These were written by seniors and juniors in the International Baccalaureate program who took AP Calculus AB during the 2016-17 school year. The essays are in no particular order.

Dear Freshman,

Welcome to IB! You’re going to love it here. The best thing about this school is the lack of cliques. There’s so few students in each class, so everyone is friends with everyone. That being said, it’s important to start making friends as soon as possible. Don’t limit yourself to the people you went to middle school with, or you’ll miss out on opportunities to meet some amazing new people. Everyone here is here for a reason. They are smart and talented and mature – so take this opportunity to branch out and meet new people. By the time you’re a junior, a lot of people won’t even remember who went to which middle school.

The second most important thing I’ve learned in my last 5 semesters here is not to let fear of the unknown control your decisions. I’ve played soccer since I was 4 – I love it more than anything. Since I was little, I always thought I would be going to George Jenkins and playing high school soccer there since that was the school I’m zoned for. When I came to IB, I didn’t know anyone that would be playing on the soccer team. I was so scared of not making the team or not making any friends that I didn’t even try out freshman year. Sophomore year, I finally let Naki and some friends on the team convince me to try out, and I fell in love with it. The team became a family to me and the competition of high school sports is so intense that it gives you a whole new sense of pride in your school. If you’re scared to try something, find a way to overcome that fear and go for it. If you need more motivation, remember that commitment to extracurriculars looks good on college applications.

Academics at this school are going to be hard at times and you’re going to be challenged – no matter how easy middle school was for you. You’re going to hear that from everyone here. You’re also going to hear that time management is the most important part of succeeding in this school. I know it gets tiring hearing it repeatedly, but it’s so true. This environment forces you to be organized and stay on top of your assignments and projects. There will be nights where you’re awake at 3 in the morning finishing your science fair board and STNTs for APES and an essay for English and a long assignment from Naki, and you’re going to want nothing more than to lay in bed and stay there for the next month. Don’t do that. Finish your homework, get whatever sleep you can, make it through school the next day, and sleep later. Mrs. Lavelle’s motto this year is “It’s not that serious” – live by that. In a week, this assignment that’s stressing you out will be long gone and you won’t care anymore. Also, use your teachers as a resource. They care about your success. Just be respectful – don’t confront them and act as if they are the bane of your existence and that you know better than them. It will backfire; I promise. They will respect you as long as you respect them.

Most of all, enjoy your time in high school. It won’t last forever.

Katie Puccio

 

Dear Freshman,

Yay, you’re finally in high school! You are now one step closer on the long journey to adulthood. In the beginning, you may ask yourself “How is this any different than middle school?” It might not be obvious to you in the beginning, but you will notice the differences as you continue with your year.  Once you are in high school, you will realize you have much more responsibilities, including your grades and extracurricular activities. Your grades are much more valuable in high school, giving you opportunities such as scholarships and invitations for special programs in college. As a freshman, you will definitely notice the increase in your workload. There will be times throughout freshman year where students may lose motivation, but don’t let that be you! Procrastination could lead to a very long night with no sleep since the work could be tedious. It would be a good idea to set up a schedule, and stick with it. This way, you will have your work done and maybe even get started on some extra so you can relax a little during the weekends!

As a senior, I have experiences many pitfalls throughout my high school career. There were times where I would go through a period of “extreme laziness” where I would not want to do anything once I got home, and I would have a hard time paying attention in class. This would usually happen to be when I felt that my grades were pretty good, and I would get too confident. This was obviously a very bad idea, because in just about 2 weeks I would see a drop in my grades and I would be back to worrying. My grades would take a huge hit and then I would have to stay up multiple nights in a row, attempting to work and study in order to bring my grades up before the end of the nine weeks. I was just causing problems for myself. It is much harder to bring up your grades in a short amount of time than to just maintain them. In order to avoid this mistake, make sure to maintain a constant level of work ethic, and only go up from there. By doing so, you could avoid my mistake!

There are some classes that other students may tell you that you can get a good grade without having to study at all, but that is never a good idea. One thing that I learned during my years in high school is that each class that you take builds on top of one another as you advance in each subject. In classes like pre-calculus and calculus, you will realize how important algebra and geometry are. In the foreign language that you take, it is very important that you pay attention and understand what your teacher tells you because the next level of the language just gets more and more complex, and the teacher will not go back to reteach everything. This is important because building a foundation for your knowledge in each subject is how you will be able to understand ideas and topics as what you learn gets increasingly complex.

One last advice that I have for you is, make sure you surround yourself with people that push you to always try your best. Having a great group of friends was very important to me. You could participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports and clubs with them, which could help you enjoy school more. The education part of high school could be very frustrating at times, but your friends always make waking up early in the morning much easier to deal with. I am very thankful for the friends that I have made in the past few years. I hope that my advice will help you be successful and enjoy high school a bit more. Make it a memorable four years!

Best wishes,

Hanna Mathew

 

Dear IB freshman,

Welcome to IB and congratulations on being accepted into this amazing program! You may have heard how difficult it is being an IB student but I promise it’s not as hard as it seems. There are some (okay, maybe many) ups and downs but with hard work and determination, being a student in IB will be one of the greatest experiences of your life.  Here are some tips/info to make your high school experience a little bit easier.

The first and most important piece of advice I have for you is DON’T PROCRASTINATE. It will cause you so much stress. Manage your time wisely and plan ahead so you don’t have to worry about finishing assignments the night before they’re due. Creating schedules for yourself can be a great way to manage time and make IB so much easier. That being said, here’s a list of things you shouldn’t procrastinate on in freshman year: science fair, bio/APES extra credit, current events articles, reading the assigned pages in a book, and studying for tests (especially AP exams!!).

Out of all of the classes you have to take freshman year, APES (AP Environmental Science) will probably be the most difficult in the sense that it requires a lot of work. But Ms. Allison does a great job teaching the course and will make sure you have the information needed to pass the AP exam. Your foreign language course will also be tough, regardless of whether you take Spanish, French or German. The most helpful thing you can do to pass that class is practice, practice, practice. After all, practice makes perfect! For your math course, you’ll take either Geometry or Algebra 2. Both of these classes have amazing teachers! Naki, the Algebra 2 teacher, is one of the best math teachers I have ever had and Mr. Reber, the Geometry teacher, is also a very fun teacher. As for your elective class, choose something that interests you! The courses offered by IB are Art, Music, and Modeling and Simulations. If none of these choices appeal to you, you can take a BHS class, such as Anatomy and Physiology.

One of the several great things about IB is that we have the best teachers. They are dedicated to their work and will do their best to help you succeed. If you’re having a hard time or don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to talk to your teachers and ask them for help! Another special thing about IB is that you’re surrounded by people who are going through the exact same thing as you are. This means you can ask each other for help on assignments (but don’t cheat!). IB creates a tight circle of friends, which is such a wonderful thing because your friends support you through stressful times. An effective way to study is to create study groups with your friends so you can help each other out if you don’t understand some things. But you don’t have to spend time studying or doing homework every time you’re with your friends. Go hang out at the mall or watch a movie! It’s important to take a break from schoolwork once in a while and relax with friends or family.

So, again, congratulations on being accepted into IB! Good luck and have fun because high school won’t last forever.

Krupa Patel 🙂

 

Everything has just been a blur. The both freshman and sophomore years have conjoined themselves in my mind, and the end of sophomore year seems equally far in the past as the beginning of Freshman year, which is complete nonsense! Of course, I remember the classes of sophomore year better than I do Freshman year, but thinking back about the memories and fun times and the stressful ones too, they all have become one big “experience.” And as time continually passes and I move ever forward towards leaving IB, the “stain of time” has made me come to love those times in my first two years. I really, truly, look back at those memories as if they were the best times I have ever had. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything difficult in those years. But the rose-colored glasses that I look through when thinking about those years makes me love both the fun times, and the times when you were so stressed and tired you just wanted to give in for the day. No matter what happens, you always have your classmates, some of which who will become your best friends (probably for life), whom all must go through the same crap you do; you’re all in the same boat.

As a Freshman, I remember how stressed I often made myself. I had yet to find my groove: in how to study, how much I need to study, how some assignments are only busy-work and others deserve my full attention. I was always my worst enemy in Freshman year. I have always been super competitive, so I thought I always had to do the best on every single assignment and test, and when I wouldn’t, which would obviously happen, I would become sooooooo stressed. For this reason alone, Freshman year has been the most difficult year for me. Now, I realize, yes, you should want to push yourself and do the best you can, but being the best at everything is impossible (especially if you’re not very good at the thing in the first place), but if you can continue to get all A’s or A’s and B’s, then it’s not that important to be the best at any single assignment. I study less now, in Junior year, than I did as a Freshman, and I still get all A’s even though the classes are more difficult. Essentially, don’t be TOO hard on yourself, it’s not that serious. (“It’s not that serious” is a quote on my English teacher’s wall, and it is something I’ve come to live by this year, and I’ve been happier and more relaxed this year than any other year!)

One major pitfall that I suggest you avoid is to not be ahead on your assignments. I’ve only achieved this twice: the second half of Freshman year when I first started trying to do it, and now, the second half of Junior year when I promised to myself I would start getting ahead. I am referring to homework. When talking about things that aren’t huge projects, always just do your homework, or most of it, the night that you get it. It seriously makes your life so much easier. For some reason, being proactive and doing the work the night you get it, even if you must work hard to accomplish that, is so much less stressful than doing it the night before it is due. You take all the pressure off yourself because you know you don’t HAVE TO do this work, and as long as you don’t take that as an initiative to not do the work, then not having to do the work makes the work that you do a lot less stressful.

Luke Rouleau

 

Dear incoming freshman,

Congratulations on being accepted into Bartow IB! I can promise that these next four years will be worth your while; the IB experience will transform you not only academically but also as a person. You’ll meet some amazing people and maybe even discover some things about yourself, thanks to the countless opportunities available here.

So before you get too excited about the wonders of IB, here are some warnings. Don’t shut yourself out to new experiences, but also remember to keep your priorities in order. It’s great to try out for sports and get involved in music, but make sure that you’re aware of your deadlines and not falling behind on homework. Establish these good habits now; you’ll be glad you did later in life. And on that note, do not procrastinate or cheat on your work. That’s an order. IB – along with all colleges! – has a strict no-cheating policy, so do it yourself and take pride in your work! Procrastinating now will only lead to even more problems down the line, so try to avoid it (this is coming from a master procrastinator herself).

You’re only a freshman now so this may not seem like a big deal yet, but keep college in the back of your mind. Study all you can and do your very best on all your tests. Deadlines approach much faster than you’d expect! Remember that your grades now are important, especially those in your AP classes. School may not be your whole life, but it should be pretty important to you.

Lastly, just have fun! IB sounds threatening, but it’s still only high school. You have four years ahead of you to make these decisions – some will be good, others bad. What matters most is that you learn from your choices, and hopefully start to make more of the good ones.

I wish you luck!

Nisha Chachad

 

Dear incoming freshman,

There’s a lot to know about “surviving IB”. First of all, it’s not the worst and it’s definitely not the hardest thing you’ll do in your life, even education wise – people tend to overreact. Whether or not IB works for you depends on a lot of factors, especially time management and motivation.

Grades are not everything. If all you did your entire four years of high school was school, colleges are not going to be very impressed – even if you got straight A’s and have a 4.8 GPA. You need extracurriculars as well. Join a club, play a sport, or get a job. Pick something you like doing and stick with it for all four years. If you don’t enjoy the activity, you’re going to be miserable. I like math, so I got a job as a math tutor. I love going to work, it gives me something to do and something to put on my college applications. Start extracurriculars freshman year; don’t get two and a half years into high school and realized you did nothing all high school other than what was assigned as school work and then frantically try to join as many clubs as possible. You may say, “I’m smart, I don’t need extracurriculars”. Well, a lot of people are smart – you’re not special. You have to make yourself special; be well rounded.

For your electives, take classes that you’ll enjoy, even if they aren’t AP. Don’t make yourself miserable taking classes you hate just because you want a higher GPA. It’s important that you to enjoy high school, at least a little. If you like art, take art. If you want to learn how to build things, take woodshop. If you enjoy learning about math, take an extra math class. Boosting your GPA should be a benefit, not the goal, of taking extra classes.

You will get really busy junior and senior year. If you think freshman year and sophomore year are hard, you have no idea what’s coming. For your junior year, it’s a good idea to take a Polk State class as your half elective, so that you have a free period to get to school late or to go home early. This will give you extra time to sleep, get homework done, or even go to the gym – whatever you want. It’s also beneficial if you try to obtain a leadership position in a club or organization. Leadership positions can help you develop social and leadership skills, and they look good on college applications.

Overall, it’s important for you to be happy. IB is a close knit family, and you will meet a lot of great people and have a lot of great teachers here. However, if the workload is too much, and you find yourself being miserable, dropping out isn’t the worst thing you could do. Plenty of people in regular public high schools get into Ivy Leagues and become very successful doctors and lawyers. IB will help you to succeed, but you don’t have to be in IB to succeed. Do what is best for you, your future, and your happiness.

Audrey Cossin

 

My time at BHS/IB has been well, an interesting one to say the very least; I’ve met tons of great people, had some of the best teachers (and some of the less great), and gotten to take my academic level to a higher level due to this opportunity I worked so hard to achieve. Starting as a freshman can be daunting, but it’s honestly not as bad as one may think at first. Something you have to realize is that this isn’t middle school advanced/accelerated classes; this is IB. You’ll find that you actually have to study now, and that one or two homework assignments may be crucial in making or breaking your grade. You’ll also want to make sure that you ask questions in class. Some kids dislike asking questions because they feel like if they do, either they’ll look unintelligent or the teacher will get annoyed with them. Don’t worry – these teachers have their jobs because they can put up with questions from children learning the material they teach. That’s basically it; make sure you do your schoolwork, eat your vitamins and say your prayers, brother.

Michael Dwyer

 

Dear Upcoming IB Freshman,

The first thing I feel obligated to say is good luck. You have entered the best and worst years of your life, but they say that about high school in general, so don’t be worried. If you choose to stay all four years, that’s great, good for you. But if you end up feeling the need to drop out for personal reasons or your grades, don’t think it will be the end of the world. You need to do what’s best for you and that’s an important fact that people don’t address enough. At this point, your parents are most likely influencing/making every decision in your life, but that may change as you get older.  The rest of this letter is not meant to sway you towards staying or leaving, it is simply the knowledge I have acquired from my personal experiences in IB.

A common misconception is that only “exceptionally smart” people stay all four years in IB. I’ve seen people drop out for many reasons. Some people just don’t want the heavy workload and they don’t feel it will help them enough in their future. Some people dropped out because they miss too much school (due to medical reasons, family issues, or laziness) and fall too far behind. All of these students were considered smart, but they made the decision based on what they wanted and where they wanted to go in life. Dropping out does not make you “stupid” or have any less worth, so don’t let that sway you from making the final decision. IB students are a very diverse group, but to really succeed in IB, you should keep up on your homework and try to study as much as possible. Homework will always be in the back of your mind. You should never be bored during the next four years of your life because there is always some homework to complete, essay to write, or test to study for. If you are looking for the “normal” high school experience that you see in movies, you will not get that here. If you want to gain skills that will help you in college, then this would be a good option; however, it is not the only option that prepares you for college curriculum.

Make friends early on in IB and its best to get a tight group of friends, but don’t be too exclusive towards others. If you plan on being very competitive and you want to have a high GPA, I would suggest starting dual enrollment as soon as possible. The upperclassmen can tell you about the “easy” Polk State classes. Sophomore year is the easiest year. This would be a good time to take an extra Polk State class or two. History is easy to do in class but if you want to prepare for the AP Test and the IB test, actually study the material throughout the year. AP prep books can help with studying for history, even in the classroom so get it early on in the year. Junior year is not too difficult. I would recommend taking your sixth subject during your junior year so you can get acclimated with an IB test before your senior year. Make sure you choose a science course that you are actually interested in. Don’t decide on the course based on what you have heard from other people. As for senior year, it’s different for everyone. You have as much work as you are willing to give yourself. Do as much of your EE over the summer and complete college applications by the early deadline. Overall, it’s up to you and your abilities so, once again, GOOD LUCK!

Sincerely,

Darbrielle Green

 

Dear Freshman,

So you’ve decided to come to IB @ Bartow High School. By now, you probably know the school by its reputation—all hard work and no play. I’m not going to lie to you, at times, it is like that. But, I also have to say that this is an extremely rewarding program and that I’m glad that I chose to come here. IB is a difficult program, but I’ve discovered that school is only as hard as you make it. One thing to keep in mind—don’t take school too seriously. You’re probably not used to hearing that considering that you’re among some of the top students in Polk County but, c’mon. At the end of the day, school is just school and it shouldn’t be the most important thing in your life. When you’re in a rigorous program like IB, I think it’s easy to forget that and that can be dangerous. Yes — school is stressful and IB is a huge commitment, but you can’t let it take over your life. In the next 4 years, don’t let school become your life, you’ll regret it as soon as you graduate.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, school is only as hard as you make it. While your schedule isn’t very customizable freshman year; you have a lot more choices in sophomore, junior and senior year. TAKE EASY CLASSES. TAKE CLASSES IN SUBJECTS THAT YOU ARE STRONG IN. DO NOT FEEL PRESSURED TO TAKE A COURSE THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO TAKE. Don’t force yourself to take AP Chem if you’re not good at chem. Don’t let the horror stories about Biology scare you away. If you genuinely care about the subjects that you’re taking (or if you have the slightest bit of interest), then your classes will be so much easier. Don’t make your life any harder than it needs to be, take easy classes.

My final piece of advice is that you should create a network of friends that you can rely on to help you through the tough times and that every now and then you should just give up. School isn’t that serious and when you get really stressed out, you should take a minute to remember that. It’s okay to take an L every now and then. If school stresses you out to the point where you feel like crying, you need to take a break. At the end of the day, failing one test or getting a B in a class won’t stop you from succeeding in life. If you really need a break, then take one. It’s not that serious.

I wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Soha Kazmi

 

My first piece of advice is to talk to people. Fact of life is many students don’t arrive at IB with many kids they already know. I knew 2 out of the 75 starting my freshman year. So getting out of your shell immediately and making friends will make the year a little easier. High school is supposed to be fun, so make it fun!

Try to stay on task and don’t procrastinate. Waiting until the last minute to do an assignment or study is going to stress you out. The less stress you put on yourself the better. If you do procrastinate just accept the points off, cheating so you can get the A isn’t worth it in the end.

Nothing I have experience has been more deserving of study over another. It varies on the student. If history is hard than spend a little more time studying that. Same applies to the other subjects. I would say freshman year APES and Bio were prioritized on most students study times.

Rachel Williams

 

IB Freshman:

I hope you choose IB because you personally like it. When you are in IB, the person that finally motivates you is yourself. Now, I’m not saying that IB is extremely hard or IB is extremely easy. You will have teachers that are good, and you will also have teachers that are not as good. You might like the teachers that have a lighter atmosphere with a slower pace through their courses, and you might like the stricter teachers that move at a fast pace and stays on track all the time. In the end, it matters less, because you will realize that the largest reason you are still in IB is because of yourself.

As an IB junior, I can give you some advice for surviving here. Always remember, the most important part of IB is that you cannot procrastinate. Looking around myself, nearly everyone procrastinated sometimes in the past years. Almost all of the time, we regretted that decision. Planning your work is extremely important, because IB does give you big assignments. Waiting until the last minute to rush through the assignments would not bring the best results, because all of us appreciate sleeping. More importantly, be responsible for yourself, finish your assignments, because you will feel really good when you see that “5” on one of your AP tests.

Aside from all that advice, IB itself does contain a unique experience that is not in any other schools. When you are in IB, you are in a diverse group of people that had chosen a more academic route than others; however, you can still be a part of any organizations you want. Play a sport, join some clubs, be a leader, and you can even start your own club if you can get an approval from a teacher. Most interestingly, you get to be in an environment where you can find your type of student. If you are one of the cool kids, we have them. If you are a nerd, we also have them. You can always end up with many friends with similar traits. At the end, you will even gain some insightful friends.

At last, relax. IB is not as bad as you think. You don’t have 5 hours of homework every single day! This article that I’m writing right now is my only homework tonight.

I hope you find IB your ideal school.

Bryce Shi

 

Dear whoever will read this,

Hi, my name is Jasmine Rose Moral and I am a senior in IB. Let me tell you, it was a crazy semester for me. I struggled a lot in my senior year. There was Biology that dragged me down along with History and eventually I found myself playing catch-up with the rest of my classes. Essays and essays and IA’s and EE’s and everything snuck up behind me and toppled themselves into one big pile of mess. By mid-September, I actually contemplated in not staying in IB. I questioned myself over and over again. Do I really deserve to be in IB? Am I good enough to be in IB? My lowest point was the Biology IA. Kennon provided the minimum aid which left me stumbling with unapproved topics and big ideas as projects. I even asked my mom to allow me to drop out but she refused. But enough with the sad but typical story of a normal student in IB. The point of this is to teach you something.

As a freshman, you need to get into the habit of studying. It’s actually important and you can never succeed in not studying, not reviewing. No. Also, just don’t cheat. Don’t help your friends out if they need help. Do everything yourself. It’s a competitive environment, you gotta learn how to do things on your own. Read the books, the stories. Read everything! I enjoyed most of English class and it actually helps to do well in the class if you read! Surprise! Get your review books as early as you can because things move around quick in IB, you need them now.

But lastly, relax. We all know it’s a rigorous program but sometimes you just gotta relax. Don’t forget that you are still a teenager. Hang out with your friends, miss a couple assignments here and there and turn in a late pass. We all deserve a break from time to time. 😀

Jasmine Rose Moral

P.S. don’t be afraid to ask upper-class men.

 

To a current (incoming?) freshman,

Congratulations on being accepted and welcome to IB!  I hope you enjoy your time here; I know I have.  I’m just going to write whatever advice comes into my head and occasionally add some structure here and there to make this readable.  The order is relatively chronological in the order out of which the thoughts came from my head, so I guess there is some method here.  It’s worth noting that I am currently just under halfway through junior year, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I’ll begin with saying that sleep is a wonderful thing, as you will soon find out.  I don’t think there is an easy way to wake up at 5:30am (or earlier) every morning, so good luck.  If you find yourself struggling with sleep, it should hopefully get better as your body adapts.  At the beginning of freshman year, I used to have to go to bed before 9:00pm in order to be well rested the next day.  By now, I can go to sleep at 11:00pm and not feel tired in the morning.  Additionally, I don’t drink coffee.  Some people need it to stay awake, but I would recommend attempting to use it sparingly if at all.  It’s all about finding what works for you (which is a great mantra for all of IB – make it work for yourself since everyone is different in their own way).

If you are unfamiliar with the structure of the IB, it is divided into halves.  The first half, comprising of freshman and sophomore years, is called “Pre-IB” and is generally the less strenuous half of IB in order to provide a smooth transition from middle school to the DP.  The DP (Diploma Programme, a fancy IB Organization term for the program in which we are) is the junior and senior years of IB where you take all of your IB classes and a lot of AP classes, have to fulfill CAS requirements, take TOK, and write the EE.  If those seem daunting (or you aren’t even really sure what they are), that’s alright.  I remember I was so confused and nervous about all of these requirements two and a half years ago when I first walked onto Bartow High School to begin high school.   Everyone is there for you all the time, so just enjoy it.  Additionally, most people’s schedules have such structure that you don’t need to worry about requirements for IB because you will naturally complete them through your schedule.  There are a few choices, though, such as which math, science, and sixth subject (among Art, Music, Business, Psychology, Computer Science, or some other IB course) to take.  Those decisions aren’t for a while, so I won’t burden you with the details.

The classic trap into which all students fall at least once (most often many, many times) is that of procrastination.  At the beginning of freshman year, I thought I was going to do all my homework the night it was assigned and never have any homework.  I should’ve told that to myself about a month ago when I stayed up until 2:30am writing a paper that was due that morning (that seems like a weird sentence to write but I promise I started it around 7:00pm).  I do think, however, that my time management is mostly satisfactory.   I keep a list of all homework and test of which I know, and I add to it every day after school.  Before I go to sleep each night, I make sure I have completed everything that is due the next day, and then I pack my backpack to make sure everything gets in there.  I think those ideas will work almost universally.

I’ve talked a lot about academics, but there’s a lot more to high school than that.  We have a lot of extracurriculars on campus including ping-pong club, art club, geography club, astronomy club, Key Club, TSA, NHS, FBLA, PER4M, Student Government, everything in between, and then some more.  There will definitely be something (probably multiple things) in which you are interested.  Don’t be nervous – branch out!  Have fun!  Find something interesting!  Additionally, everyone becomes such a tight-knit group here because we are all in this together. (*cue High School Musical music*) There are always other people on which you can depend.  You’ll also find quite a few good friends here.  It’s been a great experience.

That was a lot more than I thought I was going to write.  I guess I got a little carried away there.  I think it’s all good information though.  I hope you thought so too.

Best of luck in IB,

AJ Manning

 

Hello incoming freshman!

I’m sure you must be very excited to take the big leap and finally become a high school student! While I’d definitely say high school is an upgrade from middle school, the fact that you will be in the International Baccalaureate program will no doubt present you with a whole new set of challenges; however, if you heed my sage advice (trust me I’m a junior), you’ll find IB isn’t as big of a beast as it’s often made out to be.

All in all, the most important piece of advice I can offer is to absolutely avoid procrastination at all costs. I’m sure you’ve been warned many times by now that IB involves a heavy workload. I can assure you, that is very true. While the subject matter itself isn’t necessarily difficult (though it can be at times), the tasks given by your teachers can prove to be quite a bit to handle. Surely, you’ll find yourself with some nights of low homework amounts, maybe an APES worksheet or two, but there will certainly be a time when you’ll have assignments in all or almost all your classes. It is crucial to avoid letting these tasks pile up. The best way to avoid a build-up of homework is to always do it the day it is assigned. Try not to nap too long after school or waste time being lazy to do so. Not only will the material be more fresh in your mind, but completing the assignment quickly will be very efficient and effective in saving you from late nights. Staying up late to finish an assignment may not sound like a big deal, but if you find yourself getting three hours of sleep and then having to force yourself awake the rest of the following school day, you’ll see just how much of a toll those late nights can take on you. Doing homework as soon as it’s assigned also provides a safety cushion in case an unforeseen event appears and you find yourself having to suddenly scramble for time to work. For example, there have been many times where I have forgotten that I had band rehearsals the same day as IB Music class, which meant that I had to stay at school until 8 at night only to return home to piles of schoolwork. If I had done the homework early on, the workload could have been much more manageable if not obsolete. Clearly, procrastination was not my friend, and it shouldn’t be yours.

Furthermore, the next piece of crucial advice for you is to manage your time wisely. This one kind of ties in with the whole procrastination idea. It’s important that you allot time for the things that truly matter, such as homework, studying or band/sports practices and not silly indulgences such as social media or television. Spending too much time on purely leisure activities such as those will ultimately make you fall behind in the areas that matter more, such as making the soccer team or landing an all-county audition. You’ll also find that your grades may progressively drop as you have less time to complete assignments thoroughly and may end up doing the bare minimum, or not doing the assignment at all. Focusing time away from electronics or other pointless distractions will also create a healthy balance in your life, which you’ll find comforting as your high school days become increasingly stressful and hectic.

Finally, the last bits of important advice deal with more specific ways to achieve success in IB. The first thing you should know is that not studying is no longer an option. It may be possible to scrape by in a few tests without studying, but this is not a reliable way to keep high grades. It is necessary to make some time to review subject material. For math classes, study time is especially important because more practice will mean better understanding of a topic, which isn’t easy to attain just by watching a teacher solve a few problems. Also, taking notes may seem tedious and pointless, but often the act of writing something down helps you memorize it much easier, which comes in very handy in classes such as biology or history. To keep track of all the various assignments and due dates, an agenda is an essential tool. Make sure you have organized it so that the homework assignments are clear to see when you get home, and make note of upcoming important dates. Your friends are also vital resources in IB. They provide moral support, a welcome distraction from schoolwork, and can be great study partners to aid you in understanding a subject as you can work together to solve problems. However, beware of cheating, especially on large assignments. Not only does cheating cause you to heavily lose points if you’re caught, your reputation among your teachers will suffer once they find out. It is often a better idea to ask a teacher for help, as sometimes they will explain the material to you one-on-one to better address your struggle, even if it involves staying after school for help.

I hope these tips help you in your IB journey!

Maria Duran 

 

Yo…gupperoo,

You’ve just started your journey of greatness in the wonderful Diploma Program at the breathtaking (literally) (because it kills you) International Baccalaureate School at Bartow High School. I was once in your place; I was that wide eyed student ready to go to all my classes and get straight A’s and be the best I could be. I wish I could say that I’m still that child but I think it’s pretty obvious that I’m not. I’m not a junior taking REAL IB courses and stressing about all of the AP and IB exams I have at the end of the year. When looking back on the previous 2-ish school years there aren’t many points I can bring up that won’t be addressed over 100 times. I will however go over these points since its currently 11:20 pm and I’m trying to write this before I sleep so my calculus grade doesn’t starts singing “Drop It Like It’s Hot”.

Point 1) Use your agenda to stay organized. Now I’m not saying to color coat that like a Napoleon Ice Cream bucket…just write stuff. This has helped me so much in terms of knowing what homework is due when and what tests are coming up. A lot of people stop using their agendas once they don’t have teachers that check them but I highly recommend not only using your school provided agenda, but also getting your own. That way you can indulge in your love of anime (or whatever you youngins are into now) with a nicely decorated agenda. No but seriously…personally, I write down tests and quizzes in my school agenda and then I write homework and extracurricular stuff in my personal agenda. Being organized is a really big part actually getting stuff done in time, you can’t always rely on friends (BOOOOOOOOOOI DO I HAVE STORIES OF WHEN SOMEONE TOLD ME SOMETHING WASN’T DUE AND IT WAS MAN IDK IF I WAS BEING SABOTAGED OR IF THEY HONESTLY DIDN’T KNOW BUT GET YOU A PLANNER BC YOU CAN’T TRUST THESE GARDENING TOOLS).

Point 2) CONNECTIONS! CONNECTIONS! CONNECTIONS! When I tell you having friends in the various grade levels has helped me in so many ways. Yeah but build a nice support system of upperclassmen friends…it’s a lot of help (also don’t spend too much time with them and their parties smh upperclassmen are dumb and lazy and will tell you to chill when you shouldn’t chill (I would know ha)).

Point 3) GO DO YOUR HOMEWORK I DON’T CARE HOW FUNNY THOSE MEMES ON IG ARE OR WHO’S TWEETING WHAT. I admit I am the prime example of the procrastinator trying to get by on minimal effort and as much sleep as possible. IT WILL SHOW IN YOUR GRADES AND HONESTLY IF YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR GRADES THEN WHY ARE YOU IN THE PROGRAM YO WHY.  Won’t say don’t procrastinate because everyone said that to me…but I will say procrastinate just enough to fill your little cold dark heart and then do your work. I give myself a good three-hour procrastination period when I get home from school and that is enough for my personal satisfaction. After my three hours I get straight to homework and get the majority (if not all) of it done for my A and B day classes and I have yet to get any below B semester averages so I think I’m doing something right (lmao my 9 weeks grades say something different tho yiIIIIIIIIIIKES).

Point 4) Study??? Okay classes that I had to actually study for (and I still didn’t do well in them [Symbol] the struggle is real) were Statistics…I suck at math (Naki) (PLEASE DON’T CALL HIM MR. NAKI EVERYONE WILL HATE YOU), English because of literary term (Guice), Calculus…I suck at math (Frisbie), APUSH…I’m lazy (Scully), Biology…because its bio (Kennon). There’s probably more but I do recommend studying for most of your classes. I know for a fact that if I used my three-hour period for studying…I’d have better grades. That being said if you’re comfortable with how your grades are going with your current method…YOU DO YOU BOO BOO YAS SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAY THAT GPA AINT GOT NOTHIN ON YOU YAAAAAAAAS BOO GET THAT DIPLOMA.

Overall just…be organized, study, and make GOOD upperclassmen friends (you know what I mean…you KNOW what I mean). I wish you good luck on your IB experience and I hope you got something from this and I hope my grammar mistakes didn’t offend you.

P.S. I was about to turn this in and then I went on Frisbie’s website and saw how other people did it and I laughed at mine because I have so many capital letters and it’s so informal but it’S SO RELATABLE SO IM GONNA LEAVE IT LIKE THIS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WHEN I WAS READING THESE THAT WERE MEANT FOR MY CLASS I COULDN’T RELATE TO ANYONE. Let’s hope I did someone some good.

Lyre-Gaёlle Dorcé

 

Dear Freshman,

The IB experience that you will face in these next four years will be long. Despite the reputation of IB, the word load isn’t very high. Your freshman year is a crucial transition that prepares you for what lays ahead. If you cruised through school most of your life without trouble or studying, you will find that IB is a different story. I didn’t believe in studying in the beginning either but eventually I found myself reviewing notes for a quiz the night before. Life as a freshman will get easier; you just need to get up from the rough transition from middle school.

Don’t ignore any class. I understand that APES and Bio can be long and arduous and you can and should focus on them, but don’t forget to do work in your other classes. Don’t neglect a class so much that you end up failing because you were working on STNTs. Also, you may not like some teacher’s style but in the real world, you don’t get to choose your teacher. You need to learn how to adapt your teacher’s teaching style for you to take notes and understand what you are being taught.

DON’T PROCRASTINATE. Everyone says this over and over again and you may not like it or listen to what I am saying but don’t do it. The feeling of getting work off your chest is amazing. The longer you wait till a due date to start the work, the more the project looms overhead. Try and work little by little, day by day, setting out what needs to be done today, what can be done today, and what will I do tomorrow.

Good Luck and remember it will always get better

Paul Charles

 

To the incoming freshman:

First, I’d like to say congratulations! If you’re scared or nervous, that’s okay. It’s normal: a new environment usually makes people uncomfortable. However, don’t worry! As a junior in the IB program at BHS, I am more than willingly to give you some advice that’ll help you get through high school.

In my opinion, the most important piece of advice to be successful in school is to find the source of your motivation. You’ve made it into IB, there’s already something special about you—something pushing you to do well. Why do you strive to do well in school? What makes you want to get a good grade? Now, find what motivates you the most and harness that. Use it to your fullest advantage. Whether it’s to impress your friends or to continue your straight A streak, what motivates you will be the thing pushing you through all four years. It’s pretty useful.

Finding what motivates you is a pretty general piece of advice. To be more specific, I strongly suggest that as a freshman, you start logging in volunteering hours. Figure out how to fill out the forms and turn them into the office; it’s pretty self-explanatory. You’ll be thanking yourself in the future. Besides that, just be you and make as many friends as possible. High school isn’t just about taking classes, form memorable experiences that you can reminisce later on!

As of now, I believe that the biggest advantage of IB is the community. You will learn to really appreciate all your classmates as I have. The fact that everyone generally has the same mind of focus helps create the close-knit comfort that’ll provide you love and support you need. There will be times were classes may get unbearably difficult but you’re not alone. Remember that you have your friends that are going through the exact same thing as you are.

At any rate, just try your best! I know you will be successful!

Keep working hard!

Mandi Chen

(PS. If you ever have questions that upperclassmen can answer, do not be afraid to ask! In general, most upperclassmen do not bite and would love to help you out if you ask nicely.)

 

Dear Freshman,

This is high school. Congrats on being accepted and welcome to IB. This year is very important because this is your base for high school. Each year is a step and at the 4th step is graduation. The years follow a pattern. The beginning of the year is hard and you wait for the breaks to come. You have to push and work hard for midterms. Then the part between midterms and finals is a bit easier. Finals is stressful but a relief because after that you are free. Because this is your first year there are some things you should know. Here are some things I wish I would have been told to do as a freshman.

TURN IN YOUR SCIENCE FAIR STUFF ON TIME (ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE KENNON (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO THIS! Paperwork is not that bad, and give yourself at least 2 days to do the entire thing.)

Do all extra credit that is offered and do it well- Make sure to do it even if your grade is good because there could always be a forgotten assignment or a bad test. Doing it well is important because they will take off points and what’s the point of only getting 5 extra points when you could have gotten more with just a little bit of effort)

Don’t procrastinate- I know, you’re probably not going to do this (like I didn’t) and then you’re probably going to write about it in this letter to freshman because you regret it (like I do).

Do some community service, don’t save your 20 hours for sophomore year. Find something like Teen Court and do it consistently and you’ll have all the hours you need and more.

Read the books for English. I know some people don’t and still do well on the assignments but, you’ll feel more comfortable if you read them and the books aren’t that bad.

Make time to have friends and go out.

Join a sport or club/ do things you like.

Use your planner and keep yourself organized.

The classes you all have are pretty much the same at this point. So most of your classmates will share most of your classes. The only differences will be in language, math, and elective. Because you share classes with most of your class, work together, form study groups, talk to each other about the work. I hope you work hard and study, but remember that this program is not necessarily for everyone and you should make sure you feel happy. This doesn’t mean that you should drop out after the first day, it takes time to become adjusted and find out if this program feels right for you.

Good Luck,

Ixchel Collazo

 

Dear Hopeful IB Student,

I sure hope this letter helps you somewhat because honestly getting advice from people who have been in your situation before is extremely helpful. I got advice from my 2 siblings and 2 cousins that went through the program and have probably only survived because of the advice they have given me. Anyway, I don’t mean to scare you or anything because I feel IB isn’t something you should truly fear, but rather something you should complete with a sense of accomplishment and pride. At this point in my senior year I must admit that my original thoughts of IB have changed greatly, but I still hope to complete this diploma program with the knowledge that my college experience will be better and somewhat easier because of the heavy workload IB had forced upon us. Instead of just telling you these vague things, I should probably go into some specifics; this was a while ago, so my memory may be a bit rusty.

One of the classes that you must always be prepared for and please never arrive late is Biology. I know things have changed since I was a freshman, so I can only speak about my experience with Mrs. Kennon, but the only real advice I can give to you is study. Please really do study. Also, always do your assignments, especially the labs. I typically dedicated an hour or so a day to doing biology homework or studying just so that I could keep an A in the course… okay maybe not every day, but I can say for sure that I dedicated most of my time to that class. I had biology every single day so I was one of the lucky ones that always got to experience her tests first; so really just study her notes and be sure that you can reproduce what is written in case there are fill in the blanks or short responses, which there usually is.

Another course I remember having a hard time with was AP Environmental Science. I was somehow one of the lucky ones to get a 5 on the AP exam, but I sadly was late in figuring out the best way to study for her tests: take handwritten notes on the reading from the textbook and study all her PowerPoints. It always took me quite a while to actually do all of that, but I promise you it is worth it. Ever since I used that method for studying for her tests, I always got at least an 85 on her tests. Other than tests just read over the notes and skim the PowerPoints to make sure you can answer the oral questions because I know I always had a hard time getting all the ones I needed. I never really read over all the notes the night before, so they were never that easy for me or I was always stuck behind that one kid in class that would answer all of them even if they got all the ones they needed (it is just wonderful); so just be prepared to shoot your arm up right after the question is asked and be quiet when someone else is answering so that she doesn’t end asking questions early!

As I said before, my memory isn’t all that great so I don’t really remember anything special about my other classes, so in general just do all your work and study. That is really the only way you can survive. Also, I am sure you will have friends that will help you out and you can always ask upperclassmen for help; I promise they don’t actually bite (at least I hope). Personally, I never had time to eat breakfast in the morning, so I might suggest that you bring a snack and some teachers will let you eat in their classes as long as you aren’t obnoxious about it. Also, if you are ever struggling, do not be afraid of asking your teachers for help. They are all really nice and will not think any less of you for asking questions when you need help. I know that you might be scared to as times (I mean, I know I am when it comes to certain teachers), but I am learning to get over that fear and have started to ask for a lot more help and have seen an overall increase in my grades. Just know you are most likely not the only one struggling, so it won’t make you seem weak or dumb or anything for asking for a little elaboration on a certain topic.

Honestly, after three and a half years in IB, it is obvious that my feelings toward the program have changed and I am sure yours will too. Just know that everyone else in your class and all the upperclassmen are going through the same thing you are so don’t be afraid to reach out to them. I hope you have a wonderful experience in IB and make it through all four years! You will do wonderfully and will have an unforgettable experience. Enjoy it as much as you can!

An (almost) IB survivor,

Joanne Joseph

 

Dear poor freshie,

To be put plainly, IB sucks because there is a lot of work, standards are set very high, and you are surrounded by people who are just as likely to reach those standards as you are. The best part of IB is most definitely your fellow IB peers and your (mostly) brilliant teachers. Being constantly surrounded by people who have the same work ethic and the similar long term goals is a privilege- take advantage of it. Ask questions not only to your teachers but to you classmates too, because sometimes a student can explain something in a way that is easier to comprehend. Although it might seem obvious, ask your teachers questions- do not worry that the question might be stupid or has already been answered. Your understanding of the material at hand should be more important than what others think of you. The teachers, although they might be slightly annoyed, will likely repeat what they have just taught and will probably try to take a new approach to help you to understand. Other advice I have: don’t let the rumors scare you, calculus and bio aren’t THAT hard, make friends, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification on anything from assignments to tests (the worst they can say is no), and try your best because if you don’t, you will probably regret getting unsatisfactory grades in classes that aren’t that difficult in the future.

To avoid hating your life your junior year, pay attention in all your math classes and try not to forget the material after the test- it is all used all the way through calculus (except completing the square, but that was dumb anyway). Don’t take easy grades for granted- if your teacher wants you to draw something that is in your notes and they allow you to look at your notes, take the extra minute to find it and copy it correctly- those extra points could be crucial towards the end of the grading quarter. Also, try to get the highest grades possible in your first nine weeks so that you have some cushion the second nine weeks, you’ll be grateful for it later. If you don’t hate math with a burning passion, take AP Statistics your sophomore year as your elective- it helps in pre-calculus, calculus, and math studies (so I’ve heard). Ultimately, try your hardest because that’s all anyone can ask of you. Someone will always have a better grade than you and that’s okay.

The subject that requires the most study for me is Spanish, not because I am bad at the language (I would actually consider it one of my strongest subjects) but because maintaining an A in Calvo’s class isn’t easy. If the concepts in freshman year bio come easy to you, don’t shy away from taking bio junior and senior year because even though she says that the concepts are harder and more in depth, I have yet to notice a difference. Before a calculus test I look over my notes. AP world tests sophomore year were impossible for me but APUSH tests junior year are easy peasy lemon squeezy with little to no studying. I guess the most important thing is that it’s all subjective and that you should study what is most difficult for you without worrying whether other people struggle with it.

May the force be with you,

Lauren Kuhlman

 

Dear future IB freshmen and other calc students who are suddenly reading these trying to write their own advice letter and wishing they had read them four years ago,

I am having much more trouble writing this than I thought I would. I wish I could tell you all the right things to do in order to get through IB happy and stress-free. But I just don’t think that is possible. What I can tell you are things that I wish I had known before starting IB.

First, I would like you to understand that you aren’t going to be the perfect student that you have been since kindergarten. You probably won’t get all A’s anymore. You will definitely procrastinate and spend countless nights doing homework until 2 or 3 in the morning. You will probably end up falling asleep in classes due to staying up finishing said homework. You most likely will never truly know how to spell “Baccalaureate” without looking it up. It happens. IB is a lot of work. If you want to succeed, you have to be dedicated to yourself. It is extremely hard, but you should try to keep up your self-motivation. I think this has been my biggest defeat.

Freshman year in the International Baccalaureate program is totally different than anything you have ever experienced up until this point. The academics are, perhaps, more difficult and the environment you are put into is much more diverse than you have been used to. Biology and APES are the classes I struggled most with in ninth grade. You should take each assignment seriously and actually study for the tests. I didn’t pass the APES exam and I really regret my lack of studying. Biology isn’t that bad if you go into it with an open mind. Try to find something interesting in it. I know you can do it.

Sophomore year seems much easier. But you have to stay on top of things. Do your AP World History notes when Mr. Wright tells you to. It’s hard to read and take notes on everything the night before they are due. Listen to Mr. Guice when he teaches you grammar. It is the only class I have ever learned grammar in and it helps a lot if you want to sound educated when you write or speak. You will understand what I mean when you grade the Count of Monte Cristo essays senior year. Trust me.

Junior year seems terrible. Mrs. Scully assigns a lot of notes and a lot of homework. But I still actually remember things about American history because of her. Appreciate what she does for her students and tell her how awesome she is. Also appreciate Ms. Frisbie because she actually puts more time into her job than any other teacher I know. I also actually understand and remember math. Math is fantastic. Keep that in mind. Junior is when you start the dreadful extended essay. I suggest that you do as much work on this over the summer as you possibly can. ToK in eleventh grade does not make any sense. Don’t shut down when Guice asks you questions, he doesn’t give up.

The first semester of senior year is jam-packed. You will get through it. Right now I feel so relieved. Most of the big-important-IB-papers are done. Don’t give up though. You still have about five more months of high school to go. The most important “wise word” I have for senior year is don’t procrastinate (I know everyone says this, but it still isn’t said enough). Although you can now whip out a 1500-word essay in one night, it won’t be your best work.

No matter how bad IB seems to be, don’t quit. In the end it is worth it. While you’re enduring the program, you don’t realize what you’re accomplishing. I now see all that I’ve been through and am kinda amazed. I never thought I could ever do something as intense as this.

Good luck,

Rebekah Minter

 

Dear freshman,

So you’ve come across my letter on Ms. Frisbie’s website, either through the “art” of procrastination, or by accident, getting lost in the vast amount of information present… But either way, I hope that you will choose to continue reading this letter of my advice to surviving IB!

This is my final year as a part of the International Baccalaureate program here at Bartow High School.  And for me, like every other senior, this is a complex time.  We feel absolutely elated that we’re soon going to be done with our government-mandated education, but at the same time, the realization is setting in that we’re going to be out in the world on our own without the constant guidance of our teachers, friends, and family.  But please, please, please don’t worry about this yet, you’re just a freshman, you have so much ahead of you, so don’t get too overwhelmed, okay?

As a freshman, the whole notion of IB can seem so incredibly intimidating.  Odds are that in middle school you didn’t have to put forth that much effort when it came to doing well in your classes (yes, even your honors classes) and yet you were still at the top of your class.  When you were given the opportunity to take part in the IB program, your parents were probably so excited that you, yes you, their little baby was able to attend a school with such academic rigor, and you might have been excited right alongside them as you began planning ahead to tackle IB head-on.  Or, you might have been filled with dread as you realized that you had no say in the matter, and that you were being forced to attend.  No matter how you decided to come here, you’re here now.  And my main piece of advice is that your entire experience will be based on your attitude and the effort you put into the program.

We were actually just discussing this matter in my ToK class today (ToK is a class that you take in the second semester of junior year and the first semester of senior year with Mr. Guice, one of the best teachers ever).  Mr. Guice posed the question, “Has IB been worth it for you?” to everyone in the class, and while the answers varied from person to person, there was a common idea between almost all of the responses.  Nearly everyone (including me) felt that the value of IB was entirely based on the effort a student puts into the program.  Like most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it.  If you’re at IB just because your parents wanted you to try it out, you’re not going to work your hardest on your assignments, you won’t have the drive and desire to be better.  And that being said, if that’s the kind of attitude you have about the program, you’re inadvertently taking away from the kind of learning experience that a more intrinsically-motivated student would like to have.

Try to make the program work for you.  Yes, it’s definitely going to get tough sometimes.  Those APES and biology tests are going to feel like the end of the world.  That algebra homework just seems to go on forever.  The difference between the preterite and imperfect tenses in Spanish is so confusing and you don’t know how (if ever) you’ll learn their usages.  But like I’ve talked about this entire letter, your attitude is key.  Seriously.  I know it does sound cheesy and cliché sometimes, but it is the complete truth and it is the best advice I can give to an incoming freshman that can definitely be applied to each of your classes each year you’re a part of IB.  Your teachers will become your friends, and your friends will become your family.  Nothing compares to your four years in the International Baccalaureate program at Bartow High School.  Enjoy your stay.

Sincerely,

Kailyn Sampson

 

Dear freshman,

Congratulations for getting into IB! Now good luck. In case you haven’t heard, it is very challenging. The only way you will be able to survive is with a reliable group of friends. If you’re shy, you really need to get over that because there are going to be a lot of days where you forget what the homework is, or you were absent, or you just REALLY don’t understand what the heck you’re doing with this assignment, and although most teachers are helpful, most of the times you really rely on friends to catch you up to speed. Also, another thing to try and avoid is procrastinating. I know everyone says that, but it’s very easy to push things off when you have block scheduling. Do your homework as much in advance as possible so you have more time for big projects and tests that are coming up at the end of the week. It’s hard to study for that really hard bio final when you also have vocabulary, worksheets, activities, etc. due in other classes.

Obviously favorite classes are going to vary from student to student, but so far some of the best classes I’ve taken include APES, English, Stats, APUSH, and Calculus. Notice that I actually said “best” not “favorite. These classes–their rigor and instructors–have best prepared me for what IB looks for. Mrs. Allison’s class can be overwhelming, but if you put in the work you are going to do very well on the AP test and in other classes such as biology and AP human geo. Mrs. Harb (who no longer works here unfortunately), Mr. Guice, and Mrs. Lavelle were all amazing teachers and have helped me improve my writing immensely. Being a good (or at least decent) writer is going to be very important, not just for IB requirements , but for college as well. For statistics, I just ended up really enjoying the course and Naki is fun as well. I am surprised at how much I appreciate APUSH because I usually hate history, but Mrs. Scully is a great teacher and is willing to help you understand anything you aren’t understanding and give you tips on how to study. Calculus is admittedly a very difficult subject and you don’t even HAVE to take it. Math studies is a completely acceptable alternate choice. However, having Ms. Frisbie as a teacher definitely makes things easier. If you enjoy math and challenging yourself, calculus is the perfect class to do both and Ms. Frisbie always has millions of resources to assist you with understanding material and will be extraordinarily helpful in helping you write your IA.

Finally, don’t let the academic rigor discourage you from pursuing extracurricular activities or having fun. I participate in sports, clubs, and musical activities outside of school and still manage to find time to finish my homework and study. It’s all about prioritizing. It will be a bit challenging but you will need to be able to find the balance between focusing on school and focusing TOO MUCH on school. It’s okay to use late passes or only spend 30 mins studying for a quiz or test if it means you are minimizing your stress. IB will be a very large part of your life, but make sure you do things you enjoy and relax. You can do it!

Vanessa Vailoces

 

Dear IB Freshman,

Congratulations on making it to your high school years and for making it into the IB program! I’m sure that you have heard rumors from friends or family that have gone through IB, that the program is very difficult. Well, there is good news, it’s really not that bad… yet. The first couple of years require some adjusting and are kind of easy, but once you get to junior year, it really starts to pick up and can be a bit of a challenge for some. I know it has been for me.

Some advice – do not procrastinate when it comes to getting your work done, especially some of the bigger assignments. While it may not be as much fun as whatever you are wanting to do, it’s much less stressful when you don’t wait until the last minute to study or to do an assignment. I had to learn this the hard way a few times, but I learned my lesson and I think I’m better for it. Some of the homework you’ll get may take longer than what you are used to, while other assignments will likely only take a few minutes. Plan out what you need to do so that it all gets done on time.  Bottom line, you want to leave a lot of time for SLEEPING.

Another thing you should know is that all the teachers have their own policies for when you turn in your assignments. Some may allow you to turn it in whenever you want, even if it’s late, as long as they get it before the grading period ends.  Others will not accept it if you don’t turn it in before the late bell rings for their class to start. While you might not want to do one of the assignments for one of the more lenient teachers, it’s always best to turn the assignment in on the day that they say that it is due, and not wait until the grading period. Most teachers don’t like receiving a stack of assignments that you should have turned in a few weeks ago. You’re going to do great things here at IB, and carry on a great tradition of academic excellence. I wish you all the best, and hopefully my advice helps.  I hope that your time here at IB is great! I have loved my four years.

Jake Walker – Senior Class of 2017

 

The IB program is a journey that will force you to adapt to various situations and mold you into a person that you don’t recognize anymore. My journey has had its ups and downs but I have learned a lot of how to be responsible and being stress free. My advice to you beginners, is to have a stress release. IB program will provide you stress more so as junior and senior year come closer. If your stress relief changes every year and that is alright as long as you enjoy doing it and that activity takes your mind off of school. My relief freshman through junior year has always been playing tennis because of my commitment to the sport and dedication to get better.

Making mistakes is the best way to learn but it is important not to make too many mistakes as well as making the right mistakes is better than the wrong mistakes. The major pitfall I fell into is to treat my teachers the way I treat each subject they teach. For example, I don’t focus on math because I trust my ability to get an excellent grade but as a result I don’t pay attention in math and don’t focus at all. Now, I am on a bad note with that teacher and I am absolutely sure that this will come back to haunt me if I need any assistance from her. This issue could have easily been prevented by simply paying attention in class. Stay focused in class and be on a good note with all your teachers, you never know when you will need their assistance especially for recommendations in college applications.

In IB, all classes should be given equal importance but depending on your strengths and weaknesses you can divide up your studying time. I am horrible at Spanish so I spend most of my time studying Spanish but others are excellent in Spanish but need help in math so they study math. Some classes my freshman year which I studied more for is APES and Biology but it varies from person to person.

Perseverance is the key to success in IB. There will be times that you want to quit but then always remember the reason why you came to IB. Always think positive. You will always have the couple of really close friends that will cheer you on keep with you. You are entering with a selected group of people that will go through this program with you. You are never going to be the only one with stress so stay positive and go with flow.

Shulagra Shah

 

Starting High school may be a very nervous and anxious point in your life as a student, especially now that you have chosen to enroll in IB. This is a decision that at one point or another you might find yourself questioning due to the strenuous workload and arduous assignments that will be asked of you to complete. However, I do feel that at the end of your four years here at IB you will come to the realization that all of what you will have done will be worth going through and should now motivate you to reach for even bigger aspirations and higher levels of education. For myself and for many of my other peers, this program has not only challenged me academically but has also made me grow as a person and prepare me for what still lies ahead of me.

The most important piece of advice I know I would have liked to have been given to me before I started high school would be to work harder and to not be complacent with average results. Many of the things that you will do throughout high school can influence you and change your entire future due to how critical this point is in your adolescent life. If you are anything like me you will always try to make the best of whatever situation you are faced with, this is important to staying positive and wanting to achieve success in more than just school. What I feel should be the most important and deserving thing to study during high school must be whatever subject area appeals to you the most, I cannot determine what you will find to be your strength but rather, I can tell you to work hard to improve your understanding and grasp of it.

You will come to notice that these four years of high school will fly by, and the time that you will spend here is a lot less than what it may seem. In no time, you yourself will also be trying to give younger students advice about what to expect and how they can avoid some of the complications you are bound to run into. Remember to enjoy your time in high school and to stay focused on what you aspire to be as a person and in life.

Best of Luck,

Luis Martinez

 

The number one thing that you need to remember, while in IB, is to not give up on what you enjoy doing.  IB is a place that is set up as a challenge to students, and to get them to evaluate their lives through each class.  It is going to get hard, but believe me, if you don’t have things that you enjoy doing you’re going to have a bad time.  I am heavily involved in band, which includes marching band.  It takes up a LOT of time being in band, and I missed classes, stayed up late, and was often rushing to get my homework done before class started.  I’m not making excuses for myself, but I was also involved in a lot of other things and it was hard doing IB.  There are many students who get out of band or quit things that they enjoy because they think that they can’t do IB and be a part of that club or sport or activity.  Don’t quit on other things because of IB.  It is ok to even drop out of IB if you feel like there are other things out there for you to do.  Personally, I am glad I put the effort into staying in band, as I am now getting scholarship opportunities through playing my instrument that other students don’t have in my grade.

While there is a lot going on, and I just said to stay in things you enjoy, you must also keep up with your homework. I have kind of set up this routine for myself, I slack off at the beginning of the quarter, watch my grades drop low, and then do all of my makeup work before the end of the quarter to bring my grades up.  It is a terrible place to be when you have to write this essay after doing 10 physics worksheets at 1 in the morning.  It will help you out so much if you just keep up on your homework.  Establishing a routine is the best thing on the planet (even though I’m not very good at routines myself, when I actually follow through with a routine it often pays off).  There are also big essays like the Extended Essay, and the Theory of Knowledge essay.  While you may not know what these things are quite yet, they are very long research papers you have to write for IB.  It’s not as bad as it seems unless you’re typing your entire essay the night before the rough draft is due.  It really really helps to keep on top of your work.

My last piece of advice is to have fun and be yourself.  The start of freshman year may be kind of awkward with a lot of new people, but once you realize you are going to be with these same people for 4 years, you better let them get to know who you are.  You will make best friends that will probably last beyond high school.  It’s really awesome coming back each year and having all my friends in my classes.  IB is a really fun experience, and pushing through until the end is totally worth it.  You will learn so much and become a much more well-rounded person.  Good luck to you on your adventure into IB.

Jeremy Jones

 

Dear sweet, little, innocent freshmen,

You are going to have a great time in IB as long as you keep up with everything.  If not, then have fun and good luck.  You will be perfectly capable of doing this just as everyone before you.  My main struggle pretty much all four years of IB was time management.  You need to master that as soon as possible.  If you do, your life will be so much easier.

Tips with your teachers, don’t make Ms. Kennon mad.  It is not pretty and she will be angry at your class for a least one class period after she snaps.  Also, don’t cheat.  As good as you might think you are at it, these teachers are better at catching you.  I’m pretty sure they have had more practice than you so keep that in mind.  You’ll love your math teachers because they are funny and actually care about you and make sure that you know that.

These next years will make or break you honestly.  No matter what though you can’t give up.  I wanted to many times BUT this is worth it in the long run and you will be able to make it! Sticking through with this choice will make college so much easier for you and that is something I wouldn’t give up if I were you.  Have fun and GOOD LUCK!!

From,

A former student that wishes you the best (Kayla Jackson)

P.S. DO NOT DOUBT YOURSELF OR YOUR ANSWERS IN CLASS.  Just because you think you don’t know the answer, don’t doubt yourself.  You may surprise yourself.

 

Dear Incoming Freshman,

You are about to change the course of your life forever. Whether you know it or not, the people you meet here will change your life in a positive way. The two pieces of advice I would give you are real corny, but I feel they are the ideas that keeps me going. Never quit and if you cheat to win, you don’t win at all. This will be a challenge for everyone no matter how smart you think you are. There are always people who are more intelligent than you and you have to accept that and embrace by befriending those people. Some things come easier to others than they do to you, so if you don’t understand a concept keep practicing and studying don’t just blow it off and cheat off of someone because when it comes down to whether or not you know it, you won’t if you cheat. If you got into this program, then you can finish your program. It’s just like eating in my household and everything else in general, you finish what you start even it is hard or challenging or if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.

The biggest pitfall you can fall into is procrastination, yes I know I sound like every other person on the planet. If you get an assignment, finish it when you can as soon as you can. The less work you have to do is better for you, it will lighten your load and allow you to relax because it is constant work flow. Another pitfall is cheating, just don’t involve yourself. You can get kicked out for cheating and it is only ever a short term benefit and won’t help you later. Make friends with people who share common interests. IB has suffering and if you don’t have another person who is going through what you are, it is very difficult to find the strength to push on. Personally, I’m really competitive and make things competition for example: I would race my friend who could read and take notes the fastest, but well done not just half done or skimming through.

Studying is one of the most important skills you will learn and need to learn in IB. Quizlet is a great tool for memorization, history facts, trig values, etc…  Studying has to be well used though. Review everything briefly and then go and take and in-depth look at the things you don’t understand. If you have a question about studying, ask one of those friends you make. For me, I have an issue in history remembering what happened, why and what’s significant, so those are the things I study. I am blessed to be good at math, physics and left-brained things, so for me I focus on the other subjects such as English, Spanish, and History.  Also, the more you pay attention in class and the less you goof off in class the less time you have to spend at home studying, while you could be out with your friends. Just remember the more work you put in the more reward you get out of the program.

Best of Luck

Noah Hamilton 

 

I would advise that a freshman maintains a strong work ethic, avoids procrastination, and pursues interests outside of school. I would also suggest attempting to retain knowledge in courses spanning multiple school years. These are all areas in which I have failed.

As a freshman, I had a moderate work ethic and practiced restrained procrastination. This worked quite well for me. However, the problem arose in sophomore year, when the effort necessary to maintain good grades dropped drastically. My mistake was growing accustomed to the new level of a lower work ethic and higher procrastination that I could enjoy. In junior year, it has been somewhat difficult refocusing my work ethic to be similar to that of freshman year in order to maintain good grades. Thus, I recommend that freshmen establish a good work ethic, so it can be maintained and built upon in future years. Furthermore, the avoidance of procrastination contributes to the necessary standards of future years and allows for the pursuit of outside interests.

Extracurricular activities are an important factor in college acceptance. Therefore, it would be good to establish participation in a club or sport early on. Creating the habit of participating in extracurricular activities and participating for an extended period of time would be more beneficial in future college application than my own actions up to this point. I myself have found difficulty in attempting to increase my participation in extracurricular activities in the middle of my junior year.

Subjects that span multiple school years are deserving of the most study, in my opinion. For me, weak foundational instruction in middle school and lack of investment in the previous two years have made my current studies extremely difficult, especially with an approaching AP test. I feel that if I had been more engaged in Spanish classes, despite their lack of quality of difficulty, I would be more prepared for this year’s AP Spanish. Similar to the advice concerning work ethics and procrastination, one must not succumb to the temptations of an easy class as it a threat to performance in future classes.

Sammy Elmasri

 

My biggest piece of advice to you dear freshman, don’t procrastinate. Honestly and truly the best piece of advice is to not procrastinate. You might be thinking, “what could possibly go wrong with procrastinating?” Well let me tell you.

There are a number of reasons why you shouldn’t do it. One is that you will be less stressed if you don’t procrastinate. Your health is going to be in better shape if you get your work done early. Another thing is that you have time to goof off and have hobbies and spend time with friends when you have your work done early. I can’t tell you how many times I curse myself for not doing my work when I had the chance. I could have done so many more things in my first couple of years of IB if I didn’t procrastinate. I know some of the work is boring or hard, and that you don’t want to do it so you push it off. Do it though, do it when you can because then you are going to be better prepared in the long run. You will have more time to study if you don’t have to do your homework.

As for studying, it’s hard. You have to find the right way to study that benefits you the most. Each and every one of you are different. You think and act differently. One study method won’t work for all of you. So figure out how best to study, and then study the classes that you are struggling in, or that you find challenging. You won’t get any better at the subject if you ignore it.

While you’re at it, don’t just spend every second of your day doing work. You will wear yourself out, you will start to not like going to school. Make sure you take care of yourself, so take breaks and have a little fun. Join a club, start a hobby, exercise, hang out with friends, watch TV. Don’t make your whole life be about school. In the end you’ll realize that you need to balance both school and fun in order to be happy and healthy.

Amanda Ott

 

Dear incoming freshman,

Straighten up your act. Coming out of middle school you may feel like you can get stuff done the night before. This may be true but you will not have ample time to do other things. So it is vital you study and do work consistently to avoid these issues.

Also you should take a certain route with your classes. I advise physics as biology is a lot of work. Also for your elective take something you like and not an AP class just for your gpa. This is because you do not want to waste the one class you choose to chill out, to add too much work to your load. I took computers and gained valuable information with little homework and had a period to relax and learn.

In your upcoming years there are a few things you should be prepared for. Biology is a very difficult class and needs lots of focus in the class. APES is another difficult class that needs lots of work but not too much actual brain power. The other classes this year will not be so bad though. Good luck and take care.

Sebastian Almeida

 

Dear freshman,

Being a senior in IB, a having gone through almost 4 years of this IB program, I think I am at least somewhat qualified to give you advice. I know I never read a freshman advice letter when I was first starting IB, but let me tell you I really wish that I had. I might have never read a letter, but people still gave me advice and me being me I did not listen to their advice. When I look back on my freshman year I can think of many things I wish I did differently. One of the most pertinent pieces of advice I could give you is to not procrastinate on any of your IB Internal assessments during your junior and senior years.

One of the mistakes I made when I came to IB was that I thought that it was going to be really easy and that I was just going to breeze through like I did in middle school. I went from being a big fish in a little pond to an average fish in a pond full of bigger fish. I was no longer the smartest person I knew, I wasn’t even in the top 20 smartest people I knew. I would like to tell you that you should come into IB and have an open mind. You should not come into IB thinking that just because you never had to study in middle school that you will never study in high school. Sorry, but you are not as smart as you think you are.  I hope I can help you avoid getting bad grades in your freshman year. I know I made my first B my freshman year because I was still in the middle school mindset, I still thought I didn’t have to study.

Also when you become a senior the most important thing you can do is your college applications. You need to start on those applications as soon as possible. I know you want to get into good colleges and you will not be able to write a Harvard level essay the night before the application is due. So do your applications, and ask your teachers for their recommendations early in the first nine weeks before they have 55 other recommendations to write.

You might be wondering about what you should study for the hardest in IB. Your language is the most important thing to focus on in the freshman year. Language builds on itself so if you can get the basics of the language down when you are a freshman you will have no stress for your IB test when you become a senior. I am almost gone, but you are just now starting; I wish you the best luck and I hope you got a lot of sleep in middle school because you won’t get much more over the next 4 years!

Cheers,

Molly Conway

 

Dear PROcrastinator,

I can only assume that you, the reader, with some exceptions, got into this school by acquiring and honing your skills of procrastination to a fine point. I commend you for this. Some of the best work I’ve done has been under the gun and the fear of the wrath of the (admittedly) friendly teachers urging me forward. Indeed, sometimes this fear is maintained in me the entire term, which oftentimes helps me to do other work.

To clarify, procrastinating until there isn’t any chance of getting it done is not what I mean. Always make sure you have enough time to actually finish it. On the same note, make sure you don’t needlessly waste time: do your work as soon as possible, don’t wait and start at 8:00. If you do that, there’s a good chance that you’ll stay awake out of necessity, in order to finish your homework. I suffer from that problem. I went to bed at 3:00 last night, and 4 the night before that. This is part of why IB students are stereotyped to stay up so late. As I write this I am extremely tired and wish I could sleep, though I have a test next period so I can’t.

Another important piece of advice: when you get the chance to choose your science, choose physics, or maybe chemistry, but definitely not biology. All of my fellow classmates are in bio and they have a lot more work than me, a physics-taker, and they have harder tests and are more likely to stay up longer. I’m very glad I was wise enough to go with the nicer, more forgiving teacher, and therefore lighten my overall load.

Carry on my wayward son

There’ll be peace when you are done.

Andrew Crosswait

 

Dear Incoming Freshman,

Congrats on getting into IB! Welcome to four years of strenuous work that will (hopefully) be worth it. I say “hopefully” because the outcome of the program depends on the effort you put in. There’s a saying that I came up with when I was younger, not about IB, but something personal. It is: “the harder the struggle, the better the outcome”. That saying applies to school, sports, and life in general honestly. In relation to IB, I think this is especially true, since the people who put in the most amount of effort have the best grades, best test scores, and best chances of getting into their dream schools. Freshman year is especially difficult, but I promise that if you work hard, you’ll reap great benefits.

My biggest piece of advice, and the one you will hear innumerable times, is DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. It is so easy to make a nasty habit of procrastinating because it’s so tempting to do things other than homework or studying. But seriously, it is the worst habit you can make and I hope you take it to heart when people tell you not to procrastinate. Another good piece of advice is to study a little every day. In freshman year, everybody takes biology and you take notes nearly every class period. I strongly suggest that you spend between 10 to 20 minutes each day reading over your notes after school. It might seem like a waste of time in the moment, but when you start taking that test on the material you’ve been looking over every day, you’ll realize just how much you’re able to remember as a result of continuous exposure.

All of your classes worth your time, even if you feel they are not. That said, you should give each class 110%… except for your most challenging classes; for those, you should give 220%. Why, you ask? If you take a little extra time to understand difficult concepts in freshman year, you’ll make your life a whole lot easier when you start taking the more advanced levels of those classes as you progress through high school. If you find that a class is tougher than you’d like, go ahead and spend extra time on it. Watch YouTube videos (CrashCourse is great), buy review books (I recommend Barron’s for most of your AP classes), and have study groups with your friends. Overall, just do whatever it takes to better understand the concepts that perplex you. When you get to the higher levels of the classes, you’ll be glad you did because for the most part, those classes use the same concepts taught in freshman year and simply build upon them.

My final piece of advice is to have fun. Four years of IB will be stressful, yes, but time flies extremely fast and before you know it, you’ll be 18 and begin to worry about adult things (oh wait, that’s me!). Honestly though, it may seem like it is eons away but in the blink of an eye, you’ll be graduating. So make friends, go out, de-stress, and have fun! Life is too short to do anything less.

Good luck and enjoy life!

Aileen Cruz-Lezama

 

Dear future student,

I’m going to start this letter by saying good luck to you and your IB career. Hopefully you’re one of the few who can make it out of this program with any sense of motivation or with your will to learn still intact. This program is tough and it’s not for the common student. You must be able to juggle a lot of things at once if you want to maintain decent grades, friendships, or even activities outside of school. Now, if you’re reading this you’re probably an underclassman so do what you can now. I would recommend joining every club that interests you, playing every sport you can, and going out as often as your parents will let you because come junior year, you won’t have any fun. If you can somehow maintain A’s and B’s during your first and second year in program while still having as much fun as possible, you can probably finish this program, but if you get a C you should probably think about leaving because it’s going to get worse. A lot worse.

If you were to ask me if I liked IB I would say yes. You create friends that will last a lifetime and you all endure the same torture for four years so you grow to be a family. It’s not your traditional high school and it creates a great learning environment and helps you reach your full potential. I hate everything about being in IB. It’s a lot of work, especially senior year, that almost blind sides you and you will start to feel like you’re losing your mind (that’s just depression and other mental health issues setting in). Once you get past this, however, you’re ready for anything and college will be a breeze. The program is vigorous but it teaches you skills most people will never learn, like how to read a scientific graph surprisingly. Bartow IB is exceptional and if you’re here the teachers expect you to be exceptional as well, so be better.

There is a cheat to passing IB that looking back on I wish I knew. Now, this path isn’t necessarily the best for preparing you for your IB tests, but it is proven that it is the easiest method to get through IB. As long as you take Physics, Math studies, and easy electives such as PE, you should have an easy life. It helps if you don’t care about your GPA either. But that being said, do what you want because it’s your life and I’ll probably never even meet you. As long as you don’t cry every night you’re doing something right.

Good luck (you’ll need it),

David P. Rose

P.S. Don’t drop out. Your class will remember you and they will talk about you for the next 4 years about how dumb you are. Stick around to make fun of the kids that did drop out.

 

Don’t procrastinate seriously don’t do it. When I first started I put things off all the time it and really hurt my grades the first year. The sooner you learn that it’s better to do your work at home, the better off your grades will be. Also make sure you have a plan of what you’re going to do.

As far as the plan goes, you need to write it down. You’ll forget things at certain points and you’ll end up having to rush to get it done at school. Both years I’ve had this assignment due (Pre-calc and Calc AB) it’s slipped my mind and I’ve ended up doing it the class before. If I would’ve set a reminder somewhere to do my essay then I wouldn’t have rushed through my essay and it would’ve been better.

The last piece of advice I have for you which doesn’t really matter until your junior year is CAS. If you do something you like it won’t be so bad. Like I chose to volunteer somewhere where I enjoyed volunteering. Not the first place I could find, this made my CAS experience a lot more enjoyable. I also worked with my friends, by working with my friends I looked forward to doing my CAS project because it was another opportunity to hang out.

Alex Moerschbacher

 

Dear freshmen, now that I am starting my second semester of my junior year, I have a pretty good idea of what’s important and what can be neglected for later date. A good way to make your way through IB with the least amount of stress is to create a schedule that you can follow as often as possible. For example, I may go home and either choose to sleep or play sports until about 5 in the afternoon. After my leisure time I will start homework and work until dinner, after I have eaten I will continue my homework until I finish. As long as you stay on top of your work IB is no different than any other high school experience, for the most part.

The main pitfall of all IB students is procrastination. Do all your work as soon as you get it and don’t put it off because cramming 3 hours of work into one hour is going to result in low quality. Also use your electives wisely, if you choose to take an AP class that is not necessarily in your interest the class is not going to be fun and you probably won’t want to do the work.

Classes that are very important to allocate most of your time to include math, foreign language, and science classes. Again, it’s competitive, but pick classes that you want to take. In the end, just try your hardest and what happens, happens. Strive to be the best and in the end it will all be worth it.

Everett Meyer

 

As a freshman high school seems pretty scary at first. It’s a huge transition going from middle to high school, but there’s good news. If you hated middle school, there’s a big chance high school is going to be so much better. Sure it’s harder, but you chose this and soon you won’t be able to leave it no matter how hard it gets. Also, don’t worry about not having friends. Everyone is pretty nice and goofy here so we can all relate to each other, which creates strong bonds. Try to stay out of drama, although there is not much after the first year. Stay happy and don’t stress yourself out.

To avoid freaking out try doing your homework quickly and studying for classes you know you struggle in. Additionally, if you don’t know something, get help! Your friends can explain things to you in ways your teachers may not. Don’t overwhelm yourself, but don’t stop caring either. Keep chugging along and hopefully that will be enough. Set reasonable goals and slowly climb your way up instead of trying to do everything at once. IB can be a lot of fun especially since you’re with the right people. You’ve got this.

IB can be hard but there’s lot of rewards. Hearing from past Ib-ians in college now, they now feel that college is so easy. So now they can take a break. You learn to deal with stress and become a better learner. Your teachers are also very wise so listen to them on class material and everything else they say. Good luck!!!

Guriel Kim

 

Dear Freshmen,

IB is a unique experience unlike any other, and to provide the simplest advice possible: good luck. IB is not all bad, but it certainly has its ups and downs (and at some points more downs than ups). Despite the intense rigor of the International Baccalaureate program, the experience is unlike any other and is definitely worth it. Now I could say that the work load in IB is not all that bad, however, that would be an incredible lie. The workload that IB entails is large, with a variety of homework, tests, and quizzes practically every week, however, it is definitely manageable if you are willing to put in the effort. IB may seem incredibly terrifying, however, there are a few pieces of advice that truly will benefit your duration in the IB program:

• Avoid Procrastination
  • This may seem like the stereotypical advice that everyone says, however, it cannot be emphasized enough how important it is to avoid procrastinating. Now, we all say that you shouldn’t procrastinate, however, you will at some point (we all do), but it is best to do so as little as possible. Through doing your work on time, you will have more free time, less stress, and most importantly, more sleep.
• Study, study, study
  • Studying is incredibly important in order to do well on your tests. You likely never had to study in middle school because the material was easier, but in IB, the tests and material are significantly more difficult than in middle school, so studying is important. Now, I’m not talking about glancing at your notes for a few minutes, but actually reading in depth into your notes and understanding the concepts.
• Make friends, they can be nice to have
  • Now I know that this sounds cheesy, but having a good group of friends really is beneficial in going through IB. Your friends allow you to have people to study with, as well as hang out with, which can be a nice break from the education-filled day that can get very tiring.

Time spent in IB will be a whirlwind of homework, tests, stress, and due dates, but all of that is worth it for the experiences that IB allows. Your social life won’t be completely diminished, you will have free time, and the teachers are pretty cool as well. Also, you will come to appreciate sleep more than you ever have before. I bid you good fortune on your IB endeavors and hope you enjoy it as much as I have (and I truly have enjoyed it), and trust me, it’s not that hard, man.

Yours Truly,

That one mildly awkward (and fairly tired) IB Junior,

Caitlin Wizda

 

While my experience at IB has been enjoyable and memorable, there have been many times where the workload has been a tad bit overwhelming and stressful. For students just now entering the IB program, there are simple things a student can do to stay on top of their work. In my opinion, on if the most helpful tools to utilize is any agenda or planner to organize your work. By making sure to write down all homework assignments and important dates, you can feel more secure about knowing if all your work is complete. One of the biggest words of advice is to not procrastinate. While this may always seem as a reoccurring topic, it is very important to know that if you don’t procrastinate, life at IB will be ten times easier.

As for potential pitfalls in IB, procrastination can lead to one of the biggest pitfalls you can fall in. Having too work to do in one day is one of the worst feelings and moments to overcome. It will cause you to lose a significant amount of sleep, decreasing your performance in your classes. Another pitfall that seems to happen to many IB students is worrying too much about grades or a certain subject. Getting a bad grade is not the end of the world. Being confident in your ability to work and succeed is a big motivator and can help with worrying about school. Also, make sure to find something, such as a hobby, outside of school that you like and can use to relieve your stress that you get from school; balance is key.

Personally, I am not one to study a significant amount for any class. I definitely recommend finding a good and effective study plan that works for you, and you should use it to study for your most challenging classes. In 9th grade, biology and AP Environmental Science were the classes that required the most attention outside of school for me. Speaking of AP Environmental Science, the AP test is not something to overthink or intensely study for. When the time comes, you should definitely review over earlier chapters and information, but don’t try cram studying nights upon nights worrying for the test. Studying in general can be very effective if done correctly.

Justin Tavares

 

Dear incoming freshmen,

First off, congratulations on making it in the program. There is much to look forward to and to experience in the next four years. Overall it won’t all be easy and it won’t all be hard. However, if you have motivation, drive, and the will to succeed, it will go by much smoothly.

The biggest advice I can provide, first and foremost, is try and eliminate or greatly reduce procrastination in your life. At first it is going to appear that life is easy and you have everything under control. You’re most likely kidding yourself. Soon upon your arrival here at IB, due dates will start to accumulate. If you are not aware and do not start on time you will soon find yourself awake until the early hours of the morning trying to finish. Not only did you wait to the last minute, but you are more prone to do the work carelessly and also be tired the following day at school. Even if you do not begin the day it’s assigned, at least make out a game plan of how you plan to allocate your time to your various assignments and projects. It will not only reduce the time and effort spent on the assignment but also decrease your stress levels.

Many people think that being in IB means you don’t have time to have fun or be a normal teenager. But that’s incorrect. It’s harder but possible with the help of time management. If you plan things out and get them done on time, you are often times left with time to do any and everything your little heart desires. For example, I am on the varsity women’s soccer team here at the school as well as a mentor with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Club, run track, and maintain a part time job. It’s possible to do the things you enjoy, you just need to able prioritize and learn to time manage well. With that being said I’m not perfect, far from it. Some weeks you will get bogged down with work just because you’re not feeling super productive. And that’s perfectly fine. It gets easier with time, but if you acquire the habit of time management early, it will be a smoother transition in the upcoming years.

Being that this is my junior year, I have started to understand the stress of a schedule filled with only AP and IB classes. As a freshman savor the thought of having just APES. Try your best to not procrastinate because it creates a lot of stress that as incoming freshman you’re not yet equipped to handle. As the years go on, the stress gets easier to manage and avoid. If you are someone who likes to sleep, try taking a nap when you get back from school for about 30 minutes to refresh and rejuvenate yourself and then begin your homework. It will allow you to feel rested but be able to still go to bed at a decent hour. Most importantly, take care of yourself. Eat properly, exercise, and take a mental break every so often to get your brain back on track. It’s very easy for IB students to get going and just keep going. Enjoy high school and don’t forget to get involved and have fun.

Sincerely,

Chidi Iheanyi

 

Young Grasshopper,

In your freshman year, you may think that you have a lot of work. You are not wrong; however, you also have no idea what awaits you. Your freshman year is just a glimpse, a very quick glimpse of what going to IB really is. You are just meeting your soon to be family for the first time, you’re given a course load that you may or may not be used to, and you are blessed with some of the best teachers in state, but there are things I wish I had known when I started the journey.

IB is most certainly a unique experience but there are definitely some things that I might consider if I were going through IB again, such as: managing my time better, maybe discontinuing some of my after school activities in order to manage my time better, and finding intrinsic motivation. Time management is a big deal in IB. If you don’t have good time management skills, then IB will be very hard for you, and you should try to fix that as quickly as possible. If you happen to have been endowed with great time management skills, congrats but IB still isn’t going to be a breeze for you. Something that might help you manage your time better is to stop being so awesome. What I mean is don’t be that guy, or gal, that is a part of 17383.46 clubs and is president of half of those, then also runs 4.2 sec. 40 yd. dash and is the leading scorer on 3 different sports team and the A-team, and also goes to work so you can have some extra cash, but then has to come home and cook dinner then hop on the homework bus and ride through the night just to finish as you’re pulling into the parking lot. Don’t do that to yourself, do the things you absolutely love because you do need an outlet, but don’t kill yourself. Finding motivation isn’t this easiest thing to do and there will be plenty of moments while you’re in IB that you will struggle to do so, but just remember motivation doesn’t always have to be positive. For example, my dearest friend Joanne once said, “Sleep now and forever go to community college!”, and I don’t know about you but I definitely don’t think going to IB just to go to community college is an idea that I’m too fond of.

The key to getting through IB is just grinding it out. Just do your work. Get through it. It’s not always fun and it’s a lot of work sometimes, but the experience at IB is one unlike any other. The relationships you make with your classmates and even with your teachers are so far beyond those at a regular high school. IB has not only bettered me academically, it has also shaped who I am as a person. I know that if I had gone to any other school, I would have had a totally different friend group and I would be a totally different person than I am now. IB is definitely worth it. It may not always seem like it, but when you make it to the end and look back at your experience, it will be one that you appreciate.

Kobe Jones

 

Dear Incoming Freshmen,

This next year will be the most challenging school you have ever had. The classes this year will be more challenging than previous years and the workload is greater when compared to previous years. Don’t let the workload overwhelm you and enjoy getting to make new friends.

Some advice would be to not get behind on the work given to you. If you fall behind on work and don’t catch up on it quickly it will eventually turn into you being behind on multiple assignments for multiple classes. Find the classes that you feel that you struggle in and put slightly more effort in studying for that class. Biology is a class that everyone seems to struggle in so I believe Biology is the class that deserves the most study.

Basically whatever you do DON’T procrastinate and study more for the classes that you believe you struggle in. If you don’t procrastinate on your work you will be fine.

Jose Salinas

 

Dear student,

I sincerely regret to inform you that you have made a terrible mistake, and urge you to leave now before, nah I’m just kidding. IB is weird because it’s not hard in the way you’d expect it or want it to be (at least for me anyway). IB definitely holds you up to a certain level of knowledge (some classes more than others), but that is not where most of the difficulty comes from (with some exceptions). IB is difficult because it tests your life skills; you have to manage time, meet deadlines, participate in extracurricular activities, and manage your health. I know I make this sound scary, but really it’s trying to get you used to the future in an environment that’s much more comforting and forgiving than life is. This always bothered me, because I prefer difficulty to come from difficulty from a subject rather than amount of work, but you’ll find the amount you have to do to be an IB student is much more difficult than the actual work itself (again there are exceptions), which you can interpret as good or bad.

Now that I have summed what I perceive as IB so far, it’s time for advice. First off, make friends, please. IB is so much easier if you have someone to complain to, be excited with, or do stuff with in the rare but satisfying moments of free time you get. I used to be (and to an extent still am) incredibly antisocial, but the people I’ve come to know from IB are some of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I assure you they help immensely with trying to get through everything, because you go through the journey of IB together, with your peers. Another helpful tidbit is don’t be afraid to take risks and go out of your comfort zone. I still remember my freshman year when the now retired Dr. Vetter gave us the memorable piece of advice of “IB students take risks”. This is true, if you want to get things done your way and meet your goals, you’ve got to branch out and not be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. By far my biggest regret so far in IB is not learning how to drive; this is something I seriously suggest you do. Even if you know your family won’t give you a car (I know my family won’t), this is an incredibly useful skill that you should learn as soon as possible. Which brings up another point, don’t forget to have a life. I know IB can seem overwhelming and endless at times, so try to make sure you take a step back every once in a while. Whether it’s spending times with family and friends, or just doing something you’re interested in, don’t make IB your whole life, because it shouldn’t be.

As far as specifics to be aware of, your hardest class freshman year will be APES. I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but I will anyway, the subject itself is sort of fake, like African borders fake (fyi if you like history, you’ll love Mr. Wright). Environmental Science as a subject is just a conglomerate from other larger subjects you’ll probably be taking later (not to say it’s unimportant, far from it we really should be caring more for the environment); however, the class itself is one of the most difficult IB has to offer. It’s a perfect example of the workload supersedes conceptual difficulty, and helps prepare you for the IB experience right from the get go. That class has super hard tests and will require lots of preparation. As far as other difficult classes go, German; Spanish; and Bio are the three other big ones. The major difference is that all three of those classes have a lot of work and very high difficulty. While it’s true perceived difficulty varies from person to person (i.e. if you’re bad at history you may think AP US History is harder than AP Spanish), but in general those 4 classes are generally considered the hardest  (fyi I have no idea about TOK, you should probably read another essay if you wish to know about that). As far as choosing your language, if you have taken Spanish before I highly advise you to take Spanish. I’m not in Spanish and I do hear a lot of complaints about the two Spanish teachers because of the difficulty of the class; however, being able to have prior years’ experience of speaking a foreign language is a huge advantage you have over others taking a foreign language for the first time in freshmen year. You will also probably do much better on your exams and orals if you’ve been speaking that language for longer. If you can’t take Spanish then I’d recommend German if you’re good at math, simply because of how literal German is and the nature of German grammar, or French if you’re not fond of foreign language and/or you despise math, but who despises math? The only other major class decision you have to make is which science to take your junior and senior year and to that I can only provide you the pros and cons of each. Bio has probably the largest workload of any class offered at this school, but Mrs. Kennon (the Biology teacher) is by far the best science teacher and you will more than likely pass every science test and assessment with her as your teacher. Physics has an ok science teacher (sorry Mr. Webb), but the smallest workload; however, you will surely struggle in that class if you are not good at math. Chemistry (just like in real life) is sort of like the middle ground (I have never taken any chemistry btw) in terms of how good the teacher is, the workload, and the odds of passing. Taking that into account and just by deciding which science you like best, should be a good way to determine which science to take. I can go on, but I probably shouldn’t this is already too long. Have fun in IB, remember it’s not that serious (but yes it’ll still be worth it) and have fun in the midst of everything.

Sincerely,

Carlos Gonzalez

(IB Junior, class of 2018)

 

Dear Student,

First of all, let me apologize for you, this is going to be hard. Like really hard. It isn’t something everyone can do. If someone tells you that, they’re lying. I have spent hours crying over this school. That being said I love IB. It is my second home, the teachers are your parents, the students are your siblings. Except for when they date. EWWW. Moving on, we are one big dysfunctional family. With issues, tons of issues, but that’s what makes us so unique. So there are three big aspects of IB I’ll cover. School, friends, and extracurricular.

School:

Darling this stuff is hard. I always had straight A’s and I got my first B. Then I got my first C. I cried. For 3 hours. I’m a bit of a drama queen. I want you to remember that you are brilliant little snowflakes. This is made to challenge you, like Honors classes challenge regular students. You need to remember your intelligence is only one of your exemplary characteristics so please don’t beat yourself up over a bad grade. Show your parents this part; DO NOT EVER MAKE YOUR IB KID FEEL STUPID. It is often something we do ourselves. Please also don’t procrastinate and cheat, but you’re a smart kid, no need to tell you that.

Friends:

PICK THEM WISELY. Same with significant others. IB is good for friends, because you see them all the time. But you need to remember sometimes people use one another. Don’t be that person, and don’t get taken advantage of. There is a line between friendly and collusion. Be careful, but be happy and social. Much like everything in IB, it is a balance. You will find your crew, your squad, your clique. Just give it time.

Extracurricular:

Time management is key in IB. Doing more than the base can leave you exhausted. But extracurriculars give you a break from classes and let you meet other people like you. It is also important that you find what you love to do, both emotionally and career-wise, and extracurricular activities give you that experience.

Life is hard. IB is exponentially harder. Having a good life with IB is infinitesimally harder. But IB, like most things is how you make it.

Good Luck

Katya Viegas  

 

Hello!

Starting freshman year may seem a little daunting, but worry not, it’s not as bad or scary as it may seem at first. You’ll make a lot of friends here, and you’ll learn so many new things! It’s honestly the best feeling to compare your present self to your last-year-self and see how much you’ve improved in many ways. Look forward to growing as a person and learning not only school-stuff, but also invaluable life lessons as well. High school is where you will prosper and grow into a beautifully open-minded, intelligent, and able individual.

So, what do you need to know before embarking on this turbulent journey? Well, above all, make sure you know how to prioritize. Not only will fine-tuned prioritization skills help you finish all your assignments, but they’ll help you complete them efficiently. Know how to manage your time and allocate your mental energy productively. Stay focused on both short-term and long-term goals. Following a schedule and staying disciplined in terms of homework and/or studying will definitely keep you from feverishly trying to complete homework the class period before it’s due (trust me, I know from experience).

As you cruise through the year, you’ll come to realize that some classes require less effort on your part than others. This isn’t a bad thing! Spend your mental energy on the classes YOU yourself need to put more work into. For me, I’ve always had to put more effort into studying for Spanish than into studying for math (I’m pretty sure I’m linguistically challenged. Ay dios mío.) However, because I knew this, I put more effort into studying Spanish, and I’ve managed to get good grades. Once again, prioritization is key! Also, BEWARE OF PLAGIARISM! Seriously. Don’t do it.

Aside from the balancing act of classes, high school is a really fun place. Here, you’ll make amazing friends who will support you and stick with you through whatever life may throw at you. Don’t be afraid to mingle! In my personal experience, the people here at IB have always been there for me and have bettered me. Being exposed to people from different backgrounds has helped me become more open-minded, which I think is one of the best traits to have, especially in the diverse global environment we live in today. Nevertheless, don’t forget to develop your sense of self as well. Learn who you are and what you love doing. Don’t let unkind people (or even yourself) strip you of your self-love or self-worth! Be you: an amazing, beautiful, and idiosyncratic individual! 🙂

As always, stay quirky, with style.

Your pal,

Greeshma Venigalla

 

Dear incoming IB freshmen,

Welcome to the International Baccalaureate Program.  I’m sure you’ve all worked very hard to be admitted to this program, and I just want to let you know that it is nothing compared to the suffering that you will endure the next four years.  Don’t worry, I’m only about 80% serious.  But in all seriousness, being in IB will be a journey where you test yourself in several ways: physically, emotionally, and mentally.  To help you along the way, here’s some advice from an IB veteran.

First of all, after experiencing all of what each of the sciences have to offer during your freshman and sophomore years, there will come a time when you must choose one to pursue for the latter half of your four-year journey.  I have four words for you: do not take biology.  If you wish to minimize suffering in IB, the best route would be physics.  Seriously though, you should choose the science that you plan on pursuing during your college education in order to benefit you academically, whether it be physics for an aspiring engineer or biology for a hopeful doctor (or even chemistry, I almost forgot about that one).  The point of me telling you this is that the decisions you choose in IB, whether it’s picking classes or choosing your extended essay topic, be sure that you choose what is most beneficial to you in order to make your experience in IB the best it can be.

One thing I learned while in IB that I want to stress to you guys is the importance of how much work you put in.  If you decide to procrastinate on the majority of your assignments and give everything half your effort, your experience here will be terrible, I promise.  However, if you choose to utilize your time to benefit you and balance out school, extracurricular activities, and social life, then you’ll most likely enjoy the overall experience.  I know a lot of students talk about this and it seems like a simple concept to grasp, but I also thought this as a freshman and still failed to completely use my time to my advantage.  So if anything, what I want you to take from this letter is not to waste your time in IB because it’s pretty easy to do so.  Also, although it might not seem like something you would enjoy, you should enjoy the experience anyway, because it really does go by fast.

Cristian Ramirez

 

Dear IB Freshman,

Throughout my time in the IB program, I have realized that IB is a very special place.  I was able to discover a lot of things about myself while being here.  I have had a lot of ups and downs.  An important thing to realize about the program is the special environment that you are able to learn in.  You will learn and grow together with your classmates over the next 4 years and eventually you will know almost too much about them.  The idea that IB students really are a family is true.  You struggle together and succeed together.  That is the part of IB that I enjoy the most.

The struggles that you and your classmates face make you closer and stronger.  By the time you are a senior, you will be trained on how to get through it together.  For now, freshman year may seem fairly difficult.  But, I can assure you it will get better before it gets worse.  Even though it gets tougher as you go further, the rewards are plenty.  A piece of advice from me is that having realistic expectations will make your time at IB a lot better and allow you to enjoy its rewards more.  Just because IB is a difficult program, not everyone can expect to go to an Ivy League, and if you do, you will have to work as hard as any other Ivy League student would.  IB students are generally very motivated but it is what you make of it yourself.

Another important thing to understand about IB is that you get from it what you give to it.  If you are willing to work hard and not slack off, you will be rewarded immensely.  If you continuously use IB as an excuse as to why you are unable to go the extra mile with your work and actions, then you will likely be disappointed.  My advice to you is don’t disappoint yourself.  Work hard and struggle with your classmates during the nights that you question why you chose IB.  Your hard work will eventually pay off and it would be cheating yourself to not do your best.

Like I said before, IB is a special place to be.  The relationships you’ll build with your classmates and teachers are unlike any others at another school you would be attending.  Yes, there will be plenty of all-nighters and stressful moments.  But, these people are going through it all too.  Being able to experience these things together is a very interesting thing about IB.  It brings you together as you all make the most of your time as a highschooler and IB student.

Good Luck,

Audrey Milam

 

Dear freshman,

I’m here to tell you that IB is not as terrifying as people make it out to be (kinda). I will say that ninth grade was the hardest year but that was only because teachers had such high standards for their students. If you simply follow the rules they give you, you really shouldn’t have a problem. But, since I know not everyone follows the rules, here are some tips to “survive” the “ravenous war” that is IB.

First, I advise you to literally never write your English assignments the way I am. This is extremely casual and the teachers basically expect college-level essays. Be wise about the classes that you choose for your first year as they really will define the types of classes you take the rest of your high school career. You need to take an IB sixth subject in junior and senior year and some of them require pre-IB level classes (like IB Art). Be sure that the pre-IB class you choose to take works with your future plans. Remember that the hardest classes aren’t always the best, in fact they are sometimes the most boring. Don’t try to one-up other people, instead do your best in everything and challenge yourself.

It is recommended that you participate in some type of sport in your first year even if you feel like you cannot take on any more obligations. In a school sport you can exercise, meet new people from Bartow and Summerlin (because you will get sick of IB people, I’m not gonna lie), and learn to manage your time better. The teachers here are really nice and helpful as long as you approach them the right way. Getting mad at a teacher for not explaining something further is less useful than asking the teacher to explain something beforehand. So be sure to stay on top of things and plan for events in the future whether it’s a test in two weeks or a class you want to take in two years.

I wish you the best in your marvelous freshman year, pal.

Alana Jones

 

My perspective is probably not the best in this matter on account of how I have consistently (and occasionally spectacularly) underperformed throughout the IB Program, but it seems like it might at least be unique. Perhaps to the chagrin of teachers, I think that most of the learning I’ve done in the IB Program has not been directly connected to any of the classes themselves, but rather the product of off-topic discussions or Wikipedia rabbit-holes.

It is certain that such divergent forms of education were only able to occur in an environment with a unique diversity of students (featuring different races, socio-economic backgrounds, and degrees of willingness to demonstrate any kind of effort), IB teachers, and possibly even an IB structure that yields towards general and indiscriminate distribution of knowledge. Either way, students I’ve met who attend other schools are almost always less inspired to backpack the roads of Wikipedia together.

Because this form of knowledge acquisition is easy, fun, and helpful in developing a positive and complex understanding of the world, I think it is the most important aspect of the IB Program. Upon reflection of my own experiences, I suggest that focusing on random discussions with students and friends is the optimal way to go about this particular opportunity, rather than concentrating solely on academic performance.

Seth Katenkamp

 

Hello,

Despite what you might hear or read elsewhere, the early memories of my freshman year were some of my favorites. I was the only person from my middle school to come to Bartow IB. I used to be shy to speak in class and to other people. But soon I found myself surrounded by people with whom I could be very comfortable. I didn’t know it back then, but those people would become some of the best friends and the greatest support group that I had ever had.

You are going to get very stressed this year; there’s no denying that. One of the things that really matters is how you choose to deal with your stress. There are several things that you yourself can do to minimize your stress. I’m sure you’ll hear and read all about that. Manage your time wisely, don’t procrastinate, etcetera. Remember that it’s also completely okay to give yourself at least ten minutes of “you” time. How you choose to spend that time is up to you, of course. I immersed myself in my music, made myself a little snack, talked with a friend or a family member for a bit.

I found comfort in the fact that I wasn’t going through any of my stress alone, that there were about 60 other people going through the same things that I was going through. It really helped me to have other people, especially people who had quickly grown very close to me, to talk to and relate with about my stresses. We basically became each other’s outlets, and depending on how you deal with stress it is important that you do have an outlet.

Best wishes,

Paulina Liwanag

 

Dear freshman,

Congratulations on getting into the IB program here at Bartow High school!

I’m sure for the past three years you have spent waiting for the day you’d get to high school. High school is a fun time but don’t let the movies fool you, it’s not always fun and games. With the choice of IB comes a lot of work so you need to be ready to put forth a lot of effort to get the work done.

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about IB and most of it is probably true. The work is hard and plentiful. The stress is immense. So make sure you take notes and study (especially for APES as a freshman)

There’s lots of advice you will receive throughout the next four years but the best thing you can do is don’t give up. Don’t slack. The classes get harder and harder over the next four years. But don’t let yourself be discouraged and don’t let your spirits be tainted. Once you start to fall it’s hard to stop. So a simple solution is to make sure you don’t start to fall and you won’t have to worry about bringing them back up.

GOOD LUCK 🙂

Summer Johnson

 

I’m currently a senior in this program and as I reflect on the past four years I would have changed a lot of things. I also wish I would have known about these reflections because I think they could have been helpful. At this point I’ve learned that freshman year acts as a foundation for the entire program. I didn’t realize this at first, but the students who tried really hard freshman year don’t have to try as hard in the years that follow. Based on this I say to put your full effort within this first year, don’t procrastinate, study for all the tests until you fully understand the material, at this point you may have to stay up late, but I promise you it’s worth it.

For me I studied a decent amount for tests, however, I know I didn’t fully understand the material. Something I regret is not asking questions, the teachers are there to help you learn so don’t hesitate to ask questions. Even if they do yell at you, it’ll be worth it in the long run. This being said there are also other things that are important within your life. For me this is family. After high school you’re going to be going away to college so these final four years are probably going to be the last you’re this close to your family. Don’t dismiss this because these are the bonds that I believe will last you’re entire life. I know I didn’t talk to my brother as much this year and I’m scared I’m going to regret this so don’t do that.

In regards to which class deserves the most studying I think every class is different and it’s based on your strength and weaknesses. Math and science are basically the two subjects that required the most time outside of school for me. However all subjects are equally important so don’t undermine English or history. By the time you get to senior year you’ll discover which class or subject is your favorite and dedicate more time to it.

Something a lot of people in my grade didn’t do early enough was dedicating time towards studying for standardized tests. This and your GPA are the most competitive factors for your resume and college application so focus on it. Colleges also look to see if you’re well rounded, that being said don’t only study. Participate in sports and clubs, like actually participate and get involved. I promise you it’s going to be worth it in the end

I hope you enjoy these next four years and make the most of it. My biggest regret is that I worry that I didn’t use my opportunities to their fullest potential. I wish you all the best of luck!

Rebecca Johnson

Class of 2017

 

The best advice to give for a freshman would be the advice I got and didn’t put to use. Try hard freshman year, as it’s the foundation of your GPA and if it’s not strong initially, it’s extremely difficult to build up. That being said, it’s no longer middle school, classes start to get difficult and you have to learn how to study. It’s no longer a matter of attending classes and getting A’s, as you’ll often find yourself spending longer on a class with things that aren’t for a grade. It’s okay to not get an A; the sooner you understand this, the easier your life will get. While you may think that not getting an A in a class is going to ruin your life and it’s all downhill from there, I can assure you it’s not. And if you want to get better grades or you want to do as much as you can do, then go for it. Talk to your teachers, they are usually willing to help, and there’s IB tutoring that NHS offers. Prepare for a lot of cheating, as people will copy tests and homework and will try to get you into it and participate. As tempting as it sounds, and even if you think you’ll never get caught, yada yada, you still have to ask yourself at the end of the day: Could I really be here without cheating. I’ve gone a different route than some of my classmates, with the ideas of it being better to earned a C on a test then it is to “make” an A. Also pay attention in your foreign language, depending on which one you take, you will have the teacher for a long time. DO NOT piss them off or it will be a tough time. I know some people are only attending because their parents have forced them too, but if that’s not the case, and you feel like you’re not cut out for the programme, or if you’re having any doubts whatsoever, drop out. Not very encouraging, but it’s better to get out the program as a freshman, compared to sinking two or three years into the programme only to realize how god awful your grades are. When people tell you it’s hard, you shouldn’t take it with a grain of salt, IB has, can, and will continue to exhaust me, and you shouldn’t think of yourself as any different. Being in IB doesn’t mean you’re a genius, in my case it just proved how stupid and prideful I was. Being in IB doesn’t mean you can’t be a “normal” kid. At the end of the day, IB is just a different way of schooling, and it doesn’t change who you are, doesn’t exclude problems, and comes with an entire set of problems.

George Hinckley

 

Going into IB, I was expecting countless hours of homework and for my life to revolve around nothing but schoolwork; however, this is not the case. There is lots of work needed to be done to be successful in this program, but it never should take control of your life. You should always have time for yourself and remember that it is okay to take a break and relax every so often. Getting involved in school activities or sports is a great way to get to know other students and have fun while still being a productive student. If you have any interests you want to pursue, take classes and join clubs that relate to your interests. No matter if the class is weighted or not, if you feel like it really suits your interests, then go for it.

It is important to remember to balance your time and maintain a healthy lifestyle. IB can make some students feel very stressed out, but you should never let it get to you that far. At times, you could have a few bad test grades in a row and school in general might just seem more difficult than it used to be. All you can do is give your best effort and things will fall into place eventually. If you realize that, you will not stress out over not getting the high grades that you are used to receiving. It is important to build good relationships with your IB brothers and sisters because they all feel exactly like you do. Having people to talk to and fall back on can help you get through hard times in school and in life in general.

A bad habit lots of IB kids tend to fall into is not getting enough sleep. For some, it is just staying up going through their phones. For others, it is cramming for the test the next day. With everything your brain and body is going through as a teenager in IB, proper sleep is key to not just perform better in school but feel better all day long. Get into the habit of doing your homework early in the day, not right before bed. Eat breakfast and eat right all day and treat your body right. The healthier you are physically and mentally the better you can perform in school.

When thinking about colleges, do not just push it off until you are a junior or senior. Time really does go by fast so it helps to keep in mind what your interests are and what your possibilities are for the future. Even if it scares you to think about an unknown future, get an early start to better prepare yourself because the future is inevitable. It is important to be a well-rounded person. Always look for new opportunities, even if they may seem intimidating, because they will help you grow as a person and prepare yourself for life ahead.

Joshua Phelan

 

Dear incoming Freshman,

Congrats on making it to IB. You are in for a world of fun! In addition to meeting new people, you will be experiencing academic rigor in which you have not experienced before. There are some very important aspects of IB life it will take time to become accustomed to. The purpose of this is to give you some warning, and help you make good life choices. Rule #1: NEVER TAKE COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Computers is a class with no teacher and our supervisor is not a very nice person.

In all seriousness, the best thing you can do for yourself is make good decisions early on. The earlier you find a spot in the IB flow, the easier things will be. Find clubs early, and don’t be shy to get involved with the school. We are an IB school because our student body and staff are top tier. Don’t be afraid to go to your teachers with questions. If you plan to stay here, take your grades seriously.  If you don’t, it will come back to bite your GPA in the butt. Study for tests and do all your work. You will be happy you did. Also, a good thing to remember is that no matter how shy you are, you need to branch out and find some people you enjoy being around. By this I do not mean a girlfriend/boyfriend, as they are a waste of time right now.  I mean that you should make some friends and build some relationships that will last. Also, your first year you will have APES. DO NOT DO ALL OF YOUR STNT AT LUNCH! It is a bad plan and unless you are good at apes, you will not do well on the tests.

That is pretty much the basics. I wish you all the best of luck in your upcoming IB experience. Freshman and sophomore year are made for you to get acclimated, while junior and senior year are the real deal. So make sure to use your time wisely. (If you are a math person, I highly recommend calculus for junior year).

My sincere wishes to you all,

Nicholas Warmington

 

Dear Freshman,

IB will not be easy, but it can be done. Please do not slack off as much as I did. As long as you pay attention in class and you do work you will be fine. Remember once you get into the summer going into senior year begin your college applications, essays, and EE. Senior year was probably the worst year so far because first semester we had to do an EE, IA for math, TOK essay, and college applications in addition to all the other school work we had. We were all bombed with work this semester because everyone waited till the last minute to do everything. Time management is key. If you get your college applications out of the way during the summer, you’ll be ok. I know a lot of us stressed out about college first semester.

Another advice is make sure you study in Biology and Calculus. Biology and Calculus are no joke and if you don’t study it will kick your butt. For me biology was really important because I want to go into the medical field so I think Kennon will prepare me well for the classes I’ll take in the future. Make sure that you make the correct science decision. If you were to go into the medical field take bio, don’t take the easy way out by going to physics. Kennon is a great teacher. For calculus make sure that when you guys grade midterms and finals in pre-calc write the correct steps and answer to any question you missed and then save these until you finish calculus. I wish I would’ve done this so I could’ve studied better, as the midterm senior year is a combination of pre-calculus and calculus. Remember to study for this test, it was the hardest test I have ever taken.

Finally, I know a lot of you would like to be number one in the class and all that but, I think it’s dumb to take twenty useless classes at polk state just to boost your gpa. Colleges know that and they usually calculate your gpa over again with just your academic courses, so it’s useless. Instead, join clubs, play a sport, or get a job. Colleges like to see a student that is well rounded. They don’t want someone that is just good in academics. High schools shouldn’t just be about academics all the time. You need some time to do you and have fun, so don’t stress yourself out even more by taking all these classes at polk state.

Ivan Rodriguez

 

Dear Future IB students,

I am Noah Joseph and this letter will basically be telling you the do’s (everything i did not do)  and don’ts (everything I did do)  of the IB program. As a junior I feel the number one thing to let you is to stay organized! I cannot stress this enough that organization is the number one treatment to procrastination, the cardinal sin in the IB program. Personally, I did not understand how important organization was to this program until this quarter when my grades really struggled. Learn from me and stay organized otherwise you are putting your grade at risk. I began to take full use of our school agenda and i have seen a significant difference in my grades since then. I make a checklist of everything i need to get done when I come home and at the end of the day, nothing is better than the satisfaction of seeing that  completed checklist. I should also say something like avoid procrastination because that is the kryptonite to any super students but the truth is we are all gonna suffer from procrastination because we are human. The key though is to limit the times you procrastinate or the amount of work you lay off. This allows you to stay a super student and still be human at the same time.

Entering in the new year, you will face classes like APES, and teachers like Ms. Kennon. These two things are put specifically in 9th grade to challenge and scare the new students entering the program. As scary as the APES work may seem or no matter how loud Ms. Kennon yells, do not let them intimidate you. They may be the hardest things to get passed freshman year but with a few tips, you will be the one scaring them. When it comes to APES, Ms. Allison likes to load on the work. She will pile up the papers on you real quick but do not be intimidated. First you must stay organized! If you can remain organized with your work and turn it in on time, there is no doubt you will get an A in that class. If you have a hard time on the test, like I did, then do two things. Most importantly go through the notes because a lot of her questions come straight from the notes. Secondly, read the textbook with a friend. The textbook is a really good source for information and is very reader friendly. It contains many helpful tables and charts that help understand certain concepts that may be challenging. The next class to pay attention to is bio. Personally I did well in bio but many students tended to struggle. Some helpful tips in this class are easy simple. First and most important, stay on Ms. Kennon’s good side because if you are not, you will have a tough time dealing with her. Second, the most important and useful tip for studying are her notes. Pay attention when taking notes and go over them before tests because she bases all of her tests strictly from her notes. With these tips in your back pocket, the two biggest problems of freshman year will seem like nothing.

The last piece of advice I can give comes outside of school. Make sure to have fun! Enjoy your high school years along with working hard. I myself like to play sports to stay de-stressed and just to have fun. I would highly recommend you join a sports team because that was the most fun I have had in high school. You gain many close relationships inside of school and even closer ones outside. If you are not into sports, join a club that you like. You also have the choice to join band, orchestra, chorus, or art. I am in band and we often take out of state trips that give me the best and funniest memories of my life. The music programs at Bartow show you to so many more opportunities in high school and even college. Above anything else, I feel most strongly about this one. Finding time to relax, de-stress, and have fun is more important to me than being top in the class and I feel the same should be for you. Enjoy your high school years before it leaves you. I am just learning this as a Junior and I only have one more year to cherish it. Before you know it, you yourself will be walking across the stage holding that diploma that you worked so hard for.

Noah Joseph

 

Dear incoming freshman,

Well to start things off, congratulations on your acceptance into the IB program! It’s not as bad as you may hear; it all depends on what you make it. You may have already heard some of the things I’m about to tell you but that’s how you know that it isn’t a joke. If you don’t want to be a complete mess (like me ahahahah) you REALLY can’t procrastinate. I mean you’re eventually going to have to do that assignment you’re putting off so why not just get it over with then relax??? If you put it off, things are going to pile up then you’re going to be stressed out over something you could have avoided. If you know you have homework to do over the weekend (surprise surprise, you will) then DO NOT WAIT UNTIL SUNDAY NIGHT TO START IT!!!! Either do it Friday night or on Saturday to get it out of the way. By doing your homework early, you’d be able relax all day Sunday and head to bed early so that you’re refreshed for the new week.

To keep track of everything that you have to do you may also want to write things down and schedule little reminders because I’ve tried simply “remembering” and “shockingly” I’ve completely forgot about a few things unless a friend reminded me (oops). That’s another thing though. I’m not going to say that you need a lot of friends (I mean each class is so small that everyone is sorta cool with each other) but definitely have a few close ones. Remember, it’s not ALL about academics. Maintain some form of a social life (I should take my own advice ahahaha) (DON’T TAKE THIS AS ME TELLING YOU TO NEGLECT YOUR WORK!).

Now for the really interesting part. Academics. Which classes are hard? Which classes should I take? All of that depends on you. Naturally, the subjects you aren’t so great in will still be hard, but nothing a little studying can’t fix. However, don’t be surprised if you get your first B or C while in this program because it is a bit harder than what you may have done in middle school. As for deciding which classes to take, you should just pick whatever you’re truly interested in. Don’t feel pressured to take on an AP class just because everyone else is. Do you, boo. You can do this!

Ryonna Flowers