season. I miss the swim season so much and I can’t believe I will never swim with them again. So far, I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m really happy with how my classes and everything have turned out. In the coming semester, I hope that things start to wind down for us seniors. This first semester has been somewhat brutal. It is different than any other year because this is when you start to really have to think about your future and apply for college. Applying for college is very stressful and time consuming. But now, I have finished applying to all of my schools and I just have to wait to hear from them. I am really excited to see where I end up next year. But freshmen, word of advice, don’t wait until the last minute to fill out your applications or take the SAT/ACT. Start taking those tests in the beginning of your junior year so you have plenty of time to improve and don’t have to stress. Also, if you can, start filling out college apps in the summer. Trust me, you will thank me one day.

Lots of people think IB is some horror story that includes countless days and weeks of no sleep, loads and loads of work, and no time for spending time with friends or family. But really, it’s nothing close. Just like life, IB (and high school in general) is what you make it. If you stay positive and happy, then you’ll be happy. But if you complain and never sleep just because you were lazy and didn’t get your work done before or just act completely miserable all the time, then yes, you will hate IB. Long story short, take physics and not biology. Taking physics was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made and probably the reason why I’m enjoying high school a lot more than the kids taking biology. Here’s my motto: Be smart. Have fun. Take Physics. Oh, and try to enjoy high school. It only happens once.

Abbie Tamayo

 

Dear Little Freshmen (I probably shouldn’t call you little considering I’m a junior just shy of 5’2”),

There is no document long enough to explain all the advice I wish I could tell you. I could tell you about how IB is not as bad as it seems, that it is all worth it because of friends and the hard work pays off, and to not procrastinate, but I already said that (refer to my post in Advice to Precalculus Students, 2015). Below is a list of basically all the tips and advice I think one would need until the first semester of junior year. I hope my stupidity can serve as a lesson as to what not to do and my brief moments of competence can be an example of what to do.

FRESHMAN YEAR

1. Stuff to not procrastinate on: SCIENCE FAIR!!!, current events articles, STNTs, bio extra credit
2. Answer as many oral questions as you can as quick as you can. But when you get all the points you need, let others answer questions. If no one knows the answer, go ahead, but do not be the kid everyone hates because you hogged all the points.
3. Always keep your bio binder organized and fill out your planner. Those planner/binder checks are the easiest major points you can get. Do not be dumb.
4. Get a locker in the science hallway.
5. Keep closed toed shoes in your locker for bio/APES lab days.
6. Do not forget closed toed shoes on bio/APES lab days or else you will have to use your soccer cleats instead.
7. Make sure you have all your science fair stuff the day it’s due or else you will have to call your mom and make her drive the 40-minute journey back to Bartow because you were stupid.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

1. Stuff to not procrastinate on: MINI EE!!!, HISTORY FAIR!!!, SERVICE/CULTURAL HOURS!!!, color marking, reading, any essay
2. Do not write extremely personal stories in the AP World History pillow book. It is a school assignment, not a diary.
3. Try to come up with an interesting exploration topic for IB Pre-Calculus/Calculus. If you have to write an ~18-page paper on math, make it at least interesting.
4. Be nice to Mr. Guice on kidney stone days.
5. Bring food and dress up on Culture Day. Who cares if people stare because you are wearing a sari in the lunch room (they’re just jealous).
6. Study the trig ratios. Memorize them like the back of your hand.

JUNIOR YEAR

1. Stuff to not procrastinate on: FLY LAB!!!, CAS HOURS!!!, CALC EXPLORATION!!!, any lab, English journals
2. Actually color mark the Scarlet Letter with purpose. They help with the first set of journals and Mrs. Lavelle grades toughly.
3. Take advantage of Mrs. Scully’s many extra credit opportunities. If you miss an A by a couple of points and did not do any extra credit, come on, man.
4. You better still remember all the trig ratios.
5. Do not forget closed toed shoes on bio lab days, assuming you have chosen this treacherous journey as your science track.

IN GENERAL

1. Always do the extra credit. You may think “Oh I won’t need it, my grade is high enough”, but next thing you know, you forget a huge assignment or bomb a test and the difference between an A or B was 2 percentage points.
2. Always do the optional math reviews. Naki and Frisbie make it optional, but come on. It’s a preview of the test, “just do it like Nike” (yes, I quoted “Hit the Quan”).
3. Actually read the English books. You have quizzes, tests, and essays to write on these things.
4. Do not get concussions. They suck.
5. Be three standard deviations above the mean and take stats. It can be hard at times, but I really loved learning it and Naki is a great teacher. The course will also make pre-calc easier, especially during the stats chapter (duh). And stats jokes are the best jokes.
6. Get involved in sports. You make friends with Bartow and Summerlin students, who are wonderful people. It gives you a break to take off your mind from school.
7. Drive as soon as possible.
8. Major key to success: joining Key Club.
9. Keep a spare lanyard (and buy a spare ID if you are willing to do that, but the lanyard is more important).

Valory Vailoces

 

Hello Freshman!

So you’ve begun high school and have almost no clue what to expect or do. High school is great for many things such as experiencing new social situations and learning independence from all others.

I would like to stress the importance of friends and making connections across the board. The more people you know, the more you can accomplish, but please do not confuse cheating and collusion as a primary benefit of your network as it you definitely do more harm than good. In your studies, you should never forget that you deserve some free time and make habitual hangouts with your friends. Your friends will be very important to you, but do not allow social issues or minuscule things stand in your way and ruin your day.

In my experiences, the key to (decent) success is unwavering confidence and possessing the ability to make things happen. Don’t over study and acknowledge that you can’t always win sometimes; we are human and not machines so know your strengths and weaknesses. Instead learn how to make compromises and know what you need to do in order to manifest your will. Keep your eyes on the semester before the quarter; you want to get great grades first nine weeks when it’s easy so if things don’t go your way second quarter, you still have enough cushion to still have good averages. Aim for the highest and find a way to get there.

Also, don’t forget to explore and experiment; don’t be afraid to learn new things! Learn the arts, sciences, and other subjects and practice them every day. You’ll be surprised how much useless knowledge helps out in the long run. Why be great only in school when you can learn to be great in everything that interests you; there is a limit to this however so don’t over extend yourself. Express yourself as best as you can and all fortune will find you.

Mathew Rivas

 

Dear Freshman (or whoever decided to come read these letters),

Congratulations! You are about to embark on a crazy journey through the IB program so GET READY. As a freshman what will come later in IB may scare you, and it should. However, you will be prepared to face those daunting tasks by the time you reach your time to complete them. One of the things that is vital to your success in IB is support. The support of your family, teachers, and peers really is a key to saying sane over the course of four years. The sooner you realize, the better.

Family will be there for you when you need it. They will cut you some slack when you’re stressed, grab you something to eat if you’re too busy to eat, and give you something else to think about other than homework and school. The teachers in the IB program want to see you succeed and they will do all that they can do make that happen. Befriend your teachers! Although it may seem like some of them are out to get you and make your life miserable, they really (probably) aren’t. Feeling comfortable and able to talk to your teacher really will make a difference. Sometimes, you might be afraid to ask a question in fear of rejection but you’ll be surprised by how forgiving and helpful teachers can be. Your classmates are going to be with you for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Don’t hate them all, please. You may think that you don’t need anyone’s help, but friends have your back. Whether it’s 2am and your printer won’t work or simply a few words of encouragement before a Spanish test, you will learn that friends really come in clutch.

In regards to your schoolwork, just give up. Just kidding! Don’t do that, please. You are smart enough to make it here so you should use your apparently smart self and take the opportunity seriously. Everything really depends on how you function so I don’t want to tell you how to live your life. The biggest piece of advice that everyone gives is “DON’T PROCRASTINATE,” but that depends on how you work. I suggest doing what works for you but be smart. Larger projects take longer than you expect. Do as much of your extended essay over the summer. I had a period in my senior year where I absolutely hated myself for procrastinating. I had my extended essay rough draft, Calc IA, and chemistry 6 hours a week on top of all of the other homework we had to do. You don’t realize how bad of an idea procrastination is until it’s too late. Until you want to be ahead but you have no choice but to procrastinate on other things in order to get the first assignments done. Build a rock solid work ethic from the beginning. For me, sophomore year seemed the easiest and I found myself slacking off. BAD IDEA. Once you are knocked out of the groove of working hard, it’s really difficult to get back into it. Remember, your GPA follows you throughout your high school career and goes on your college applications. Don’t mess it up because you didn’t turn in assignments and give it all that you can give. An 89 hurts sooo badly so don’t let it be because you didn’t turn in that one 5-point completion assignment. At the same time, you have to accept that you won’t always get an A and that is okay as long as you really tried. Some subjects will be easier for you than others so don’t beat yourself up about it.

Okay this letter is getting pretty long and I’m sure you will just scroll past it gets longer. Since I finished the three paragraphs needed to get my points for this assignment, I shall list all of my advice so this is easier for you.

1. Find balance in your life. It’s the one thing that I look back on my 4 years and wish I had figured out earlier. Some say that IB kids can only chose two of the following three: sleep, social, study, but that isn’t true. It really is possible to have a nice balance of all three.
2. Identify your support groups. Your family, friends, and teachers are there for you! Just stop and take a second to actually appreciate that before you go off to college and everything changes.
3. Be open to new ideas and people. High school is a time to try new hobbies, sports, and activities. It is also a time to evolve and understand yourself. Don’t fall prey to drama and cliques. I pride myself in the ability to always have someone to talk to no matter where I go. Interclass friendships are great! Don’t restrict yourself to your small group of friends you share classes with.
4. Extra credit is and always will be your best friend.

Well that’s all that I can think of for now. I feel like all of my woes of high school came together into the problems and advice that I’ve already given. You’re about to enter a whole new world and time is going to fly by. By the end of 4 years you will have changed so much and I hope you understand yourself much better than you do as you read this letter. Good luck and have fun little freshie. You’re in for a heck of a time.

Axita Patel

 

Dear freshman,

IB life is busy, full of homework and studying. Start off strong and establish your studying habits early to make it easier later on. One of the most helpful tools for organization is a planner. (But a planner is only helpful if you commit to writing in the assignments!) As an IB student, your time management skills will be put to the test. You will have to manage an (at times absurd) amount of homework each week. You will have to learn to prioritize and make decisions: study, finish the homework, sleep, or have fun? To be honest, I have never gone to sleep past midnight in order to finish homework assignments. During freshman and sophomore year, the latest I went to sleep was 10. Hence, don’t think that by starting IB you are giving up sleep.

CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service) is a requirement in IB. I chose to start a tutoring program at a local elementary school for my CAS project. My only warning when choosing a CAS project is to be careful when making a commitment. Some projects, such as tutoring, will require much more time than for example, doing a two week fundraiser for a notable cause. When choosing a CAS project, do not underestimate the importance of the decision because what you choose could impact your schedule for the rest of the year (or at least a few months). You will learn about CAS later, but just remember to consider the time you have available when making commitments.

One recommendation I would like to give is to consider online dual enrollment possibilities. You can take a college class as an elective. WAIT, THIS HAS BENEFITS. If your schedule allows it, you could have the dual enrollment class at the end of the day, which would allow you to leave school earlier (awesome). I took one dual enrollment class last semester and the workload was less than another AP class. (Personally, I think dual enrollment classes are better than AP because the ones I have taken are less work and some online classes give a “semester schedule” which allows you to schedule your time). I did not take dual enrollment classes to boost my GPA (however, dual enrollment classes are weighted 5.0) but to start taking classes that would fit into the educational program I plan to pursue in college. Please note that I did say consider. Think about what would be best for you and your schedule before making decisions regarding your schedule.

I said at first that IB life is busy. Although this is true, I would like to encourage you to pursue activities that you enjoy. Try and find a balance between school and social activities rather than giving up one or the other.

Happy Learning?

Best wishes,

Nathalia Rivera

 

Dear IB Freshman,

If you’re reading these letters to freshmen just to procrastinate the copious amounts of homework you have to do, STOP PROCRASTINATING. It feels absolutely amazing to be finished with an assignment early instead of staying up way too late to finish it the night before it’s due, even if doing it seemed like sheer torture. You’re going to have to do the work anyway, and it’s a lot easier to complete if you pace yourself.

If you’re reading these letters to freshmen because you’re freaking out about IB and are looking for some advice to help you calm down, STOP STRESSING YOURSELF OUT SO MUCH. There are way too many IB kids who put their grades before their own health, constantly stressing themselves out and working incredibly hard to maintain impossibly high GPAs. I’ll just tell you now: it’s not worth it. Making sure to take care of yourself, as grades aren’t the most important thing in life—while it’s good to try hard and do well in school, your mental and physical health are much more important. I promise, the fact that you skipped that one assignment and slept instead in order to avoid a complete mental breakdown isn’t going to be that important in the long run.

Honestly, the most important thing you need to succeed at IB (and in life) is an element of balance. If you do poorly in school because you’re lazy and just don’t feel like doing the work, you’re not going to go far academically and may not end up getting the career you’d like. However, if you stress yourself out to the point that you’re not taking care of your health and end up having frequent mental breakdowns and being sick all the time because you have a weakened immune system due to a lack of sleep, there’s almost no way you’re going to be happy. If you really want to succeed, both your ability to achieve academic goals and your personal contentment with your life are incredibly important; never sacrifice one of these things for the other. I wish you the best of luck at IB! If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me—I know how great it is to have an upperclassman friend to talk to about all the challenges you face during your time here, whether or not those challenges relate to academics.

Morgan Snyder

 

BHS IB Class of 2017

Dear Freshman,

To all those starting here at IB, welcome! Despite consternation and doubt, you have chosen to spend your days at this institution. And while this place may seem to be intimidating at first, you will find the experience to be much smoother than expected. Just to make sure to avoid some common first mistakes.

Firstly, make sure to always stay organized. Keeping everything in a dedicated (preferably labeled) location will insure that nothing is lost and any study materials you need are available. Secondly, make sure to give Biology and AP Environmental Science your utmost attention. Of all the classes, these are the ones which most clearly give out the challenge people tend to associate with IB. Thirdly and finally, remember to actually appreciate the curriculum. School is a place to learn new ideas and points of view. So, between all the homework and notecards, try to understand and not just remember what you’re being taught.

In any case, enjoy the changes and appreciate the new. It is not very often as you get older that your world dynamic radically alters. Step out of your comfort zone and start to think critically of your surroundings. Without problem solving, introspection, and skepticism education really has no meaningful impact.

Levi Butler

 

Hi to any incoming freshman that are actually going to read these,

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you upon getting admitted into this school and welcome to the IB squad. I am not going to lie but this school can be very hard at times and taxing on you. However, you can get through it if you work hard.

One thing that I would advise you to do during your freshman year especially is keep on track of all your assignments and classes. Your freshman year is somewhat difficult because you are getting settled into a whole new system of doing things. Therefore, it is important that you stay on top of all your assignments and schoolwork. In addition, it is important that if you want to do sports that you balance your time wisely. Sports will take up time, however, they only last for a certain amount of time so it could be a good thing to have during the year. Also, I would say take some regular courses at the normal high school because they serve as a getaway from your hectic IB classes and sometimes if you choose the right course it can be a study hall in a certain way.

Biology is for sure the most needed for studying. There is a lot to memorize and do for that class. Also, there is more new information than you ever have had to learn and it is specific so that is another thing that would affect the amount you should plan for the class. Overall, you really just need to figure out a system that works well for you. Once you do this, life in IB will be a lot easier as long as you stick to it.

Josh Eapen

 

As an IB senior, I have been through almost all of the most rigorous program ever. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes it’s hell. Coming into IB as a freshman is not only a culture shock but also an educational shock. Most freshmen come into IB from public schools where, honestly, most of the students are dumber than you. Going from being the smartest kid to possibly one of the dumbest was one of the biggest things that I had to get accustomed to. Going along with that, I had never gotten any grade lower than an A until Biology freshman year. The other thing is that there are now people around you from very different backgrounds and religions which was another big thing that shocked me.

The whole getting a B thing was scary for me because my parents had never seen anything like that from me. If you get a subpar grade in any class, DO NOT get discouraged or become so enveloped in the work to overcompensate. Find a comfortable middle ground to where you get the grade that you want and also have a social life. Side note: People say that you can have a life in IB which is definitely true. It is, however, much different than it was before due to this little thing I like to call “homework”. End side note. Biology was the class that gave me the most grade scares but I powered through and now want to pursue a career in genetics.

Another thing, get into the habit of doing your homework at home. I know, crazy right, but it will make your life a whole lot less stressful in the long-run. I just recently started doing all of my homework at home and it feels great not having anything to do sometimes because all of my homework is done. Get into that mind set now or you could have a tough time.

In closing, I just want to remind you all that IB really is amazing in most aspects. It’s a great college preparedness tool, it gives many opportunities to get college credits, and you meet some amazing people that you will be friends with for much longer than the 4 years of high school.

Logan Edwards

 

Dear Freshmen,

Congratulations on making it into the IB Program. Although it may be the most stressful, and energy-draining thing I have ever been through in my life, I have some advice to offer you in hopes that it will help you make the best out of these four years.

First, take school seriously, starting now. Coming from middle school, we’re all used to getting straight A’s with minimal effort, but that doesn’t happen in IB. You have to really try in order to get the best grades, and you don’t want to be that kid that doesn’t get into the college of their dreams because they didn’t turn in their work. If you find an effective way to study, and complete all your assignments on time, then there is nothing stopping you from doing very well.

Second, do not procrastinate. This is the one piece of advice that everyone gives, but, if we’re being honest, no one follows. I have learned many times, through the years in IB, that procrastination doesn’t help anything. Sure, you might think that you have all day tomorrow to finish that Biology worksheet, but then other homework/tests/projects/volunteering/life gets in the way, and you no longer have that entire day to do it. Even so, you’re still going to procrastinate on everything, so continuing this tip is really pointless.

Third, take classes that you want to take, that will benefit you in your future, and that you will enjoy. The further you get through IB, the more options you have. You can choose your science, math, electives, etc. The point is, don’t choose one because it’s “easy”, or because everyone else chooses it. If you want to do well and pass your exams at the end of the year, you’re going to have to learn the material at some point, so consider that before you choose the option that gives you less work.

Fourth, it never gets easier. Don’t think that because you’ve made it through pre-IB you’ve seen everything, because that’s not true. It will get harder, so never get too comfortable.

Fifth, study for your AP/IB exams well ahead of time. Yes, you can get a 6 on your exams by studying for literally 96 hours straight with no sleep (I know from experience), but this is far from the most effective study method. Start about a month before and find a routine that works for you in order to get the best score possible. This is especially helpful when you’re a senior and you have 14, 15 or 16 exams within 3 weeks.

Finally, despite all the pressure that this program puts on you, find time to enjoy life outside of school. Studying for exams, doing homework and completing your projects on time are all extremely crucial things, but you have to find time to have some fun activities to do in order to remain sane.

Best of luck,

Steven Rozier

 

Hello, freshman. I hope you are doing alright. Here are some things you should know in several non-cohesive paragraphs.

The best thing you can do for yourself is whatever it is you’re supposed to. Homework, studying, extracurriculars, whatever. Sit down and get it over with. That may mean you’re going to be doing things that are super boring, or super hard, or both. It really stinks but you just gotta do it. Once it’s done you can forget about it for forever and maybe even do some fun things!

I hear that colleges like your extracurriculars to have a concentration. If you want your extracurriculars to be a strong point on your applications, choose a focus now and dedicate yourself to it. If you like government, join YIG, mayor’s youth council, congressional classroom, whatever, and participate in them all four years of high school. That being said, you should only do that if your heart is in it. You can’t predict the future. You may find that at the end of each year you’ve grown tired of your chosen extracurriculars and want to switch them up. You should do that. If you end up hating YIG, it will show in your application. Admission officers always find out. Admissions officers know all.

There are three types of adults at Bartow High School. The first (and by far best) group is the Miss Honey-from-Matilda group. Miss Honey loves to teach. She wants you to learn and succeed and she respects you as a person. There is the Mrs.-from-Junie B. Jones-group. Mrs. also wants you to learn and succeed, but is unfortunately misguided and does not understand students as well as someone who has made a career of being around them should. Lastly, and certainly least, is the Miss Trunchbull-from-Matilda group. Miss Trunchbull actively dislikes children. She does not care if you learn or not and she does not think you are an equal human being. Let me take a moment to say that the majority of teachers here are Miss Honeys; however, there are a few Trunchbulls and Mrs.s. You don’t have to try to make them like you, but you also don’t have to let them know you don’t think they should have their job, either. Just do your own thing and work it out on your own (while still doing the work that teacher assigns, of course). Don’t whine too much about them either.

Lastly, I strongly suggest you prioritize sleep. You don’t want to sleep your way through the school day, trust me. In order for me to get enough sleep on weeknights, I had to give up watching movies and TV and social media. That sounds hard and you probably don’t think you need to do that but trust me, it makes a huge difference. If you want to find out where all you time is going, make a time log. For a week, write down what you are doing in every thirty minute block of your day from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep again. Most of all, know that IB is a great education and when you graduate you will be a much better writer, mathematician, scientist, and student in general. Think of how hard you’ve worked and how hard you’re working now! Be proud of yourself.

Claire Pincket

 

In my two and a half years of IB, there is one lesson that I’ve only learned in the last half year that is one of the most important of all. When you first start off in IB, most all people have some sort of motivation to keep them working and on their toes. Compared to now, so many of my class panicked over every aspect of their grades and life in IB. Some of them felt the program wasn’t worth the effort and so dropped out. However, those who stayed kept strong in the first two years. Nonetheless some started to fall, and I was one of them.

In my first two years I kept my As and gave everything I did my all. As soon as I entered Junior year though, everything began to change. I lost the drive to keep doing what I do. That is the single most important fault you must overcome. Starting on the path is easy, but not falling is much harder than simply getting up. These falls can hurt your record and your future in more ways than you realize. If you find yourself lagging behind, don’t worry! It’s not you, it’s your pace. No human is a perfect machine that is built to keep running forever. Always pace yourself.

Nothing has ever put things into perspective as abruptly as sighting the rapidly approaching brink of college. My lack of pace prevented me from looking towards the future. Living for the now is important to supporting yourself, but never looking ahead will leave it all for naught. So, fellow IB student, give yourself a break. Speed up whenever you can, but never give into the rush. Your future won’t fall into your lap, so make sure you don’t pretend and end up falling yourself.

Nandan Patel

 

Dear freshman,

Get ready for IB. It’s going to be a *mostly* great experience, unless certain administrators have run all the good teachers out by the time you’re here, in which case you’re screwed. In this “essay” (and yes, at IB, this crap passes for an essay) I will attempt to impart upon you the little knowledge I have gained here at IB in my 2 and a half years.

First step out of the gate? Don’t take bio. I don’t care if you’re going to be a doctor. Take physics, or even chemistry, I heard the new teacher is good. But seriously, don’t take biology. I have nothing against Mrs. Kennon, she’s a nice person and an amazing teacher. But don’t take bio. She will work you until you’re dead. My IB career has been relatively easy simply because the “hardest year” (junior year) has a lot of avoidable stress by not taking biology. Sure, you might fail the AP test if you take physics, but if you take bio, you’ll end up with a B in the class and an F in sleep, happiness, and free time. Next step to success in IB? Under no circumstances, no matter what he tells you, do not get naked in the back of Naki’s van. Only myself, Ryan, and Jarred are allowed to have that privilege. Sorry. Not everything at IB is for everyone.

At this point I should probably mention something about staying on top of your work, but I have no experience in that, so I can’t help you there. What I can help you with is one concept of IB that I have completely mastered during my time here. That concept is that after about a year and a half or two years in IB, you know your class. Which means you know who you like and who you can’t stand. Based on my experiences and the experiences of the late great Matt Hewett, the number of people you can’t stand in your grade should always gravitate towards around one third. That allows you to have a good balance. One third of your grade you’re very close friends with. One third you’re indifferent about. And that last third? To quote a great man, “If I was in a room with Hitler, Bin Laden and _______, and had a gun with two bullets in it, I would shoot ________ twice.” But all joking aside, there will be people you don’t like at IB. Find a way to deal with them and be nice to them. And when you do, call me and tell me how you did. Because I sure as hell haven’t been able to figure it out as of yet. Maybe it’s just me. So, to try and take a step in the right direction, I’ll make this letter that no one will ever read a kind of apology to all of them. Sorry I can’t stand you, but let’s be honest, you probably deserve it. Close enough. Anyway, IB, where the men are men, the women are men, and the sheep are nervous.

Sincerely,

J.B. Thornhill

 

As someone who is finishing my first semester of my junior year, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve gone through a lot in high school so far. There have certainly been ups and downs throughout my high school career, but when I look back on it, the time span appears to be so short. My advice to someone that is starting here as a freshman is to enjoy their time here while it lasts. I’m already done with half of high school, and I am just finishing up five eighths of it as well. There were certainly some missed opportunities that I’ve had to make my high school experience seem more enjoyable, but the decisions that I have made are the reason why I am where I am. I like to have fun so I go out and have fun. High school isn’t always about work, because part of high school is going out and having fun sometimes.

Another advice for those that just started attending this school is to make friends as soon as possible. Being a freshman is certainly a scary thing at first because most of the people in high school are used to being in high school, but having friends certainly makes me comfortable. I am a very social person, so I like to communicate with anyone throughout the day because it helps me fit into the environment of this school. Part of my success is the fact that I have a lot of friends that are willing to help me whenever I need the help, and the comfort that friends provide for me helps me under times of stress. Friends also make school very fun and exciting. There are certainly days that I wake up and only want to go to school because I get to see my friends. It has certainly dawned on me that school is not just about education, it’s also about being able to socialize with other peers. If school didn’t exist, I probably wouldn’t have known 80%-90% of the people that I am friends with today.

The one thing that I always tell people to not do while in high school is procrastinate. It is so easy to procrastinate, and I would know that because I do all the time, such as writing this response at five in the morning on the day it is due. Anyways, a good skill to have as a freshman is to not procrastinate. Procrastination is a risk that work might not get done in time, and when it is done, it’s usually done because of the stress and pressure in time left to finish an assignment. I’ve procrastinated many times and that almost led to disastrous things in my high school career, and even so, I’ve managed to have fallen because I’ve procrastinated too long on my assignments. My conclusion is, just don’t procrastinate as a freshman and high school will turn out just right.

Manning Chuor

 

Dear IB Freshmen,

In order to survive IB you are going to need a little advice.  You need to realize that IB never gets easier.  If you ever think things are getting easier, it’s because they are about to get harder.  You just need to keep your head up and do the work and the years will be gone before you know it.  As a senior, I am extremely happy that I’m so close to graduating because it has been a rough few years, but it is also nostalgic.  Being in a program with so many special people who are struggling through the same things you are struggling with ended up creating amazing friendships.  Friends are what help you get through the stress.  A hug or a laugh can go long way, so I recommend finding someone to get through IB with.

If you choose biology as your science for junior and senior year be ready for long nights and a lot studying.  Biology in itself is not extremely difficult, but it does take some time to fully comprehend everything.  I regret not having studied more because I know that I could have received higher grades than I did.  When choosing your science, make sure you like it.  Do not choose a class just because it is easier or less work.  Although I have suffered greatly through biology, I am glad I took it because I ended up realizing that the medical field may not be where I want to pursue my career.

I had played soccer for most of my life, and then I started playing competitively when I was 12. Unfortunately, I had to stop playing my senior year because I had no time for it.  My junior year I struggled a lot trying to balance my school work with my soccer and I ended up neglecting both and not giving either the attention they deserved.  Although it was difficult, it was something that was necessary, and even though I miss it now, I know I made the right choice to stop playing.  Senior year is super hectic, with all of the college applications and scholarships to apply for and the increasingly difficult classes and the internal assessments and essays to write.  If I had played soccer, I would not have had time to do any of those things and I would have been affected physically and emotionally because of the stress.  Sometimes you just have to prioritize things in your life.  Even if it hurts, you should do what will benefit you the most in the future.

Keep your head up,

Daphne Fernandez

IB Class of 2016

 

Dear IB freshman,

When I was a freshman, I had no idea what to expect coming into the IB program here at Bartow. The things I did hear about it made the next four years seem impossible. However, I have made it through the first three years with only one left to go and looking back, sure it was hard work but I’m so glad I got to take part in the program.

Something that really helped me once I realized it is that it is best to learn things as they are taught instead of waiting until the night before a test to try to cram all the material. I think it took me a good two years to realize that I was approaching studying for a test wrong. Instead of slacking off because the test isn’t for another three weeks, try to study/review the material weekly (if not daily) as you go through the units. This applies to a majority of the courses at IB, including biology and especially calculus. Try not to let yourself fall behind if you don’t understand something at first or think “I’ll just learn about that later.” I think this was one of my biggest problems this year in calculus because it is better to ask questions than to struggle with your assignments by yourself.

Another thing that helped me succeed was not letting myself get overwhelmed by the high expectations that test everyone who goes through the IB program. Just enjoy the journey of success. DJ Khaled says major keys to success include, but are not limited to: washing your face, cocoa butter, Dove soap, mouthwash, water, apples, and blessing up. Follow the pathway to success because they don’t want us to get our IB diplomas. They don’t want us to pass bio. They don’t want us to pass the AP exams.

So to conclude, in the wise words of DJ Khaled, “You smart. You very smart. We the best. You a genius. I appreciate you. Win, win, win no matter what. Buy your momma a house. Another one. Another one. And another one.”

Sincerely,

Maria Loaiza

 

Hey incoming freshman!

I’ve got a little advice on how to survive IB at Bartow High school. I’ve learned more both academically and socially here than I think I could have at any other school. The experiences you gain are well worth the pain you’re going to feel. I know that IB sounds terrible; you hear these awful stories about no sleep and no social life. And well… some nights you won’t be sleeping. I was just up around 2:30 am studying for both a history and biology test wondering to myself why in the world I would willingly put myself through this program. Trust me at the time I had no answers to that question. But hopefully I can give you an answer now.

Ok so IB at Bartow contains some of the brightest students in the county, which means I know that you’re smart and you’re definitely smart enough to make it through the program. The struggle comes from your mental ability to handle a strenuous learning environment. Some people can’t handle so many deadlines in such little time. Choose your mental health first; if you can’t function without any sleep then you need to learn to prioritize your time. I didn’t start really using my planner until my junior year, which was a big mistake. If you’re someone who needs structure; make a to-do list and give yourself specific times to do every item. Don’t become so focused on the homework due the next day that you forget about long term projects. Learn which classes require more time and effort and plan your schedule accordingly. Befriend the teachers, they’re great people and will go out of their way to help you.

Now let’s talk about the social aspect of IB (and yes there is one). Every year only a small group of students are accepted into the IB program and over the years that group gets even smaller. Each class becomes closer than you could ever experience at a “normal” high school. The stress from homework and classes tends to build a community spirit among each grade. It’s nice to be surrounded by students who are just as academically bright and focused as you are. Although be careful of plagiarism. IB creates tight circles of friends and most people want to help in any way they can. But the line between helping and cheating may become blurred. Know your morals and don’t stray, even just to help a friend. Outside of the IB program you can get to know other students by joining clubs or participating in sports. Doing these things will help you to get your mind off all the stress you feel from school and looks pretty good on a college application. Don’t believe anyone that says you can’t have a social life, you can just make sure to plan your time properly.

My answer to the deep, philosophical question “Why am I doing this?” is… that I have goals and aspirations for my life. You do too, so never forget your goal and you’ll have enough motivation to make it through all four years. Ask for help when you need it, both teachers and (most) upperclassmen will be happy to help you. Choose the science that works best for you, biology is a good bet for college credit but tends to be more stressful than physics. Pick whatever math and electives that you feel will be beneficial for your future. Make memories while you can with people you will come to love, because soon you’ll be a senior writing a letter just like this.

I believe you can do great things,

Rachel Michels

 

Aloha, newcomer!

Welcome to high school. You might be nervous or scared or whatever else, but don’t be (unless you’re excited of course because, well…why not be happy? Am I right or am I right?) There are loads of stories and tales that people hear about this “chapter” in their life. While some are nice and encouraging, others can be a bit frightening and even slightly disturbing for that matter. Regardless, for advice, it is a good idea to not let these stories soak in too much (unless they’re from a reliable source that is—which in this case means someone you trust or has clearly had experience). Truth is, as much as you might hear about something, sometimes you don’t really get a feel of it until it’s actually your turn. This list of “wait until you get there” includes high school. From my own experience and observations, it is easy to see that going through this “chapter” certainly is not the same for everyone. Currently being an IB junior, let me just say “been there, done that!” (when considering going through part of high school and making my own partial judgment on it instead of basing what it is like solely off of the words of others). Another important concept to keep in mind is not to sweat the little things. Although something might seem like such a big deal at the time, chances are it really isn’t in the long run. Just keep that in mind and try not to stress yourself out because that only makes the situation seem even worse than it actually is.

This leads to procrastination. If you want to avoid a “pitfall”, avoid procrastination. No matter what the subject or assignment is, procrastinating on completing it is not the smart choice. Even though it might seem like there is enough time to get something done later, just get it done as soon as possible instead of waiting until the last minute. Things can come up here and there and then you might no longer have as much time to do something later as you thought you did which leads to you unnecessarily putting yourself in a tight situation. This will only help in increasing your stress level which is unhealthy and will put you in a foul mood because of how tense you are. Waiting to finish something last minute could also lead you to have to miss out on later events. For example, you might not get to go somewhere because you still have mountains of homework to do even though you’ve already had a week to get them done. In the end, getting your work done as quickly as possible helps a ton as opposed to waiting to do it later and then being sleep deprived.

Let’s go to a specific. Although there are multiple topics and ideas that can be argued as being significantly important, there are definitely some things that could matter more than others (note that this is a matter of opinion to an extent and the answer can differ among various people). From what has been noticed, let’s say for now that the study of most importance has just been the subject of mathematics as a whole. This is because for other classes, like history, it is mainly a matter of memorization. This does not exactly apply in math. Sure you might have to remember some formulas every now and then, but overall it is a topic that requires understanding. In order to successfully solve different problems, you should be able to know what to do and how to get an answer based off of the type of problem it is which would allow you to then figure out what actions should be taken when working through the problem to answer the question. Also, you have to learn one thing properly in order to fully comprehend how to solve the next type of problems. In math, things are constantly building off of what was learned prior to that math class meaning it is very beneficial to have a strong base and to keep up with it. Even though it might seem like math is just numbers, there is definitely more to it than it seems and this is easier to understand as you go higher up in math classes. To start with, math has letters and symbols too! This doesn’t mean that it is hard, it just means that it is easier if you keep up with what you’re supposed to know.

Regardless of all of this insightful sharing, realize that you’re going to be here for a few years so you might as well make the most of it instead of just moping around. Dragging yourself around isn’t going to do anyone any good. If anything, it’s only going to make the overall experience seem worse for you. Things might get rough every now and then but just remember to take a deep breath and relax because when it comes down to it, most of the things that might seem like they’re going “wrong” are simply temporary. Keep in mind that things change and bounce back when something knocks you down.

Sincerely,

Aneri Patadia

 

Dear Freshman,

If you’re reading this it’s too late. It’s too late to drop out of IB. It’s also too late in the night for me to write a good essay. You’re probably really depressed that you’re in IB, but don’t worry. Everyone who came into the IB program has been in a lot of stress and if they can fight through it, you can too, so don’t drop out of IB. There are many ups and downs (mostly downs) when you join this program, but it will definitely pay off in the end when you are recognized as an IB graduate. These 4 years of high school are going to hit you very hard. IB is going to hit you harder than Floyd Mayweather hits his wife.

There are many things to avoid in IB. Here is a list of them:

1. Avoid the punches IB throws at you (you can’t actually do this because you’re basically a punching bag for IB).
2. Avoid being made fun of and having a bad reputation. You’re going to be close with your classmates throughout these 4 years. Make sure you don’t ruin relationships with your friends.
3. Avoid being hated by your teachers.
4. Avoid procrastination (you can’t avoid procrastination).
5. Avoid stress (you can’t avoid stress either).
6. Avoid JB Thornhill (he’s actually fun to be around and a good friend but avoid him).
7. Avoid taking classes that can lower your GPA. Your GPA is like a baby. If you drop it, you’re going to suffer, but if you raise it properly, you will not suffer.
8. Avoid writing this essay the night before it is due.

There are also many things you should do while you’re at IB. Here is a list of them:

1. Take classes that you feel comfortable with. So basically, don’t take AP Bio in your junior year.
2. Keep a close relationship with friends and teachers.
3. Keep a lot of Red bull or Coffee near you.
4. Have a social life. Don’t study every single second you have.
5. Have an IB Facebook page or Quizlet page for your class.
6. Participate in extracurricular activities and sports.
7. Be organized.

IB is like my girlfriend. I have to play attention to her every single day and keep a good relationship with her or I’ll suffer. I would never cheat on IB, because if I do, I’m going to suffer (I’m already suffering and I’m not even cheating on IB). You will have a tough time in IB, so enjoy every moment of freedom you have. Also, follow the pathway of more success. DJ Khaled once said “They never said winning was easy. Some people can’t handle success. I can!” He also said “There will be roadblocks but we will overcome them” and “They don’t want you to win”. This is very comparable to IB because a lot of people can’t handle success due to the roadblocks, but you have to move past the struggles and win. DJ Khaled quotes have helped me get through IB, so I’ll share “Another One” with you: “Don’t ever play yourself”. Remember, IB will play games on you, but make sure you don’t play games on yourself. Good luck throughout all of IB, because you’re going to need it.

From,

Sneh Yogi Patel

 

Dear IB freshman,

You’ve probably already heard about how difficult IB is or can be.  But, you’ve decided on joining the program regardless, and for this I congratulate you.  It can be a great experience; it just depends on your attitude towards the experience.  Also, you create your experience.  Yes, you have fewer electives than other students so you may not get to create as much of it as you would like, but it is still possible to be in control.  My advice to you is this: have a positive outlook on things.  When your parents suggest going out for dinner, you may want to immediately refuse in a harsh tone of voice and follow with an explanation of all of the upcoming assignments that will be due and the bio test that’s in two days but relax.  Take a deep breath.  Eventually, you will find yourself regretting never having a social life.  Create one while you can.

Also, keeping with the remaining positive thing, it’s really not that bad.  The worst thing that people succumb to is something you can probably already guess: procrastination.  Yes, it is a very real problem with many people.   In middle school, you may not have had that much homework and in that case, IB will require some adjustments on your part, but I promise that you will figure them out and survive.  Or maybe you went to a middle school where the homework was very real as well, in which case you may already have some proficient time management skills.  My point is this: no matter where you came from, you still have to learn to just get your work done.  Let’s say that you start your homework half an hour after you get home.  For some people, this could be at 2:30 or for others at 5:30, people are busy, and I get that.  But start your assignments immediately.  Your phone will still be there after you finish.  And if you finish early, you can make the choice to get a head start on other assignments or just be done for the day and relax (which is definitely needed once in a while).  If you do start homework that is due later and finish, then you can have a free day with no homework the next day, which is even better.  Basically, start your homework and just keep working.  It takes less time than you think.

Now for random bits of advice: relax on the weekend, don’t only do homework, prepare to get your driving permit on your 15th birthday (it will make life easier), proceed to get your license on your 16th birthday, maybe join some clubs (but if you’re shy, don’t pressure yourself into doing something you don’t want to do), study for Ms. Kennon’s tests (a lot), don’t skip school to work on other school work (irony much?), bring water to school, don’t get hooked on coffee (this early in your life at least), find a support group, don’t be afraid of upperclassmen, don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something, make friends with people in different grades, eat lunch (yes some people don’t, those weirdos), turn in assignments on time, don’t pull all-nighters, try to be motivated (it can be hard sometimes), appreciate your teachers (do you honestly think they enjoy grading all of those papers?), and lastly, please please please don’t try to change your image just to be a “cool” high schooler.  (Those don’t exist.) Just be you and you’ll make more friends.

Laura Roth 🙂

 

Dear Incoming Freshman,

Hello there! My name is Mahima Silas and I am currently a junior here at IB. I can still remember during freshman year, sitting on my couch, talking to one of my close friends on the phone discussing how soon we would graduate and I can still remember thinking how far away that was for me, however here I am junior year with just one semester and then the rest of senior year to go. Time does go by fast, having said that, let’s get straight to the point.  One thing I learned this year in relation to my writing is not to cover everything with extra information or in other words, there is no need for fluff in all of your writing. For example, when concluding an essay, you should not use “In conclusion” or “All in all” because that is a poor way to close an essay. Although it took me a while to change the habit of closing paragraphs like that, getting to the point is a much more efficient way to write and get your point across, introductions and conclusions are vital parts of an essay (which you will write a lot of) so practice writing in general before you come to IB, it will definitely make your life easier. Additional advice I would give to you is to ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS go back and review what you have learned in school the day you learn it and try to do homework the day you get it, the information will still be fresh in your mind and it will be easier for you to study for the unit test (in any class) if you review a little bit per day instead of cramming everything the night before (this applies in Biology especially).

A possible pitfall you yourself and your entire class could avoid is to make sure enough people want to take AP Chemistry your junior year so you will actually have a class for it, unlike us. Many people will want to take AP Biology for their science however, don’t follow the majority because you expect it to be easy, because it’s not. Even if I could choose again, I would still choose Biology just because the field of work I want to specialize in deals with this branch of science the most. If your strong point is math, take AP Physics, many people talk about the AP test and how no one can pass it however you could be that one in a million, just work hard, if this is your passion. Also, for CAS you should try to make new clubs, BHS could use new and exciting clubs; as of now, my friends and I are brainstorming to create an a cappella group, you will soon see how far we get with that idea.

If you didn’t hear by now, IB is a lot of work and I cannot stress that enough. If you are lazy and do not wish to change or stay up late at night sometimes, don’t think you will breeze through IB. Even the best of us have had some pretty bad days. However, this year I realized although you have to prioritize your studying time by studying the subject that is harder for you more, you cannot just disregard a class because it is easy. Getting a bad grade in English is just the same on your GPA as getting a bad grade in Biology.  Study everything; in my opinion no one subject is more important than the other. As for math, it will seem hard now but looking back on it, you will think to yourself how you could’ve easily done better. So don’t give yourself the chance to do that, just do your best in that moment and look back with the thought that you gave it your all.

Teachers are especially a great help and are definitely a shoulder to cry on this year. YOU NEED UNDERSTANDING TEACHERS. They understand what stress you are going through. Some are even kind enough to adjust their schedules according to your workload however; others are set in their ways and are unable to change. If you can, find a teacher that you are most comfortable with and can openly talk and relate to and make sure you go to them whenever you need help in anything, they will usually find some way to help you get through your situation whether it be giving you advice or taking initiative to directly help you themselves. There are going to be teachers that scare you, you may feel threatened by them but they were once students as well. If a teacher is giving you a hard time, make sure you let them know that, talk to them and tell them how you feel, the worst they could do is disregard your opinion. Finally, don’t try to do everything. Yes of course, you must be well rounded in order to succeed but do not overdo it and crash and burn in the end. Do everything in moderation, make friends (they will be a great, great, great help to you in times of need), talk to your teachers if you need help and also remember that upperclassmen are here to help you too. If we seem unapproachable, it’s probably because we just finished taking a Biology test so just wait for that anger to cool down and then ask us anything you want. Speaking for myself, I think the freshman need all the help they can get in order to adjust to the newfound curriculum therefore, don’t be hesitant. Take pride in your work and your ability and make it your goal to perfect both of those things during your time at IB. I wish you the best of luck and hope your experience is something you can cherish for the rest of your life.

Sincerely,

Mahima Silas 🙂

 

Dear Freshmen,

Congrats on being accepted to the IB Programme! This is going to be the most beneficial and challenging thing you will have done in your life so far. You will make amazing friends that understand what you are going through. This is such a unique experience that I hope you enjoy. The key is realizing your strengths and working on your weakness. If you suck at biology, then spend more time going over your notes. Surround yourself with good people. Positive people will make your experience so much better. These next few years will fly by. I still can’t believe I’m halfway through junior year.

Everyone says this, but it’s true. Don’t procrastinate. You will have plenty of time to do all of your work if it’s done before the night it’s due. You have to reassess your priorities coming into high school. Your social life needs to be put on the back burner until you get the hang of things. Please don’t spend hours watching Netflix or watching videos on Youtube. You really don’t want to be going to bed at midnight every night because you don’t have any self-control. TIME MANAGEMENT IS THE KEY TO MORE SUCCESS IN IB.

Freshman year, the two classes that are going to be the hardest are APES and Biology. Your first AP class is going to be rough. Allison isn’t easy to deal with and seems to make everything so much harder than it needs to be. Just push through. You will make it. I promise, and statistically speaking you will probably pass the AP exam. You will like Kennon as a person, but not as much as a teacher. You should learn a lot if you pay attention and do your work. I don’t know who your new English teacher is going to be, but I really hope she’s as great Mrs. Harb! You are really missing out. Since most of you are starting with Algebra II, you’ll have the joy of being taught by Mr. Nakamura (aka Naki), who is one of the best teachers you’ll ever have (after Ms. Frisbie). Language class is going to be a struggle no matter what language you take. Appreciate your teachers; they are wonderful. They’re goal is to help you to succeed and you will. That is all.

Vicki Beleri

 

Looking back at my time in IB there are quite a few things that I wish I would’ve known then that I know now. First of all, I wish I would’ve known that every little assignment matters. On time, I had a late night and was exhausted from soccer. As a result, I didn’t bother doing one of the pre-calc assignments. Unfortunately, it was those 10 points that I lost that cost me an A in the class.

On top of that, I wish I would’ve gone in to IB with the impression that all A’s was a manageable goal. Before going in to IB I was always told that it was impossible for a student to get all A’s. I lowered the standards for my own personal progress and effort. This has been my downfall since freshman year. I wish I would’ve been told that all A’s was manageable and then maybe I would have performed better.

Finally, I wish that I would have known to get involved my freshman year. When I started volunteering my sophomore year I realized that I loved it. I wish I would have discovered this passion of mine sooner. My point is always be willing to try new things. Another example is how I just started playing soccer my junior year. I ended up playing varsity my senior year but I would have been a more valuable asset for the team. Go out your freshman year and try out for different sports teams and clubs. You never know what you’ll end up liking.

Jared Cossin

 

The transition from middle school to high school makes freshman year more of a challenge than one would initially assume. While it definitely wasn’t the hardest grade to get through in my high school career, it seemed difficult enough at the time. With that in mind, it’s important to stay focused and not lose sight of your goals. It’s easy for your motivation to falter in the first year or two as graduation seems so distant. Messing up early in high school could lead to a desperate attempt to make up for it in the coming years. Fortunately, the four years go by quickly so make the most out of the time you have and enjoy life as it happens.

Procrastination is the most pressing issue as it only makes problems worse as work builds up. I know I would have had a much easier time in all of my classes had I avoided this pitfall. I’m hardly one to talk when it comes to avoiding procrastination but in the times I did collect myself and work hard to get assignments done early it was extremely beneficial. With the extra time there’s more time to study or even just take a break and relax from other stresses that arise. Another pitfall that was particularly difficult for me to overcome is letting other things in your life affect your academic endeavors. Be careful not to let events outside of school hurt your grades, although at times it feels inevitable.

It’s reasonable to say that you should focus and study for your classes but that’s not always feasible with the seven (more or less demanding depending on what classes you take) AP/IB classes. Allocating your time respectively is a crucial organizational skill to maximize the effectiveness of your studies. In regards to Calculus class in particular, studying is necessary if you’re not inherently good at math, such as myself. Looking over homework and closely studying the review sheets are the best ways I’ve found to study for the given tests and quizzes. Summarily, working hard and staying focused on both goals you’ve set for yourself and ultimately graduation can result in an academically successful high school experience.

Kim Fullenkamp

 

Dear IB Freshman,

Here you are, high school. High school is the perfect opportunity to learn about yourself and the world around you. This will be one of the best and worst times of your life. The trick is to persevere, reflect, learn, and move on. Always make sure to stay happy with who you are and how you act. Don’t be afraid to try new things or go out of your comfort zone – I actually advise you to do these things.

The pitfalls you need to avoid are big ones. Never find yourself doing illegal things. This sounds like it’s a given, but you’d be surprised. Lots of teenagers are opened up to new opportunities to try new things and things of that nature, but don’t do things just because of peer pressure. Peer pressure is huge in high school. Also, don’t fall behind in your studies. It is easy to just procrastinate and wait until the last second to do things. Don’t do this, because staying ahead of things is an easy way of paving your way to success. Your grades are probably the most important thing in high school, so start off freshman year with the best grades you can. Your GPA accumulation starts freshman year, so it could hurt you down the road if you aren’t taking it seriously early on. Everything is worth the studying, because each year builds off of the previous, so don’t overlook a subject or topic just because it doesn’t seem important. It probably is.

Despite all of this pressure and stress coming your way, my biggest advice to you is to enjoy life. Yes, high school is important and you have to become self-reliant and self-motivating. Yes, you have to learn to time manage and forfeit free time for study time. But, in the meantime, don’t forget that you’re still young and you have the rest of your life ahead of you. Don’t stress, ever, and be happy. You’ll most likely go off to college or a job somewhere, so ensure you have left some time for your friends and, more importantly, your family because you don’t know how long you have with them. Best of luck to you and enjoy these awesome, yet stressful, four years!

Riley Troutt

 

Dear Fresh Meat,

Congratulations on your acceptance to IB, a world-class school where students learn in a cushy environment. These next four years will be strikingly similar to a roller coaster, with the highs being extremely satisfying but the lows edging on the pits of Hell. However, the ride will be over in a matter of moments, so be sure to cherish your time here.

If you don’t want to fail, then you should keep a few pieces of advice in mind:

DO. NOT. PROCRASTINATE. I’m not going to linger on this because every single other letter will explain to you all of the repercussions of procrastinating. Bottom line: get your work done on time.

DO. NOT. CHEAT. Do your work, and do it on your own. Not only are the consequences of cheating serious, but if you don’t learn the material yourself, then you won’t do well on your assessments. You’re here for a reason, so you obviously have the capability to succeed. If you don’t understand a particular concept, then get the proper help you need (i.e. a tutor).

Do not obsess over GPA or class rank. The point of IB is to be the best version of yourself and that doesn’t involve comparing your abilities to others’. You do you.

Only participate in those extracurricular activities that you enjoy. Don’t feel that you have to join every single one simply because your friends are in it or because food is offered at meetings. The same applies to Polk State College and Florida Virtual School classes.  You don’t want those unreasonable dual enrollment courses to reflect badly on you in the future, so choose these wisely.

Take care of yourself. Be sure to get enough sleep (at least whenever possible) and try not to overly stress. Your health matters more than your grades, so listen to what your body is telling you and prioritize accordingly.

Take advantage of your resources! You have access to teachers that are willing to guide you through your IB journey. They will happily help you out, but you need to take the initiative and ask them for it.

Have fun, dang it. Yes, you’re an IB student; however, you’re still a high schooler. Don’t miss out on the high school experience simply because you’re a part of this program. Make time in your busy schedule to have some time to yourself. You deserve it.

The next several years most definitely will be a challenge, but the best advice I can give you is to persevere. Don’t give up if you get your first B or after your teachers drop the first load of homework. Keep working hard and striving to do your best. It will pay off.

Good luck on your first year in this bittersweet program. It’s going to be a ride to remember, so don’t screw up.

Jennie Vyas

 

IB was hard. It still is hard, and it’s nowhere near as hard as you think it is or will be. When you’re in IB, you learn to function off of two hours of sleep, you rely on caffeine as your only source of Energy, you become a master at writing 1000 word papers in a little over an hour, ‘due tomorrow’ quickly becomes ‘do tomorrow,’ or maybe even next week, sleep becomes your favorite hobby, starting your homework at eight o’clock at night becomes an everyday thing, and you take the SAT and ACT so many times that you become friends with the proctors. In IB, taking four AP classes is a normal course load, your school year ends when the fourth quarter starts, but rest assured, the mental breakdowns don’t.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why the heck, would anyone ever join a program that makes you sleep deprived, stressed, anxious, sad, and basically turns you into a soulless body? Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out…. But there have definitely been moments that have made it worth it. I’ve had some of the best, and some of the worst teachers I’ve ever had. I’ve met some of the best people I will ever know, and some who I would have rather not met. I’ve made some of the best memories I will ever have, and some of the worst.

I definitely think it is worth it, though. I mean, I am saying this before college decisions come out, so if you ask me in a few months, I might say differently…. But it really was worth it. I learned how to work effectively, I became a better writer, I learned more math and science than I ever thought I would, I learned that knowledge is a social construct that was formulated by authority figures to better control their subordinates (not really), and that it’s probably a good idea not to procrastinate (even though I still do). So, don’t drop out, but if you want to, or if it’s affecting your mental and physical health, definitely drop out. But really, try to stick with it, and it’ll be worth it in the end. (Probably).

Caitlyn Carey

 

Starting out as a freshman here, I was used to being in a group of “smarter” kids in middle school, being known as one of the top students out of a class of about 140 at Union Academy. In IB, all of the top students from the best middle schools are concentrated into a program of 80 students, eventually dwindling down to 59 currently. I started to feel like an average student rather than an overachiever and someone who excels in every academic area because there were so many intelligent students around me. The best advice I could give a freshman would be to understand your strengths. The fact is that some areas in the IB program will be much more challenging for you and not to others, but there are areas that you will excel.

This piece of advice may seem annoying and totally overused, but procrastination is deadly to your grades and progress through this program. Everyone needs to take steps to prevent the sluggish feeling and increase motivation to do homework. Personally, I feel the greatest motivation after I go for a run or a yoga class, then come home and start my homework. Also, I recently bought a large dry-erase board to go in my room and draw a chart with the day of the week. On each day, I plan my time for each hour of the afternoon so I know how long each task will take and so I will not get side tracked.

Lastly, the Precalculus and Calculus class of IB are very challenging, but Ms. Frisbie is the most dedicated and reliable teacher in the program. The amount of resources given to you for this class are designed to ensure your success in the class and the exams that follow. The only thing you need to do in order to excel in this class is use all of the resources provided by Ms. Frisbie. Work out all of the review sheets before the review class, use the extra textbooks, the additional practice, and take initiative to understand everything in a chapter.

Simone Gable

 

To whom it may concern:

I have simple advice for you freshies. Memorize the trig values for real, not temporarily. Take into account the various formulas and remember to check edmodo. You WILL use trig values constantly. Formulas are evil but very useful. Edmodo is like the greatest thing ever. The homework is always there and so are helpful problems and study files. SHE EVEN POSTS THE TEXTBOOK.

The GRQ and late passes have magic powers. The late passes not only get you out of a bad grade, but can be extra credit. If you just gave up on an assignment or fell asleep in the middle, you can fix it. If you’re a mystical creature who always gets their homework done or just didn’t bother redoing it, you can use them for extra credit! That will help with the points you missed on that test or quiz because of the trig values you DID NOT MEMORIZE.

Some elements of the class from previous years cannot be reenacted but can definitely be talked about in stories. We have a bunny. I don’t remember why, but we have a bunny. Ask about the bunny. Funny sayings help too, much of the time accompanied by popular media. The base is the base is the base because it’s all about that base. Also, don’t forget that All Strippers Take Cash. I can’t remember the more appropriate version but feel free to make up your own. One last note. There will soon be an evil Math IA. Think about that early on and make sure you understand the complicated math you need to use.

Grace Henry

 

Dear future freshman,

First of all, congratulations on making it into IB! You’re in for a rough journey, but a very rewarding one if you can prepare and brace yourself for it.

A common enemy to almost every student is procrastination. It is really hard to stop procrastinating, but try to avoid it as best as you can. Doing homework from subjects that you like first might be a good way to get in the zone and finish all of your homework. Bringing and doing homework in school during lunch or any free time in classes is also a good way to finish homework. Doing homework at home can be kind of tiring since you expect to come home from school and rest rather than do work. At school you feel more compelled to actually do learning and assignments in class.

The classes that assign the most homework in freshman year are biology and APES. Try splitting up the homework that you have from both classes between the nights that you get to finish them to reduce the amount of homework you have to do. All homework from your other classes can pile up, so try to complete everything on time.

Getting enough sleep every day is also really important! You don’t want to end up dozing off in class and miss out on some important information. Always remember to take care of yourself and stay healthy! Bringing a bottle of water to school would be a good way to stay refreshed during classes. Snacks are ok to bring in some classes too.

Our school is combined with two other schools, so you should be able to make plenty of friends here. All your teachers are very knowledgeable and amazing, and you will learn many things. These years at IB will go by fast, so make the most of it while you are still here!

Best of luck!

Megha Mahapatra

 

Dear Little Freshman,

So High School huh? Are you excited?! Just to let you know, Bartow IB is nothing like middle school. It can be rough, really rough. But in order to stay on top and become the prosperous young student you strive to be, there are a few things you must remember.

First of all, don’t procrastinate. I know you’ve probably heard this piece of advice thousands of times, but honestly, it is incredibly important. You always hear those rumors about IB, how you never sleep and how there are insane amounts of homework. If you do your homework at a reasonable time, you will most likely be able to go to sleep early, but the problem with most IB kids, is that they don’t really do this. They wait until the last minute to do their work, and end up becoming zombies the next day due to lack of sleep. Procrastination leads to stress which leads to little sleep which leads to stress again. So basically, try not to procrastinate.

Next, make sure you still do things you enjoy, like sports, clubs, and music. I am personally a part of the tennis team, wind ensemble (band), jazz band, and multiple clubs and I DO have time for both homework and sleep. You probably hear rumors that, if you are in IB, you will not have time for anything fun. I am here to prove that wrong. I have fun all the time! I have lots of friends! I am happy! IB is a small community and the friends you make here will stick with you for a lifetime.

Lastly, make sure you take care of yourself. Some people underestimate the importance of staying healthy. Sometimes people consume themselves with their work and forget that they need sleep and to eat. Make sure you don’t get mixed up with the wrong group of people, eat regularly, and understand that our health is extremely important. Take vitamins! (I only take these because I really like gummies.) Sleep! Exercise! If you do all these things regularly, your life will end up being alt easier.

So little freshman (it’s funny that I call you little considering I am 5’0’’), I hope my advice proves to be useful to you in the upcoming year, and just so you know, if you ever need any help, you can turn to any of your classmates, and even some upperclassmen. I hope you have a wonderful time in this school!

Sincerely,

Aneesha Khatri

 

Incoming Freshmen (or whoever else may read this),

I’m sitting at the very end of the first semester of my senior year, and looking back is bringing up a lot of forks in the road that I should’ve turned the other way. IB is a bumpy ride, to put it kindly, and if I knew what I did now I’d probably perform a lot better than I did when I was a freshman – in other words, I have a few regrets that I think you all can avoid.

I think the first two years of IB prepare you improperly. That isn’t to say that they aren’t hard – the first year of IB will most likely be harder than anything you’ve experienced in middle school, although it isn’t very difficult if you apply yourself properly. However, there’s a lot of self-agency that becomes very relevant later on the program – you will have multiple projects due near-simultaneously that the teacher won’t give you time to work on in class, from internal assessments to the extended essay, as well as CAS (which, with a small amount of effort each week, is very easy to handle.)

Right now, I have a Physics design lab due in two weeks, an English internal assessment as well as a History paper (not to mention the History tests that you’ll probably never get to experience), in addition to regular work. It’s certainly doable and very simple to complete on paper, but you’ll find that without a certain sense of agency and self-motivation, those due dates will quickly stack up. I know you don’t want people to tell you to not procrastinate, but you really can’t. It will pile up on you and cause you way too many problems, and it’s not something you can afford to do. If anything, that would be my overall lesson for IB.

That, and try to have some fun in the meantime. Go out with friends and get away from the stress at least once a week. You shouldn’t have to freak out about school, so don’t put yourself in a position where you do!

Kyler Volakos

 

Dear future IB student,

Welcome to the joyous world of IB! Don’t be afraid, you can get through this. It will be hard, it will be painful, it might even be “soul-crushing” as my mom says, but you will get through it. Take my word for it. I’m an IB senior and I’m so close to the finish line I can see the red ribbon waiting for me to run through. I’m writing this to you to give you a little advice about the whole IB experience. While I hope this advice helps you, I know that everyone’s journey through IB will be different. My hope is that this can at least soothe your brain now when it seems almost impossible.

The most important thing I want to tell you, that many people don’t realize I feel, is that if you love to do something keep doing it. Maybe that’s soccer, dance, theatre, band, whatever. Trust me. Even when it feels like you don’t have the time to do that activity and get your class work done know that it is possible and, even more, it’s necessary. When you only spend your time doing school work you will get bored and stressed out and it will make you more prone to drop out. If you love doing it, it shouldn’t feel like a chore. It should be something that will relieve your stress and give you something fun to look forward to even when your head is full of school stress.

The other big piece of advice I have, which probably any IB student in the history of ever will tell you, is don’t procrastinate. When you put off your work to the last minute it makes you more stressed out, it makes you turn in work that is not at the level it should be, and if you fall behind because of it you will never be able to catch up. So keep up with your assignments. Convince your parents that you staying up late is normal and worth it if they want their little baby getting good grades and going to that Ivy League they dream about. If you learn now how to manage your time and your stress then you will be better off in college and in your life in the long run. Looking back that is probably the most valuable thing IB has taught me.

I hope you found this letter somewhat helpful. I know it’s not very specific but I can’t know what pitfalls you might encounter when you enter this school. But the advice I did give you applies no matter what happens, no matter what school you go to. I wish you the best of luck with being in this program and sincerely hope that you never have the inclination to drop out.

Sincerely,

Your friendly neighborhood IB senior

Jaimee Haley

 

Dear freshman,

Here is a list of 30 things to make you more successful as a person.

1. You probably shouldn’t procrastinate.
2. Ivan Rodriguez has a heart of gold.
3. Armand Ceniza is a guy you want to be friends with.
4. Grant Gable is a god amongst men.
5. Don’t get a concussion.
6. Learn how to read if you don’t know already.
7. Lunch is an important time to do homework like I am.
8. Always tell Mr. Guice he’s bald.
9. Only believe 60% of what Levi Butler tells you.
10. Follow DJ Khaled on Snapchat.
11. Don’t take Bio.
12. Have friends.
13. Sophomore year is the easiest so don’t let your grades drop.
14. You’re going to have the best calc teacher ever.
15. Get a Telegram.
16. Play sports.
17. Join clubs.
18. Do community service.
19. Do every extra credit possible.
20. If possible don’t use late passes, they’re really helpful.
21. Don’t take advantage of your teachers.
22. Bartow kids say the funniest things about IB kids.
23. Understand as a freshman you are inferior.
24. Be nice, everyone wants to be friends with a nice person.
25. You’re going to get into arguments with your classmates.
26. Don’t be the person who never apologizes.
27. Be friendly to Moyer.
28. Enjoy yourself.
29. Interact with your classmates.
30. Survive.

Your superior,

Tomas Carrillo

 

Alright, so the first and most important piece of advice that everyone in IB will give you is to NOT PROCRASTINATE, but ironically this is the rule that everyone breaks. For some reason, IB kids, including myself, seem to be stuck in this cycle of telling each other and themselves not to procrastinate, but then we end up procrastinating anyways. Therefore, my advice to all freshmen starting out is to BREAK THE CYLCE. Whatever you do, DO NOT GET INTO THE HABIT OF PROCRASTINATING – IT WILL DESTROY YOU BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY. Of course, it will be a very slow, hard process, but think of how much it will be worth it in the end. Try to break up your homework instead of doing it all at once. Procrastination = doing your homework later = less sleep, which may not be your main priority, but if you survive long enough, you will find yourself cherishing every little nanosecond of sleep that you get because who knows how much you’ll get tomorrow?

Speaking of which, try to get some sleep. If lack of sleep starts affecting your ability to function, then SLEEP as much as you need to because your health is more than your grades. Also, try to pay attention in class and make sure you do all your assignments. Keep some form of a planner and don’t forget to do assignments (like how I forgot to do this essay) because a zero in the gradebook can drastically alter your grades. Finally, don’t bother your teachers. They work hard so that you can learn the material and pass however many tests you will have, so respect them, not irritate them.

In all, while you may get more used to the program, it only gets worse from here, so to try to make the best of your situation and DON’T GIVE UP! There will be times when you don’t want to get out of bed, but for what it’s worth, this random stranger believes in you.

STAY DETERMINED!

Misha McLendon

 

Welcome Freshmen. IB is a great new adventure that may or may not be exciting or eventful. It really all depends on you and what you make of it; and partially your personality and how well you fit in with your specific class. Use your classmates to your advantage. Start a group chat with your friends and double check assignments. You would not believe what small assignment you may miss that turns out later to decide what letter grade you make in the class.

For your freshman year it will be kind of a culture shock. There will most likely be plenty more homework than you’re used to, but it isn’t all that bad. It is mostly time management. You may be surprised how much time you waste doing mundane worthless things throughout the day and how much you can accomplish for school instead still leaving time for other things. Doing things such as homework during school when nothing else to be done, prioritizing homework first thing after school before you do anything else can make you feel like you have more time to do what you want, or sacrificing sleep to play first only to stay up later when you have told your parents you’re going to bed to get your homework done like I do to have more play time.

You should focus most of your study time to bio and world language. Others include APES and math if you’re not getting the concepts or it just isn’t your thing. Biology is just generally a most strict class than the rest and the tests are very knowledge intensive. World language you will have for the rest of your high school career and you must keep up with it or get left behind like I am and constantly struggle just to keep a C in the class along with a few others like me. Another big thing, please get your learner’s permit as soon as possible, you’ll regret it otherwise like I did and I only waited about 3 months and hated myself later for it.

Tristan Giggy

 

Dear Freshmen,

Congrats on being accepted to the IB Programme! This is going to be the most beneficial and challenging thing you will have done in your life so far. You will make amazing friends that understand what you are going through. This is such a unique experience that I hope you enjoy. The key is realizing your strengths and working on your weakness. If you suck at biology, then spend more time going over your notes. Surround yourself with good people. Positive people will make your experience so much better. These next few years will fly by. I still can’t believe I’m halfway through junior year.

Everyone says this, but it’s true. Don’t procrastinate. You will have plenty of time to do all of your work if it’s done before the night it’s due. You have to reassess your priorities coming into high school. Your social life needs to be put on the back burner until you get the hang of things. Please don’t spend hours watching Netflix or watching videos on Youtube. You really don’t want to be going to bed at midnight every night because you don’t have any self-control. TIME MANAGEMENT IS THE KEY TO MORE SUCCESS IN IB.

Freshman year, the two classes that are going to be the hardest are APES and Biology. Your first AP class is going to be rough. Allison isn’t easy to deal with and seems to make everything so much harder than it needs to be. Just push through. You will make it. I promise, and statistically speaking you will probably pass the AP exam. You will like Kennon as a person, but not as much as a teacher. You should learn a lot if you pay attention and do your work. I don’t know who your new English teacher is going to be, but I really hope she’s as great Mrs. Harb! You are really missing out. Since most of you are starting with Algebra II, you’ll have the joy of being taught by Mr. Nakamura (aka Naki), who is one of the best teachers you’ll ever have (after Ms. Frisbie). Language class is going to be a struggle no matter what language you take. Appreciate your teachers; they are wonderful. They’re goal is to help you to succeed and you will. That is all.

Vicki Beleri

 

During my time at IB, I have gotten relatively good at dealing with all of the stress and other things that come with the school. Starting out it’s hard to know how to deal with all of it, and that can be disconcerting, especially once the program really picks up junior year. My main advice to any new student is simply to just use your time and not procrastinate as much as possible. It might seem basic or superficial, but it’s actually a big deal, and something that is much easier said than done. I’m giving this advice and I can barely even follow it, which is probably not helping to make my life any easier. Other things are important too, like having friends, and at least one thing you really enjoy doing, but mostly for surviving in the school it’s all about the time management.

Nobody can be good at everything, so it’s only natural that people will have trouble with one subject or another. There’s no way to just get all A’s, it doesn’t work that way. At IB you really have to work for your grades, and that isn’t a concept that a lot of middle schoolers are used to. Even going from ninth to tenth grade, or tenth to eleventh, there are certain things you have to do to be successful, and that might include studying, which might be a new concept to some (it was to me when I started high school), or having to sacrifice some free time to accomplish everything you need to.

I’ve struggled with this issue that I’m talking about all four years, at least some each year, and can confidently say that a mastery of it would have helped me be happier and more successful. I didn’t end up being a complete failure, I’ve gotten mostly A’s and a few B’s, but I could have done that with less stress and crying. Aside from that, watch out for senior history which is just harder than any other class you’ll take if you aren’t naturally good at history, and I would say take chemistry. Biology is hard and a lot of work for potentially something that isn’t important to you, and I’ve heard the new chemistry teacher is really cool. Ultimately pick what’s interesting to you and what you can be motivated to work on and that will be best. I hope this is good advice, and that anyone entering IB and reading this might be able to take my advice and do better.

Logan Owens

 

Dear Freshman,

IB is going to hit you like a hurricane freshman year if you are not ready for it, but just like any storm there are ways to prepare for it. Having been through some of the extreme ups and downs that occur throughout IB I will hopefully have some good advice on how to make it through the program and how to avoid some of the similar pitfalls that I experienced.

Freshman year was for me, probably the hardest year for me, not because the work is hard or the teachers are unreasonable, but because I was not prepared for the transition from middle school to high school. I went through middle school squeaking by with good grades and not having to try, and I tried to do the exact same thing when I got to IB. That doesn’t work. When you come to IB you have to be ready to work from day one and be ready to spend late nights studying and doing homework that you might think is pointless. My best advice is to not spread yourself too thin that first semester. I tried to play two sports as well as volunteering, having a social life, sleep, and get good grades. Some people can do all that and be fine, I wasn’t. My advice is to do something you like such as a sport, but leave a lot of time for school work, at least until you get acquainted to the rigor of the classes. Also studying with friends is a great way to review before a test. It allows people to share their perspectives and knowledge on a subject, and it’s a lot more interesting than just studying by yourself.

Outside of freshman year there are really only two big pitfalls that you might find yourself in. the first one is the first semester of junior year. Sophomore year is by far the easiest year, and that tends to lead some people into a false sense of security. During junior year every class that you take will either by an AP or IB class with the possible exception of your one semester elective. The amount of work that you have to do during this semester is the most amount you will ever have to do. The best way to avoid falling behind this year, or getting too stressed out is to manage your time well. By the time you become a junior you’ve probably going to think you’re the best at procrastination, and you probably are, however, procrastinating on your big assignments will be your downfall. For example when Kennon gives you your fly lab before thanksgiving break, as tempting as it may seem, do not wait till the night before it is due to start, especially if you’re on the soccer team and there’s a game that night. If you do that, I can guarantee you will not get sleep that night. Now as bad as I make first semester sound, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For me second semester was one of the easiest semesters and probably the most fun.

The second pitfall is first semester of senior year, this is for a much different reason than junior year though. Senior year you spend a lot of time applying to colleges, and then being stressed out about college for months until you finally get in to a school. My biggest advice is to do the applications early. It’s much easier to do them the month before they are due instead of the night they’re due. The other piece of advice I have for senior year is to try and avoid senioritis because it’s real. You will not want to do that much work or to study for the Shuff test, and you’ll struggle to find the motivation to do it, but to the best of your ability you have to find a way to finish strong, at this point you’ve worked too hard to watch your grades and gpa drop right at the end. Get your college apps done, finish the first semester strong, and the rest of the year should be fun. You’ll have gotten into hopefully the college of your dreams and will be able to relax and enjoy the last few months of high school.

The IB program is challenging and is not for everybody, but overall it is beneficial for the future. You will be more prepared for college than people at other high schools. With some good friends to help you along the way, getting through the next four years of high school should not be that bad.

Nathan Sipe

 

Dear new IB Student,

Don’t make IB harder than it is. If you just do your work proactively and don’t procrastinate, then IB won’t be all that difficult. If you don’t start your homework until midnight the night before something is due, of course you won’t get that much sleep. Do big assignments on the weekends, because you have extra time. IB isn’t all that hard, so just suck it up and do the work. If you waste too much time complaining, the only one who is going to care is you. And that’s because you’ll be making yourself miserable.

If you play sports, not procrastinating is particularly important. I play baseball and if you wait until after a game to start an assignment, you’re not gonna have a good time. Instead, be smart and do things on the weekend. Especially if you know you have 3 or 4 games that week. Also, try and be a beast at the sport you play. IB kids aren’t dweebs, so prove it!

I would highly recommend taking physics if you don’t want to have a huge work load. You still learn enough stuff to pass the AP test at the end of the year (Assuming you don’t slack off and pay attention), and you do about an eighth of the work. Also, physics is a pretty laid back class. It’s nice to have a class available to finish homework or take a nap. Take Business too! Mr. Brennan is hilarious, and business is easy. If you take those two classes, IB will be much more enjoyable.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Johnson

 

Dear incoming freshmen,

If you’ve decided to take the IB path then I wish you the best of luck with your journey because it is definitely going to be a difficult one, but if you truly apply yourself to the program then it will be extremely beneficial to you. As a senior who has struggled through the program, I really wish I would have taken the advice the seniors wrote to us as freshmen. If I have to give you any advice, it would be to just keep going. I know that at many points it seems almost impossible to do all the homework and study for all the tests but I promise that you can do it.

During freshman year you will learn how to properly manage your time. If you choose to participate in sports and be a member of 8 different clubs and still have a social life with good grades and plenty of sleep, you’ll have to try different methods to learn which works best for you to get all your work done. Instead of spending time in class when you’re doing nothing but sitting around, have notes printed out that you can go over or a worksheet that you can finish. If you have a laptop I would suggest bringing it to school every day because you never know when you’ll have time to work on bio labs. You may even find that you have time in between the end of school and practice or the club meeting to get some studying done for the APES test. If you can keep up with this schedule, your years in IB will go by much easier.

Appreciate the years that you spend in pre-IB because when you get to the real IB, things may get a bit harder. The pace will pick up and more assignments will be due closer together and more tests will be in the same week, even the same day, but don’t worry. If you figure out a method of time management that works for you, then you’ll be a pro. The kids that didn’t practice time management will be consumed by procrastination and lack of sleep due to last minute studying and essay writing. Take my advice, because I sure wish I would have taken previous seniors’ advice.

Jasmine Lokietek

 

The most important thing to know when starting your career at Bartow IB is that it gets much better after freshman year. They make the first year very difficult on purpose to ensure that the students who do not drop out are really ready to do three more years of it. I would suggest that you stick out one semester before you decide to drop out. It seems that most people who leave do so in the first couple of weeks, but the ones who stay do so for good. It is a big adjustment, but you’ll probably get used to it. Don’t load up on extracurriculars freshman year. Just focus on managing your IB work, and then when you learn how to manage and allocate your time, add in some extra stuff. It’s ok if you don’t get straight As. Colleges care more about the rigor of your schoolwork than your class rank.

The most important thing to avoid is getting overwhelmed. If you have too much homework one night and you feel like you’re going to have a breakdown or going to have to stay up all night and be miserable, try to do some that night and the rest during school the next day, if you can. A few nights will be worse than all the rest. If your parents let you, take a few days out of every year and just skip them. Stay home, sleep in, and spend the day catching up. It helps tremendously.

Actually pay attention in the classes you care about. Many of you coming into IB had an easy elementary and middle school career, and you were probably bored most of the time. IB is not boring. A few classes drone on, but a lot of them give you all kinds of information that you’ve never known before and maybe never would have thought of on your own. While it’s important to learn and also to watch your grades, don’t worry so much about the AP exams. They don’t matter as much as your grades and your mental health. Many juniors last year took biology instead of physics just to pass the AP exam, and many of them are completely overloaded now, and their grades are not usually As. Alternatively, if you actually like biology, that’s a good reason to take it.

Work hard, stay sane, and understand that messing up a test or getting a C or feeling at the end of your rope one night is not the end of the world. It does get better after the first year. Remember to do what’s best for you, and that applies to your career at IB and to your life in general.

Riley McDanal

 

Dear freshman,

Let’s start off simple. I can tell you all the typical stuff — do your work and don’t procrastinate, but we all know that will fall on deaf ears. In reality, I procrastinated a lot and it worked out for me. I made almost straight A’s except for Spanish (could never get higher than a B) however they were all borderline. It causes some stress at the end of semesters when 1 or 2 grade points is all the difference between 5 credits and 4. Just do what works for you. In my case it is actually more stressful to try and get ahead on work because it’s just a never-ending pile of work that is impossible to be done with. I can handle it better when I take it 1 day at a time — just do whatever I have to turn in tomorrow (with the exception of bigger assignments or projects). This system would be unmanageable for others, just find a balance and go with that.

Make sure to save time for extracurricular activities, sports, and Netflix. You will be happier. However, do not spend ALL your time doing ECs, sports, and Netflix. Binge watch Dexter on weekends. Do your homework on weekdays. But don’t think that high school, and IB especially has this reputation, has to be some nightmare filled only with studying and assignments.

Planning your schedule wisely is important too. Picking a science in junior year of IB is a big decision for everyone as you’re stuck with that science for the next two years. My advice would be to only pick bio if you are passionate about it but I don’t know how much my opinion will matter since many of the teachers are changing. In general just know what you can handle personally for a course load. Some people take all AP electives and PSC classes outside of school just to boost GPA while others look for the easy electives as a break from their other classes. It all depends on your personality and what you plan to do after you graduate so choose your own path depending on these factors.

Tyler Scott

 

Some advice that I would give to freshman would be that in IB a popular thing to do is procrastinate and everyone will always tell you not to procrastinate. I cannot stress this enough. You do not want to be up at 1 and 2 in the morning writing an essay that is due the next day. If you do this continually then you will get drained out a lot quicker and you just become very tired very easily. This can also decrease the quality of your work and cause you to get lower grades.

Do not overestimate your ability on tests. I know we all think that we can just take the test and not have to study but if you just take even a little bit of time to study it will help immensely. There is nothing worse going into a test thinking you know everything then when you get to the test and you sit down and you suddenly start to realize that you don’t know quite as much as you may have thought, and your grade soon suffers. This will only cause you more stress and soon you will have to work even harder to try and make it up at the end of the quarter.

IB is definitely a lot of work, but if you get the opportunity to go out and have fun every once in a while please take this opportunity. I am not saying for you to blow off all of your work and only go out and party. I mean do not burrow yourself in your room and never leave. If you have all of your work done and have no other responsibilities and your friends want to go somewhere and do something I urge you to go. These 4 years are very hard and they go by quick. Don’t pass it up and never go out and do things. Do not be afraid to open up and try new things, whether that be a new sport or learn about a new culture. High School is what you make of it, if you only do homework then that is all you will remember. Don’t regret the actions you make today, tomorrow.

Logan Slick

 

Dear freshman,

As a senior that goes to BHS I know of all of the struggles just about every student goes through. I may have been sheltered from some of the behavior because I took more challenging classes, but I definitely know people that didn’t have the same luxuries as me. I went through a lot of different pitfalls throughout my high school career so I know of some ways that I could have avoided the things I went through. There are some things I wish I could go back and redo but I hope with this information, you will not feel that way when you are a senior.

As a freshman, you should try to get involved in things that you think might sound interesting and test out a lot of extracurricular activities to try to get involved. However, when you join as a freshman, you should use the first year as a sit back and see how things work kind of experience. By doing this you will be able to see how the club works and find out who is good to take advice from and so you can think of things that might be able to make the club better. If the club doesn’t seem fun the first year, then don’t do it again the next year but try to stay in the club the whole time so that the full experience can be taken in.

One of the biggest struggles for a freshman that goes to BHS would be handling peer pressure. Older students will try to manipulate the younger students to try to do things that the younger student might not really want to do. Do not let the older students talk you into doing things you do not want to do. Becoming addicted to some things can affect your whole life. If people constantly ask you to try something then stop hanging out with those people because you don’t want to get into trouble and you definitely don’t want to ruin your life. This might be one of the hardest parts about high school but if you can do it, you will look back on your life and be glad you didn’t.

Another really big piece of advice is to stay on top of your classes. Don’t slack off and wait until the last minute to do things. People say it all the time and nobody really listens but if you stay on top of your assignments and classes, you will find out that you have a lot of free time to do whatever you want. Don’t slack off freshman year and assume you can just make it up later because it is a lot harder than you might think. Maintain good grades throughout all of you high school career and you will do well in life. To me, one of the biggest classes to pay attention in would be math because math happens all the time. Math can be extremely helpful at the most random times. I feel like it’s one of the most important classes because of how often I use it, however, all of your classes are important so try your hardest in all of them.

Sincerely,

Alex Guice

 

Dear Future Freshman,

Congratulations on making it through the torture I call middle school! I’d like to start by establishing the fact that going into high school is difficult your first year and it is very different than what you may be used to by now. When you are in high school you are considered more of an adult and you take more responsibility for your actions. This can be both good and bad because if you were a straight A student you most likely will be trusted that you can succeed in high school. But if you were known to just scrape by and ignore your classes you WILL find these next four years very intimidating unless you change your habits.

When I first came to Bartow High I was a kid ahead of my game (or so I like to think). I still to this day keep up with my class work and stay out of trouble. I have benefited greatly from this path I chose because I retain a friendly relationship with all of my teachers and I am almost completely void of stress with class work. I may have not been at this school my freshman year, but when I did arrive here I was completely lost, probably like what most of your freshman friends will be like too. But you must understand, there will be people all around this school that are more than happy to help you, all it takes is one polite question and I’m positive that someone will come to your assistance.

In conclusion, I hope your first year here will be as fun as I had and you will enjoy it even more than I did. I would strongly advise that you should strive to make many friends during your first and next three years in high school. I advise this because it is always comforting to know that you will have somebody to lean on in your classes and someone to talk to when you feel overwhelmed or stressed out. In the end, I hope you enjoy your first year, study hard and pass with flying colors at the time of your graduation. Good Luck!

Sincerely,

Cameron King (Class of 2017)

 

Dear freshmen, high school is what you make of it. I could stop at that point and sum up your experience at this school without knowing you or following you through your journey. The amount you learn is directly proportional to what you make an effort to, and each person you befriend was once a stranger that you struck a conversation with. The development of your goals and aspirations, similarly, correlates to where you set your limits for yourself. At this point, your options are infinite. By the time you first set step on campus, you begin limiting your future. Make sure you leave yourself as unlimited as possible and remember that you are here not only to grow academically, but also as a person. Every class you opt to take and the grade you receive, each club you join, and everything you achieve or don’t will be reported to where you choose to continue your learning, if you choose to. No pressure. High school, for every person, matures you and grows you no matter what route you opt to take. I hope that relieves the pressure to a certain extent.

So many students put borders around what they think they can achieve and where they think that they can go. One thing that I wish someone would have emphasized to me was that almost any college is accessible to you regardless of finances. Coming from a single parent home and income, I set my sights on a small and inexpensive school not too far away from home. At some point during my sophomore year, I became discontented with the concept of going to a school where athletics and parties seemed to be promoted over education. As I neared my junior year, I attended a conference about college admissions, hosting a bunch of schools I knew I would kill to attend, but also knowing there would be no way to cover the expenses it required. Halfway through the conference, my mother risked a heart attack as they announced that for low family incomes, these schools cover the cost of attending almost completely. At that point, I rejoiced in the fact that I could consider these schools, and found relief in the fact that I had never slacked off academically or chosen a very light course load because I had previously held an idea that I would only be able to attend an inexpensive and academically poor university. Your options are infinite at this point, but with the first poor grade because you opted not to do your homework or study on a test, you begin to limit yourself. With every opportunity offered that you decline, you risk missing out on the most amazing experience that could have come your way. Remember that no one gets anywhere without connections, and therefore put on a smiling face for every person you meet, because you never know what opportunities they have to offer you. Never risk limiting yourself because you can never tell exactly what you are risking.

An additional misconception that many people embrace is that they already are who they are going to become. I held this same train of thought, and saw myself as a mature and life-calloused person coming into high school. I wish I could go back and shake freshmen year Olivia, telling her that she is nowhere near the person the next four years will mold her to become. While some people slack off with narrow visions of what they will achieve, some people take the extreme opposite route and devote themselves solely to their studies. The latter is almost as limiting as the former. High school, while important for growing your education, is critical for growing your personhood. When I say that you cannot join enough groups of people, I say that in with every extreme in mind. Do not limit yourself to people who are like you, both in culture and mindset, but expose yourself to those who never think they will leave Polk county as equally as you would those who come from Ivy League educated parents and aspire to follow the same route. Expose yourself to as many people and parts of the world as you possibly can. I can guarantee that any decision to widen your perspectives will never be one that you regret. Help everyone you can in every way you can. Remember that you are a person first and foremost, and never stop developing your humanity.

Good luck throughout your journey, and remember that your future is as narrow as you’ll allow it to be.

Olivia Brister

 

Dear student,

Apparently, you’re new here. I was in your shoes once: walking onto a brand new campus, having the possibility of going into the wrong class, meeting new people. It’s pretty scary. Well, I’m here to maybe help you ease your way through. All you have to do is read.

Don’t have your mind on school 100% of the time. Seriously, as long as you have your homework done (correctly), you’ll be fine. Get your friends and go do something. I never really had that opportunity, but you need to not do what I did. When your teacher is teaching, listen to them. Chances are, it’ll be on that test at the end of the week. If you’re doing group work, get in a group with friends, sure, but do your work. I’ve always been the kind of a guy who always makes jokes, so have fun during the assignment, JUST GET IT DONE.

For homework, when you get home, don’t get started on it right away. Don’t stress about it on the bus ride home. Take a break first, probably an hour long. Take a nap. Then, once you have some energy and have cooled down, do your homework.

Join some clubs. I’m a drama kid. Most of my best friends are from there. Find a club you’re interested in. Chances are, you’ll find some people who share some hobbies with you.

Speaking of friends, your friends from previous schools? Don’t leave them behind. You were friends for a reason. I can’t say how many friends I’ve lost throughout the past few years just because we’ve went our separate ways. My best friend and I drifted apart, and I regret it to this day. Take your friends on your high school adventures with you.

And when it comes to finding friends, don’t worry about if they’re older than you or younger than you. Friends are friends, they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and in this case, ages.

Basically, do your work, make friends, and balance them out. I’m not the best source of advice, but hopefully this helps. Everyone deserves a good time at high school.

From,

Alex Miller

 

Dear Freshmen,

Let me start off with the number one thing that I always did and it always came to bite me in the rear end every time… Procrastination. Every time you think “this time will be different, I have time to fit this in the morning of its due date, and I’ll stay up later to finish it.” No you won’t, this time will not be different, just get homework and class work done right then and there and I promise there will be time for hanging out, video games or work.

Be polite… It may not seem like it is important at all but being polite and courteous to others, especially elders, is absolutely imperative to your future. That teacher could like you enough, because you’re a well behaved student, to give you a slight extension on an assignment you didn’t finish or bump you up from that 89 to a 90. It is important outside of school as well because you never know who could be your future employer or coworker. As an example: I started my job a week into summer break, my job is at the Bartow golf course so I had to go through city hall to get the job. Being polite, courteous, and well behaved at any moment I was presenting myself to the public eye landed me the job above other people because everyone at city hall knew me by name and loved it when I came in to check up on my paper work and talk to the lady in personnel. Two weeks after I started my job, my boss came up to me and started explaining how he had heard how much everyone at city hall liked me and how smart they thought I was and polite… He offered me a promotion and a raise right then and there after working for only 2 weeks.

The last tip I have for you guys is to enjoy your high school life. This is the last experience you have with teachers that keep up with you and ask you to turn in work. This is the last few years you have of living a “bill free” life. Your friends are not working yet; they don’t have wives or children yet…. Basically everyone is free all the time to hang out and have fun and it might not seem like it now but that is an incredible convenience that you do not notice until it isn’t there anymore and it is hard to get time to hang out with anyone because life has taken them over the way it hasn’t yet for you freshmen. So have fun, go out, experience the best life you can live at all times but make sure you get your work done first or you might be enjoying life now… but you won’t when it comes time to graduate and you have no options for life after school except a dead end job.

GOOD LUCK GUYS.

Sincerely,

Ethan Jackson

 

 

Breathe. The key to success in high school is deep breaths, lots of coffee and time management. Spending 4 years in Summerlin, taking AP classes and being involved in numerous extracurricular activities, I have learned to balance and prioritizing everything in my life.

Procrastination is your enemy and Starbucks is your friend. My advice to all incoming freshman or just to people new to calculus is to always do your work. It is only four years of your life and you are almost done. Do your work in class and the homework will be easy and the tests will be a breeze. Doing your best now will affect you later. My dad always told me “set yourself up for opportunity” and “it’s better to have open doors to close then not have any open doors at all.” By being successful in high school you set yourself up for success in college and even life after schooling. Whether it be college credits, a good GPA to get into your dream college or just understanding the material to help you pass a college class. There is no do over in high school so work hard and make it count. I had a friend my freshman year who couldn’t run for homecoming because of her GPA. Her GPA was affected by her freshman year grades and she could get it back up to meet the requirement come her senior year. Don’t let one year of being lazy affect your whole future.

To make high school more enjoyable I recommend that you join a sports team or club. These extracurricular activities are where you will meet some of your best friends that make waking up every day at 5:00 a little more enjoyable. But along with this recommendation don’t over fill your plate. Time management is very important in these four years. Prioritizing and making sure the school work is done first is also a big thing. I have learned from experience. If you pay attention in class, the homework might not even take long.

So all in all pay attention in class and do your work is my advice to you as a freshman. Other things like always bring a jacket, headphone and a charge helps too but may not be as crucial to your success just for your comfort. They do say these are the best years of your life, go ahead and make them.

Brooke Smith

 

Academically, stay focused. Freshman year is relatively easy if you stay on top of your work, discipline yourself to manage your time, and develop good habits. Your classes in ninth grade may not seem imminently important or even valuable. In fact, many things you learn that year won’t become important until later on. Ninth grade is a foundation of blocks that you build on; discipline to study and complete work and time management.

Outside of school, get involved. It doesn’t matter what it is, whether it’s a sport or the band or volunteering somewhere. Being involved makes school much more enjoyable because you have something to look forward to, but more importantly, you gain friends that may last a lifetime.

Lastly, watch the company you keep. Choose your friends wisely; believe it or not, they will influence your life, so make sure they help drive you down the right path. Most importantly, remember that high school is not something to be taken seriously the entire time. Make sure your priorities are in order, get the work done first, but make sure there’s time in your schedule to let go, relax, and enjoy yourself.

Daniel Heaney

 

To all freshmen, I have words of wisdom and advice to all. High school is going to suck. But that’s no reason to be discouraged about anything. At times it’s going to be unfair; you’ll hate your friends and love them. High school is also a lot of fun filled with good and bad memories but you should cherish all of them for there the only ones you’re going to get.

It should be said that I shouldn’t tell you to ever be lazy and not do your work but I will. Sometimes the best thing to do is rest and not do your work. If you are over burdened with work just take a break and understand it will all pay off one day. For your freshmen year you will want to work hard to make yourself a high gpa, then sophomore and junior year work hard to keep it, and then your senior take it easier don’t let the senioritis take over or any scholarships you may have earned or even the college acceptances you worked so hard for.

One last piece of advice is to not take classes that you know you cannot pass or that will be too hard. There is no merit to set yourself up for failure. Don’t let yourself be pressured by teacher, friends, or even family. Now that is not to take their advice on topics but don’t let anyone make you be anyone you don’t want to be. And if you take nothing else away, enjoy all aspects of life good and bad.

Michael Chiavuzzi

 

Incoming youngsters,

My advice to you would be live your life to the fullest. Take as much as you can handle and put your all into it. That sounds kinda crazy right? But think about it. You stay cautious and you excel in math or science but what have you learned? Take risks and take many. Join the track team, take AP classes, get a job, find yourself a high school sweetheart. No matter how small or big you will learn from it. You might learn that you hate your boyfriend/girlfriend but man do you love track. You might learn that no matter how well you did with all of your other AP classes, holy crap what the heck is calculus and why am I finding myself staring at a smart board of nonsense 2-3 times a week? (I know I did.) Life is about taking risks and if we take many risks while we’re young we’ll make less mistakes in the future.

Take your time to pick up a new language and GET YOUR PERMIT AS SOON AS YOU TURN 15!!! You’ll understand where my urgency comes from when you’re stranded at a bus stop in 40 degree weather with a lady talking to herself about a strawberry pentagon souffle that she tried with Annette back in New Orleans. Never sleep with makeup on and please… one to two sprays of perfume/cologne is enough. Wearing deodorant never hurts anyone but not wearing deodorant does. Beware of that smooth talking prince charming or sweet little vixen in your fourth period. Also, trust who you tell your business to. Not everyone is your best friend. But the most important thing above everything is take your grades seriously. Always keep in mind that your grades follow you from the first day of your freshman year to the day you graduate. That’s why you should also take advantage of every single extra credit opportunity given. When you’re begging your teacher to round that 89% to a 90% you’ll remember real quick about that one roll of paper towels you could’ve brought in the first 9 weeks.

I hope I have helped you in any way and good luck!!

The best student ever,

Victoria Bonfiglio