Stick to it. When you’re completely on top of things and stuff’s going your way…stick to it. When you feel like you’re drowning and the world may just collapse around you…stick to it. You’re going to have a day or two when you just break down from being overwhelmed with the tasks you have at hand. I know I did and many of those around me did too, but the only way to get through it is to…what was it? Oh yeah, STICK TO IT! You need to learn to push through those times because it’ll allow you to do more things that you love. With time and more experience with this program, you’ll learn how to bounce back faster and faster so that eventually seeing 3 tests on one day won’t freak you out anymore. It’ll just be a mental “alright then” and you’ll just work/study for them like it’s no big deal.

For English, I recommend actually reading the books because you’ll have assessments which test you on specific details that Sparknotes/Cliffnotes does not include. In Spanish, the most helpful thing I’ve done is to memorize the vocabulary the day *insert Spanish teacher* assigns it and to keep quizzing myself on that vocab until the day of the test. This way, it becomes second nature so I don’t have to stress about vocabulary and can study the grammar when the test comes closer. In math, my biggest recommendation is to truly do the assignments yourself. There are ways to find solutions online but it’s not worth it when it comes to the day of the test and you’re clueless because you haven’t worked any of the problems yourself. For history (ugh), the classic “read the textbook and take notes” method works best for me. As you move up in the math world, I recommend taking stats at some point because it helps in your other math classes and it includes a lot of real life application which is interesting.

One general piece of advice that I’d carry on throughout my time in HS is to find a good group of friends. Hanging out with the wrong people (no, I don’t mean drugs/alcohol although that is bad but more of those who just distract you from your work) will lead you to do poorly in your challenging classes. Another thing is to find something to do that you love. It’ll help take your mind off of school and relax. Although I never participated in any, sports are a great way to do this as the physical activity will help to release tension. Overall, just have fun. You’re in high school! Hang out with your friends! Learn to drive (or be close friends with someone who can)! You’re still a kid (ok teenager, whatever), enjoy it!

Sanika Desai

Dear Freshman,
You just got into IB! Congrats! I’m sure you have been reminded by every family member and friend of his “prestigious” of a school it is and if that didn’t intimidate you, your first year is going to be a heck of a lot easier than mine was. Let’s be honest, I can say with some certainty that not all of you are here by your own volition, but let’s try to be positive about the situation no matter how you feel about going here. I know that I won’t be the best giver of advice here because if I am being honest, I am nowhere near perfect when it comes to being on top of things, but I will try to give you a “survival guide” of sorts with things I found useful throughout my time here.

My first tip to you: quit the act of fitting in. You may think that you are “weird” or that “nobody will like you” until you remember what school you are going to. That’s right, a school that half of the people you talk to outside of school think is full of nerds that play video games and obsess over anime. Just looking at my current class alone, I can tell you that there is not a single type of person that is exactly like one another. Don’t be scared to be yourself. There will be plenty of people that have interests similar to yours.

I know that everyone has heard the “don’t procrastinate” lecture before. How effective is that? Going off of the fact that I still do it in my senior year, I’d say not at all. Seriously though, it really helps to be on top of things. Especially when you get to senior year, due dates stack up and they can get really overwhelming to look at if you don’t make good use of your time. If anything, just do small portions at a time because that’s way better than just pushing it off and watching tik toks (no I’m not speaking from experience).

One common thing I’m going to debunk right here and now is the common myth that people who attend IB “have no social life.” Hah. The correct one should be somewhere along the lines of people at IB who do not manage their time have no social life. I promise you, there will be plenty of time for the extracurriculars you want to continue (unless you are like me and think way too objectively and decided to quit soccer because it “wouldn’t benefit me in the future”). Just make sure to manage what you do and when you will do it. Doing high school soccer, with two hour practices every day and games during the school week, I can say that a balance is possible. It’s all about time management. The quicker you learn to buckle down and plan things out, the easier it will be.

Alright if you didn’t follow anything I was saying up to now, let’s break it down. Basically, be yourself, have fun, be involved, and do your work. It’s really that simple. Good luck and do your best. Not someone else’s best, your best.

Jacob Sebree

Dear young one,

My freshman and sophomore year were a struggle through their entirety but looking back now from senior year I realize that those two years taught me so much. Not only did I learn to set my own standards but also to focus on myself and let everyone else worry about themselves.

In an environment like IB it is easy to get caught up in the mentality that being the top of your class is the only way to succeed. I may not have gotten the best grades but for me by setting my own standards I was able to define success for myself. That doesn’t mean you can fail and be okay with it, but it means you can fail sometimes and move on because realistically life is just that way sometimes.

I think the most important thing to understand is that just because you’re not at the top of you class doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Ultimately, just don’t give up. This environment is not for everyone but the fact that you’ve made it here says a lot about your drive to want to succeed regardless. Grades aren’t everything!

Great you got good grades during high school, now what? Being in IB will push you to be well rounded, take advantage of that. Don’t be the kid who just studies and goes to school. Join clubs, run for class president, play a sport. Whatever it is have fun, you only get to do high school once and after this you have to adult. Take advantage of every moment you get, make new friends, make mistakes, high school seems to go by in the blink of an eye.

Sincerely, BIG APE
(Stanley Varughese)

Dear new IB student,

First I want to say congrats on your venture into a world of IB! Of course, you probably heard the negative aspects of the program, the long nights, hours of homework, and numerous exams. I cannot deny that I have had my share of sleepless nights and overwhelming situations. However, the person I am today is very different than the person that joined IB. Not saying that I am any less of a procrastinator (in fact I procrastinated writing this essay) but IB has been a source of new perspectives, opportunities, and change.

First of all, I advise you to not procrastinate (if you can) and to form a strong network of peers to lean on and bounce ideas off of. This will allow you to have a source of information about assignments, tests, and enjoyment in the chaotic journey of IB. I urge you to ask questions, one of the most amazing parts of the IB program is the amazing staff that are always open to sharing their knowledge and helping their students in any way possible, this is especially helpful when you are confused about a specific topic, the criteria of an assignment, and even information you want to know about a subject, outside of the confinements of the IB criteria.

There were moments in my journey that provoked the want to escape IB and all of its work. In fact, many of my friends took different routes, leaving IB. What is the difference between what my friends and I is that I know the huge source of value provided by the program, that the meaning of IB is far beyond stressing students out. Seeing the true benefit of IB will contribute to a feeling of fulfillment throughout the entire experience. IB is going to cultivate a plethora of new ideas, progressing your knowledge far beyond any average academic curriculum. It will set a foundation for future, improving your ability to learn and propelling you into your career.

I also would argue that IB will increase your academic confidence, although sometimes it may feel like its doing the opposite. It is in fact pushing you to reach goals you never even thought possible. It may also show some of your limitations, which will force you to ration your time and effort into different things based on your abilities and this will be a guiding factor in your future. Even if you do mess up, say you miss a grade or misinterpret an assignment,  these experiences should not dictate your perspective of IB. Instead, I suggest you look at the “fails” as tools for improvement. See where you went wrong and how you can use it to do better in the future. So I invite you to come into IB with an open mind and an excitement for your future, filled with rich experiences.

Sincerely,
Isabella Almeida

Coming into IB, I was not fully aware of the rigorous coursework that I would be doing. After freshman year, I soon realized the hefty workload that I would be doing for the next few years. Knowing this workload, it can become very daunting. Many times I had thought about dropping out. I really thought that I was going to not be able to make it through. However, I prevailed, and looking back after all the work that I have done has made me very happy.

Seeing all the work that I had done for the past few years has made me proud, and it should make anyone proud. Sure, while doing the work, the essays, and the papers can be terrible, after you’re done with all of it, you become very proud of yourself.

So a general tip for you: push through it. While it may seem daunting at the time and before doing your work, after you’re done, its done. It past you. While doing the workload is difficult, looking back is very easy. And by the time you become a senior, you’re at your most proudest.

Reggie Ocampos

I believe the most important attribute an IB student can have is to be self-motivated. I’ve found that throughout my four years at IB, my motivation has often times been the deciding factor when it comes to academic success. You can get bogged down by the sheer amount of work and your extracurriculars may get in the way, but in the end, one’s motivation pulls them through. Those who are self-motivated are usually the ones who are the most successful. It’s important to know that the IB program is definitely not for everyone, meaning that not everyone will be willing or motivated to put in the time and work. Knowing this, I think it’s very important to also know what you want to do with your life. Attending the IB program and wanting to pursue a career that isn’t STEM related may prove to be a waste of time in the long run; however, I know that some people don’t have a choice or don’t fully understand the program yet. With that being said, the most important advice I can give to you is to only do things that you want to do and things that are beneficial to you and others.

Most teachers and students will tell you that procrastination is the biggest thing you should avoid, but in all honesty, that’s next to impossible due to all the extracurricular and after school activities you’ll have going on. What really matters is getting your work done with integrity and accuracy. Learning to use your time effectively is an extremely important skill you will be forced to learn throughout your years in the program, and if you don’t learn this skill, your life will be exponentially harder.

I have learned so much throughout the program and I have also met so many people that share similar intrinsic motivations. I believe the nature of the IB program breeds innovation among like-minded individuals which ultimately enriches one’s learning environment. This aspect of the IB program has been especially essential to my academic success and motivation.

Luke Sandoval

Some advice that I would give to a freshman is that you must learn to be able to manage your time because that will help a lot. Time management helps because it allows you to have some more free time to do what you want to do and helps to keep the work from piling up. Taking breaks while doing work also helps to keep focus on the work and keeps you from getting tired as quickly. I would also advise to set some days of the week aside to just relax and not worry about doing school work as well as not stressing about your grades whenever they are lower than you want because they will most likely get higher if you study and do your work.

Some pitfalls that you should avoid are waiting until the night before to do very big assignments such as essays or presentations. If you wait to do the large assignments until the night before, you will most likely be up all night and it will be most likely cause you to be incoherent in your work. Another thing that should be avoided is being completely focused on school, because this causes too much stress. Forgetting about school every now and then and trying to have some fun and relaxing time to yourself helps relieve a lot of stress that can be caused by schoolwork at times that it seems overwhelming.

he subject that is the most deserving of study and is the most important is science. Science is most likely going to be the class that you have the lowest grade in, and this is ok because the class is one of the most difficult classes. Studying for multiple days besides just studying the night before helps because it gives you more time to learn rather than cramming because you must use mostly everything you learn throughout the year for future lessons.

Noe Mata

Dear IB Freshmen,

I understand that by now you’ve probably heard all the normal advice: don’t procrastinate, join clubs, don’t blow off studying for your tests. Yes, I am aware that there will be some of you who procrastinate, only join key club, and will never study for a single one of your tests in high school; which is why I plan to give some different advice. Here are my three ideas for living your best IB life:

First off, high school can be fun too. I know that it’s very important to do well in your classes, but academic success means nothing if you are personally unhappy about your life. That means that if you end up making a new friend at high school, then hang out with them, even if that means you have to study with them in lieu of going bowling or seeing a movie. If you are interested in a club, then you should join regardless of how much work you think your involvement in the club will be. I, personally, was always interested in Youth in Government (YIG), however, I never joined the organization because I thought the work and travel associated with the club would prevent me from accomplishing other IB duties. Also, make sure you find a hobby to do during your IB years. Life is short and you don’t need to wait till college/adulthood before you learn to play a new instrument, start playing videogames, learn how to code in Java, or figure out how to bake a cake. Do activities you find enjoyable and create some free time so your IB workload doesn’t define you.

Secondly, you NEED to have a reason for taking extra classes. Do not just take an online AP course because all of your friends are doing it, I fell victim to that trend when I took AP Macroeconomics in the 10th grade and some of my peers did Dual Enrollment when they had no reason to. I’m not bashing taking DE courses as a GPA booster or taking an online class to fill a hole in your in-school schedule. But, if you’re having doubts about your reasoning behind taking an online course, then I suggest not taking one and doing something else because these courses are often much more stressful than students initially believe when starting them.

Finally, get some sleep and go to class. Sure, it is 100% possible to not start homework until 11 pm and still finish everything in time for 1st period, but honestly that’s ridiculous. In time you will recognize that your health is more important than anything, so do your homework soon after arriving home from school. Also go to class, if the class you hate is having a test you didn’t study for, then you should still show up to school and take that test. If you skip school, you’ll miss things in other classes and that is never worth it, plus you never know when the test will be easier than you think or when your teacher will get sick and postpone the exam.

Happiness > Misery,
Jack Slaughter

My advice to someone that is starting IB as a freshman is to ask questions the moment you do fail to understand a topic during class. Do not believe yourself when you think “I will figure it out later” because you will not. I have held my tongue many times whenever I do not finish writing notes or was confused on a topic I began to do quite poorly on the following quizzes and tests. Once I got my first borderline C, I decided to change my ways. To me, the most deserving thing that needs the most studying is using the chain rule. The chain rule is where I made most of my mistakes while trying to find the derivative, so I believe it requires the most attention.

Justin Hewitt

Dear freshman,

I promise IB isn’t actually as bad as people make it sound before you get here. Speaking as a senior who never thought I’d be able to do all the papers, IAs, exams, and work in general I had heard about, I can definitely say you can do it too. The most valuable part of getting all this stuff done was definitely friends. Make friends! You have no one else to complain about homework to or to freak out about a test with, so value your friendships above anything else. I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this, but I would also tell you to just have fun. If I had skipped weeknight basketball games or dinner with friends to do homework (like I probably should have), I wouldn’t have had half as much fun as I did in high school. Yeah, IB is a lot of work, but don’t let it keep you from being a kid. You’ll get the work done.

Some more advice I’d give you is to never let a bad grade discourage you. There have been a lot of instances throughout these four years when I’ve gotten a grade I didn’t think I could recover from, but the last thing to do is to give up. All you can do is to try your hardest, and you never know how well you might do if you continue to try. Brush off the mistakes and keep going. If you try to the best of your abilities, you really will succeed in this program despite the occasional bad quiz or late homework.

My final piece of advice is to get involved. You’re probably in this program to best prepare yourself for college, but colleges don’t want to see a student with straight A’s that hasn’t done anything outside of the classroom. Join clubs, play a sport, and volunteer as much as you can, because life isn’t just about grades. These things all make you a more well-rounded person, introduce you to friends outside of IB, and could get you interested in something you wouldn’t have done otherwise. At the end of these four years, you’re probably going to look back and remember a lot of the things that got you involved in high school life. Do as much as you can and make as many memories as you can, because four years do fly by.

Emma Massaro

Dear prospective IB student,

Be aware that the life you live is yours. It is not your teacher’s; it is not your parent’s. IT IS YOURS. I say this because I decided to attend IB on my own accords, and, while my parents have been supportive, have done it all on my own.
When you take responsibility for your own actions and motives you will feel a higher level of satisfaction when you’re done.

IB may seem like it is a lot of unnecessary work, but it teaches you one important skill: self-reliance. If you fail it is on you. If you succeed it was because of you. Make sure you take responsibility of your failures, and also your successes.

Encouragingly,
IB Senior (Nathan Smith)

When it comes to being a freshman it pays to pay close attention to your AP courses. Most likely freshman have to encounter at least one in their first year in IB and those would be the best to address. Particularly if you have APES rather than Human Geography, I mean strategically if you are going for the simplest route go for Human Geo but with APES it is not obscenely difficult is can be taken with focus and study. Study is key with AP classes being the most radical change you would from the normal classroom setting and time must be taken to pay attention to them specifically.

As you will hear countless times, it’s more so about workload itself and not the actual difficulty of the curriculum that will stump you. Also don’t be afraid to reach out because I know it can seem intimidating at first coming into High School but it is important to realize that these teachers are here to help and assist you in your journey so ask plenty of questions or criticisms if things are unclear. Outside of school it would be a good idea to find some sort of activities or hobbies to indulge in. Try to limit it though because in the pre-ib journey the first year is usually the hardest due to it being a transitional period for most. I know a particular group of people who choose to pick band as an example but the experience at hand should be seen from a grand perspective because in the first two years it was more or less ok but then in the long game it didn’t pan out well and contributed to them being burnt out.

Personally I would advise pursuing some sort of leisure elective or something you would genuinely enjoy rather than trying to raise your GPA. I took pre ib art before that current teacher left so be advised there would be some degree of ambiguity but other than that I truly enjoyed the experience and was able to express myself and relieve some tension that may have existed in my other classes. I was able to do things like collage work and draw skulls, but doing so that addresses fundamentals in art like form and color.

Aryan Sahota

Dear freshman,

Congratulations! You just entered one of the most prestigious programs in this county and it is because of your intellectual ability. That’s a big deal. I’m not going to sugarcoat it; your high school journey will be difficult if you decide to stick around for your senior year. However, it will all be worth it, I promise. You will have a set of wonderful teachers that will teach you beyond the material, and some of them will become your absolute favorites. Of course, you will occasionally get stubborn teachers, but all IB teachers have one goal: to help you reach your full potential as a student. You will make friends to pull all-nighters with trying to complete big projects and you will learn a lot about how to avoid procrastination… or not.

First things first, procrastination is the number one thing that people think of when they hear “IB.” Well, maybe after having no social life. While both of those may be a little true, the best advice I can give you is to try to complete assignments early. You will get a TON of homework throughout a typical week and you do not want them to stack up, trust me on this. There is nothing worse than having to stay up past midnight to try and scramble to get things done that are due the next day. You need your sleep, that way you are not snoozing your way through your classes. I can tell you from experience that every time you fall asleep in a class, it is the equivalent to losing about a day in class. IB is very fast-paced and requires a lot of a student, you need to get with the program, or you will fall behind faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. When I say that you should try not to procrastinate, I also mean that you should not burn yourself out. A big mistake IB freshman make when they come into the program is essentially burning themselves out so much to the point that they have no more desire to stay in the IB program for the duration of junior year. The two pre-IB years you go through are excellent introductions to the reality of the IB program your last two years. You should not focus on being the very best of your class at the moment, but rather focus on absorbing the information being presented to you and try your best in classes. Grades are important, but a score on something does not define you. Remember this. Remember as well that you are now in a pool with students similar to you, you are all smart and you should not compare yourself to others. We all have different backgrounds and different ways to adapt to the IB.

From my four years in this program, I have learned a lot about my study habits. I have learned what to prioritize and what not to. At this point, I have recognized what I am more proficient in, in terms of study. You may realize this way before I did, and if you do, remember to always prepare in the best way possible for the area of study you struggle in most. If you are not the best in math, try completing math exercises to get used to the problems you have to do. ALWAYS ask for help if you need it. Some teachers may seem intimidating, but as I said before, they are only here to help you. Don’t hesitate in asking questions when you don’t know the answer. This ends up being pretty detrimental to how well you understand material.

Don’t worry, IB may seem like the worst four years of your life, and it will definitely seem like that some days. But, remember, you will acquire so many ways of learning and a lot of information that will help you not only in your educational track, but as well in your daily life.

Good luck!
Andrea Rodriguez
IB Senior

Dear Freshman,

You’re in for a long four years. But don’t freak out, it won’t be as bad as it seems. And once you start finishing up big projects and papers, you will feel so relieved. You will definitely learn “how to high school” over your four years, but there are some things you should know going into high school that will make your time here better.

A common mistake is putting off work. Putting it simply, procrastinating is bad. When you wait to the last minute to do work, you end up not going to bed until really late, meaning you don’t get a lot of sleep, meaning it’s hard to stay awake in class, and no one likes that. Try to be as well-rested as possible. It’s no fun trying to force yourself to stay awake when every part of your mind and body is dozing off to sleep, and the constant fear of missing important information or the teacher calling you out is no help at all. If you really cannot stay awake during class, try standing up for a bit. Most teachers don’t mind, especially if it means you won’t be sleeping in their class. The best way to stay awake, however, is to get the rest you need during the night.

In all your classes, there will be boatloads of information to keep track of. Note taking is a skill you will develop over these next four years, but you must be intentional with it. Make notes that help you. Shorthand and abbreviations and other quick strategies for notetaking will be really helpful for in-class notes, when the teacher won’t always stop for everyone. Shorter notes will also be quicker to study when you’re reviewing for an upcoming test. Think ahead when taking notes. You are the one who will be reading the notes and trying to gain from them, so make sure the notes are catered to your study habits. I highly recommend adding color to your notes. In history, I like to color the titles of sections of notes and vocabulary words, and in chemistry I like to color formulas and main points. For me, it is a lot easier to look over my colored notes than it ever was to look over pages filled only with grey pencil.

In all sorts of situations, communication is key! Do not be afraid to talk to your teachers. They want to help you succeed, so if you have any concerns, speak up! Asking for help is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of; in fact, asking for help is a surefire way to improve and get better! If you feel that your teacher grades you unfairly, instead of quietly resenting them for it, politely talk to them about it. You could potentially clear up many misunderstandings, thereby making everyone a little bit happier. Some of your classmates are also happy to help you understand things you don’t quite get. Do not fully rely on your classmates, but also don’t feel afraid to ask them for help. You are all going through the same struggles, and the best way to make it through these struggles is together, as a cohesive and friendly group of students and friends.

It’s a long journey, but you will gain so much from it. You will find your own way through the next four years in the path that best suits you, and you will grow immensely. In your senior year, you will look back on your current self, and you will see just how far you will have come. For the moment, the entire journey is in front of you. It’s definitely crazy at first, but you got this. You’ll do brilliantly.

Best of luck,
Alex Wills

Looking back on my four years of high school, I don’t remember the grades I got or the tests I stayed up all night studying for, I remember the friends I made and the memories that came with them. I think the greatest piece of advice I could give a freshman is to remember you’re a kid and you deserve to have a fun high school experience. Of course, you should stay as focused on your coursework as possible, but one bad grade is not the end of the world. Some of your greatest memories are made in high school and there’s no excuse for you to miss out on that.

One of the biggest lessons I learned (in fact I’m still trying to learn) is the avoidance of procrastination. Although it is inevitable, putting off assignments will catch up to you. IB has taught me a balance of social activities and schoolwork that will be very beneficial in college. As a freshman, I promised myself I wouldn’t become a procrastinator; however, I adopted the trait naturally. Procrastination gives you two possible outcomes: you either don’t get the assignment done on time or you kill yourself the night prior barely finishing in time. If you’re anything like me, procrastination causes the second of these two options. Although I’m not encouraging procrastination, if you stumble upon this challenge, you must have the mental toughness to overcome it and finish your assignments anyway.

For all the chemistry kids out there, do not back away from it because of how hard it seems. At first, I was hesitant, but chemistry has become one of my favorite courses of study throughout high school. I have worked harder in this class than any other class before. It was a challenge, but the end result is so rewarding. I challenge you to face your most difficult classes confidently and refuse to fail in that class. It’s the best feeling knowing you worked hard and it has all paid off. And at the end of your years at IB, it is so worth it. I have met some of my greatest friends here and the memories I have with them are irreplaceable.

High school will be a roller coaster but trust me you will make it out okay.

Gabi Schaal

Dear Freshman,

I’m going to start by stealing some words from a leader that has inspired me since my own 9th grade year: “You will not come out of this experience as the same person you were before.”  While he was referring to a half-week-long convention for a club I attend, I think these words are important to keep in mind in your four years at IB.  In this program, you will not so much have a winding path which you follow, but instead a confusing, unpredictable trail full of forks, twists, and bumps.  I entered this program just looking for ways to challenge my own mind, and I can assure you I have not had the same outlook on what IB can do for you (or to you).  I have several words.

The experience you had in your freshman year will seem like a cakewalk when you look back during your senior year here, so with that in mind, use this year and the next to really strengthen your work ethic and work skills if you have not done so yet.  Before you enter real IB, you have been put into a timeframe for you to make mistakes and become accustomed to a work-oriented life.  If you already feel like your work management is on point, then good job, but don’t take this confidence for granted.

The shell that is your work ethic may be as tough as stone, but by chance, you may find yourself in a situation that pushes that shell to its limits.  That may be of your own doing, perhaps you obligated yourself to five different clubs or believed you could tackle a course you had no experience in.  In other cases, maybe that pressure was out of your control; you could be pushed into a class you don’t like due to scheduling conflicts, or adapt to unexpected changes in your life.  These are things I have seen various peers face; some withstood these adversities, but most of the people I took these examples from did not.

I have exams to study for as I write this letter, but I can give you some advice to ensure you don’t meet this pitfall which took out several of my peers from the program.  Know your limits; push yourself to engage in activities, but make sure you push the brakes where that capacity to work ends.  Be intentional; when you complete an assignment with the goal of learning from it instead of just getting it done, you will feel much more rounded and fulfilled in what you do here.  Finally, seek help.  When you fall into this over encumberment of work and life, tell someone, and find a way to lift that weight off your shoulders.  I hope the tone of this paper was not too foreboding, but I would like to assure you that IB is possible.

Jerami Soriano

To incoming freshmen:

When starting out high school in general, try to stretch outside of your comfort zone and make friends with people who didn’t come with you from middle school. Freshman year is a socially awkward period where new friend groups are being made, and you have to capitalize on that moment as it will likely determine your social life for the next four years. Try new clubs and sports, anything that seems remotely interesting. You might find something that can become a passion or a nice hobby to relief the stress of school.

In terms of academics in freshman year, just try your best and hold on. If you are able to figure out what types of studying methods work the best for you early on, you’ll see yourself stressing less about big tests. Personally, my biggest “bruh moments” (or struggles if this ages poorly) have all been in my weakest subjects. Just because you’re not good at a certain subject doesn’t mean that you should entirely give up. Those are the classes that you should dedicate the most time in if you’re concerned with improving your performance in those classes.

We all procrastinate, but you can also procrastinate on big assignments by doing the easier assignments for the easier classes first so at least you’re doing something efficient with your time. If you keep track of all your work and when they’re due and manage your time fairly well, then you should struggle relatively “less” throughout this program. If you can’t really manage time and stick naps any free time available, then just take out some time dedicated to sleep to finish work; that’s my methodology. It’s a very destructive way of thinking and it ruins any decent sleep schedule, but that’s all I got.

As someone who is horrible with remembering dates, I dedicate a lot of effort into history. Quizlet helps me with remembering historical events and certain vocabulary, and remembering the order of historical events made the most sense to me in the perspective of a very big chain of cause and effect. Writing down important information also helps a lot because it reinforces what you’re listening to in class, but don’t write so much that your notes are hard to read. If you’re someone who struggles with sciences, I strongly recommend reviewing notes consistently and testing your application of knowledge instead of only your knowledge of whatever science.

In general, pay very close attention to your classes and ask relevant questions that help clear up any type of confusion in your understanding. Try to find friends who are strong in any of the subjects that you struggle in; they can likely provide much more personal and useful advice than a random junior.

Kevin Chen

Dear IB student,

The International Baccalaureate program is very rigorous. There are a lot of ups and a lot of downs over the years. Overall, I feel like the experience is worth it because of the growth you achieve as a person and as a scholar. There is a certain necessity to dedicate yourself to your work in order the thrive or even survive IB.  Throughout this essay I will describe some of the mistakes I made and some of the things that I have found to work over my past few years.
As a freshman I managed to maintain all A’s and B’s. This took a lot of hours of work and study. One of the important things you need to do is complete all your assignments to the best of your abilities. For tests you should find your own way of studying. For me I have found it is best to retake notes on the chapter or to work out problems. There are many ways of studying and you just must find what works out best for you.

In freshman year I would recommend studying the most for Biology and APES. These courses had the most work involved. If you struggle in another subject, you should also prioritize that subject. In sophomore year I found chemistry and pre-calculus to be the courses I needed to work on the most, but like I said earlier, everyone is different and understands different things. If you turn in all your work and study to the best of your ability you will be successful.

In all honesty, IB is not for everyone. Some people aren’t suited for it. It is stressful and requires a lot of mental fortitude to be successful. If you have problems, then make sure to contact your teachers. They are literally paid to help you. Plus, most of them have a passion for teaching and would love to help. I wish you the best of luck in your IB adventure.

Sincerely,
Logan Duncan

Dear Freshman,

Welcome to IB! I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about how terrible IB, but I promise at least some of that isn’t true. It is a lot of work, a lot of stress, and even some late nights, but it is worth it in the end. IB offers one of the best opportunities that someone can have in high school. The workload prepares you for your classes in college, you will be able to learn college credit for free, and you will make friends that last a lifetime. These next four years won’t be easy, but I have a few pieces of advice that might help it go a little more smoothly.

My most important advice for you is to stay on top of your homework. It is easy to procrastinate (trust me, all of us do it), but if you can start a habit freshman year of doing your homework the night you get it, making a plan for bigger projects, and forming study groups with your friends, it will be a lot easier to manage the workload. I find it helpful to sit down every Sunday and make a calendar for the week: write down any tests or quizzes you have that week, any homework that you know of and when you’re going to do it, plan out bigger projects that are due in the future, and any events you have outside of school. It’s a simple way to stay organized with everything that is going on in your life and making sure you get everything done on time.

Another suggestion I have is to find an extracurricular you enjoy and stick with it. Whether it be a sport, chess, a job, a club, or a volunteer opportunity, find something that will act as a stress reliever for you (and bulk up your college applications too). It is very easy to feel overwhelmed at IB—having an outlet to relieve your stress and be something you look forward to each week will help you keep your spirits high. Having something to do outside of school will also help you develop time management skills. Spending time doing something you enjoy will help you find a balance between school and fun that will, honestly, keep you sane at IB.

My third suggestion is to find someone at school, whether it be a teacher or a guidance counselor or anyone else, that you can talk to if you are having a bad day. It is easy to get frustrated with teachers, upset over a bad grade, or just need a break from your friends sometimes. Having an ear to listen to you is an important tool, that I have appreciated and found important, to help manage IB life. Plus, growing close to an adult may come in handy when you need someone to write college recommendations.

I hope these suggestions will help make your freshman year a little easier. I know I wish I had known these things when I started at IB. It’s going to be hard, and you might even question why you’re still there sometimes. But if you keep working hard and thinking about the opportunities that IB will offer in the future, you will find the strength to keep pushing through.

Good luck!
Tess Landreth

You will likely get lower grades than before; it doesn’t mean you are bad, it is just a different environment.

I would avoid spending too much time on a topic you already understand, time is a limited resource. Also make sure you have fun with your friends and have a good social life. That is very important.

Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses so prioritize accordingly. If you are extremely good at writing but you struggle with math, you may want to take more time focusing on math rather than writing. Additionally, it might be smarter to let a 100 in your strongest subject drop to a 95 and get your worst up to the next letter grade than to keep the 100 and the lower letter grade; the letter grade increase is a net gain. That being said DO NOT ignore one subject completely and be VERY CAREFUL with balancing and prioritizing.

Angel Miranda-Acosta

Dear freshman,

First of all, congratulations on making it into IB. I’m sure you’ve heard about how stressful the next four years will be if you stay and all the benefits you will reap if you do. As a general rule, try to get along with your teachers and classmates. Your teachers will be writing letters of recommendation for any college you wish to apply to or suggest that you apply for scholarships in their specific field and you want them to want you to succeed.

You will be spending eight hours of every weekday with your peers for four years, so maintaining a neutral to positive general opinion of yourself can save you a lot of unnecessary drama and stress, and some willing volunteers to help you with your CAS project if need be.

Maintain some sort of schedule to do your homework. Do it the day it’s assigned or the day before it’s due, but ensure that you don’t have to miss valuable time in other classes to complete it. Sleep is very important to keeping a functional mind so organize your time in such a way that you get the amount of sleep you need to retain information the next day.

Learn which classes you can afford to turn something late in. Some teachers have far nicer late penalties while others don’t accept late work at all. When I’m doing homework, I try to do the classes that absolutely need to be done the next day because of how the teacher grades or the time frame for accepting that work is closing before moving onto more lenient classes.

These tips are just suggestions that work for me. The most important thing of all is to make sure you can stay happy and healthy, and still enjoy your high school experience.

Good luck,
A junior (Teresa Ko)

For all incoming freshmen, welcome to IB. Getting here is just the beginning of the journey though, as the next four years of high school will make your middle school years seem like a cake walk. There’s one main piece of advice that you’ve probably already heard, which is don’t procrastinate. You’ve probably read this piece of advice for the 400th time at this point but the sooner you stop, the sooner your life will improve. However; I’m not idealistic enough to believe that you’ll change your lifelong habit just because you read it on an advice page so here are a few tips to get your homework done the day it’s due. Lunchtime along with your commute to school are your greatest allies when it comes to finishing homework you forgot about. Most teachers don’t allow students to work on homework from other classes so try to avoid that but if you have to, don’t make it obvious. Optimize your free time during school to finish what’s needed and you should be fine. Don’t rely on these techniques too much, as sometimes you may get no free time or lunch may be interrupted. Try and keep up to date on assignments, but if you’re going to procrastinate, at least do it efficiently.

Another aspect of IB that plays a big role in the IB experience are clubs. As a Freshman, you shouldn’t try and overwhelm yourself with too many clubs. Just choose one or two that genuinely interest you and work from there. Joining clubs allows you to meet and interact with other classmates and upper classmates as well. Clubs are a great opportunity and can develop new friendships as well. On this topic, make sure you find yourself a group of friends who can support you along the way. IB is rough, but having friends who care about you and share your struggles can make life a lot better.

Now on to some College Applications advice. Many of you are gunning for top-tier colleges, however; the reality is that most of you will be rejected by the Ivies and similar colleges. If you want to be accepted to colleges like those, you’re going to have to stand out. Straight A’s and a good GPA aren’t going to cut most of the time. Try joining major competitions like Science Olympiad and TSA as placing nationally adds a lot to your application. You should also have good relations with your teachers as they are will try to help you throughout the way. Acting vile towards the teachers will only hurt you in the long run, especially when the time comes for getting letters of recommendations.

Try to keep in good graces with your teachers and fellow classmates as well. Make sure to actually do something fun every once in a while, to avoid academic burnout. Even though IB can be difficult at times, you’ll thank yourself for following through with the program when you graduate. Do I know this for sure? Nope, I haven’t even graduated yet, but I sure hope it’s true.

Varun Singh

For someone that is just starting as a freshman I would say that it is important to manage your time well because that is where most of the stress comes from. I would say to take things day by day or at least week by week because if not its very overwhelming. Do all of your work even if you don’t think you’ll need to do it to get the grade that you want in the class. Also, don’t settle for the bare minimum when it comes to grades or assignments and make sure to build relationships with teachers so that it becomes easier to ask the questions that you need.

Some major pitfalls are not starting a project or lab until the night before or when you don’t study for something when you know you should. Procrastination is the major issue that I have faced through all of my years of IB. It was also hard to accept that school and school work had to come before free time because if not it is never free time. Many times if my assignments are done then I can’t stop thinking about all that I have to do instead of enjoying my time.

I would say that the most important and deserving of the most study would be classes like English and History for me. Those are classes where I had to build skills that I was not good at. I find it important to work on public speaking and giving presentations because that can help present your point more clearly.

Angely Chavez

Dear incoming freshman,

While others may bash the IB program here at Bartow for being “too hard” and “too tedious,” it really isn’t that bad, and it could be far, far worse; therefore, my main message to you in this letter is this: Just get it done with. The best analogy for IB is that of taking off a bandage – you could slowly peel it off in a long, painfully drawn-out process, or you could simply suck it up and get it over with, just like how you can slowly trudge your way through IB, procrastinating and getting no sleep, or you could get your work done early and get it over with sooner.

In simple terms, I guess what I’m trying to say is just “don’t procrastinate,” which I feel gets repeated so many times that it’s become hollow and lost its meaning, but that doesn’t detract from its value in practice, and it’s an easy thing to write about for this assignment. Ultimately, for those who are extrinsically motivated, this is gonna suck at first, and it’s going to keep on sucking if they keep on making it suck, but that’s just how it is. With all that said and out of the way, here’s some ways to stop sucking:

First, you’re gonna want to mix home life with school, and when I say this, I mean it. My math classes became nap time (you can periodically get a couple minutes of sleep in Frisbie’s class before she notices), the science labs turned into my lunchroom, and all my other classes were just mediums through which I worked on other homework, early or late. For example, I am writing this in history after I finished my exam, which was pretty easy. Second, you’re gonna have to find out and do whatever kind of studying works best for you; that’s on you, not me, especially since I never study. Third, you’re gonna take the first two methods and integrate them into your daily schedule in a way that you get everything done as quickly and efficiently as possible so that you can get some sleep and not be miserable.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

Logan Altvater

My experience over the last couple of years was a roller coaster of emotions. IB has made me feel many things from anxiety to joy. This program especially near the end of it is very challenging. I want to tell you what I did (and still do) and it will be up to you to decide whether to follow my style of life or take a different approach to things. I am by no means an exceptional student and if you are looking to succeed, I am sorry to tell you that it is VERY HARD.

The first thing you will notice is the amount of work you will get and compared to your prior Middle School; it will not be a pleasant surprise. You are now faced with two options: Option 1 which is to learn to manage your time wisely and prioritize your tasks and use different strategies to manage your workload or Option 2 which is to wait until the last minute and to do your work with Minimal Effort praying for the best and expecting the worst. It is up to you to find which one to do but I can tell you Option 2 is far more comfortable especially if you have low standards coming into the program.

If neither option is appealing to you then I honestly suggest you Dropout. Many students have done it before as this program is not meant for everyone and is very difficult. My class has dropped from originally 120 students to 50 students in 2 years. IB has changed me by making me lower my standards for myself in order to satisfy my lifestyle. IB by no means is not fun but if you are not like me (which I assure is probably for the best) then I believe it is possible to adapt to IB and not only survive but succeed with flying colors. Many often contemplate whether to leave the IB program so I tell you to really consider whether this is right for you and if it us choose the option (from above) that best suits you.

Samuel Mulaparthi

Dear Student,

This is the start of a new adventure in your life. You’re going to make many friends, who will support you through the challenging times and laugh with you in the easy times. It may seem impossible to continue at times but if you push through, you’ll see you can overcome anything.

I know everyone says it, but don’t procrastinate. You’ll end up with a math essay to write, two tests to study for, and a lab you haven’t started. It’s a bad idea. Don’t be afraid to make a C on an assignment. You don’t have to be perfect. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. So many times others had the same questions as me.

As much as school is important, your health is just as important, if not more. You can take a day off school if you’re sick. You shouldn’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself. If you always work for school, you’ll get exhausted and want to quit. It’s ok to take a “you” day, no one will judge you.

Sincerely,
Izzy Sawyer

When I started at BHS/IB, I was entering the program when my older sister was finishing it. Having an older sibling there to help me figure out freshman year was great and I definitely think I had an advantage; however, there were, of course, things she couldn’t warn me about, things that I would have to learn for myself, and I realize that not everyone entering the IB program has had an older sibling who has already gone through the program.

Having experienced those things, I think that it is important to offer some advice to anyone who is entering the IB program. There is a range of tips that I could say like “make sure to do all your assignments the day you get them” or “never underestimate the amount of studying that you should do for a test”; however, the number one thing that has pulled me through IB has been that I always try to keep my motivation up. When I remind myself why I chose to go to IB and think about the benefits of graduating from the program, I realize that I cannot lose focus and I just have to keep trying hard. Even through my worst stretches of the program, I have had to remind myself of why I chose to go to IB.

I have done well in IB and maintained good grades, but I have had my struggles as well. In sophomore year, I experienced a stretch of time where I felt really demotivated, but I reminded myself that I should not just stop trying and that by making it through to the end of the program, I can prove to myself that I was capable. Even as I am writing this, I am struggling in one of my classes—granted my version of “struggling” is anything lower than an A—and it makes me feel demotivated, but I just remind myself that I should not just give up. I hope any newcomers who read this can avoid these pitfalls that I have taken.

Lastly, I think that any newcomers should realize that they need to manage their time wisely. Not all courses are created equally, so an equal amount of time should not be devoted to each subject. I think my most trying subjects are typically those in which I cannot just memorize certain vocabulary, key terms, or events and do great on the test. These include math and sciences. I always make sure to complete the study guides that my teachers provide and to make my own if I am not provided with one. Never overestimate how much you think you know about a subject! But also, make sure to use your time wisely by studying what you do not know rather than reviewing what you are already good at. Perseverance is key! Good luck! (You’ll need it).

Matthew Snowball

As a junior in the IB program I have experienced many successes and many failures. I would strongly advise students following my path in IB to avoid major procrastination and write homework assignments down when they are assigned. Students have strengths and weaknesses in different subject areas, but I would say that whether you’re a science person or not, you need to study for science. Cramming works most of the time when trying to pass a test, but it is hard to retain the information that has been crammed. IB is difficult, but it does not have to be terrible if you follow my advice.

Writing homework assignments down when they are assigned will very beneficial to yourself. Forgetting to turn in a homework assignment will cause your grade to drop, and the assignment most likely will have pertained to something being done in class. Just recently, a friend of mine forgot to complete a 400 point history assignment and that most likely dropped his grade by a lot. Do not be the one to make that mistake. Write all homework assignments down so that you will not forget them.

Procrastination is by far the biggest issue that nearly every single IB student has. I have struggled much, and am still struggling to complete work on time. I know that telling a person to stop procrastinating will not change that person, but I recommend you not procrastinate on large assignments. A friend of mine had to dropout at the beginning of his senior year because he had procrastinated hard on completing multiple Internal Assessments. By not procrastinating, you will be preventing your own stress. Do not be the one in your grade to have to dropout due to poor planning of assignments. IB will not be as hard as people say it is if you choose to not procrastinate.

When choosing which classes to prioritize when studying (if you study at all), I would recommend studying for science classes. A lot of information learned in these classes is completely new to you, and in order to retain the information and do well in the class you need to study. If you do not study even a little bit for these classes, you will fall behind and end up having to either study a lot to recover or fail all your tests. Studying does not have to be miserable. If you take a little bit of time each night to read over your notes, you will do well.

Do not let this message stress you out in any way. I am trying to help you prepare for the future so that you do not have to face tough situations later on. Try not to procrastinate, study a little bit extra for science classes, and write homework assignments down. The most important thing to remember is to let yourself have fun, IB is not meant to be terrible, when you have free time use it to spend time with friends and do fun things. Work hard in school and you will be successful later in life.

Jonathan Jones

As an IB freshman, I would recommend first reading the other IB student essays on Ms. Frisbie’s website. After doing that, develop a plan on which parts of that advice apply to you and how to implement them for yourself. Many IB freshman will have never found school difficult before, but out of the 115 freshmen who started the program with me and the 50 in my class who will be continuing the program after this winter break, I think every one of us has found the program difficult at one point or another. The most important thing I’ve learned here is that difficulty doesn’t imply a personal failure; just that you’re in a rigorous program.

The biggest problem I’ve had since being in the program is aversion to studying, because that’s how I operated for my 8 years of school before IB. Your language and history classes will require studying, and that’s alright. Also, whatever strategies you can use to succeed in classes you find incredibly bland, like language and history, practice those frequently. Losing passion in a subject makes it much more difficult to learn about that subject.

In my experience, the most important class in the program is your math class. Your science IA’s will require highly involved math, even if you take IB bio to avoid it, logical thinking will help you in all your English and especially in TOK, and for people who don’t consider themselves “math people,” it can be very easy to get lost. Luckily for you, every teacher in our math department is very good at what they do, so you’ll be alright with some work.

Liam Holton

Dear incoming students,

Freshman year
Freshman year was a year of getting used to. Starting off in a program that is different from what I was used to, was a new experience for me. Only had a few people from my middle school yet I was able to make new friends and get along with my classmates. It took me a while to get the hang of it as the homework started to come in during the first nine weeks. The classes are straightforward and if you do your homework on time and do all the assignments you should be fine. APES was a lot of stnt and notes, but it was fun, and I learned a lot. For my language it was German, and it was fun. Herr Porter is chill and very easy to get along with, but he gives a lot of worksheets. Government was another fun class and Devore was nice and the class was easy. For bio it was not that hard and a standard classroom. English with Rossi was a fun experience as Rossi has a fun way of teaching and is very cool to get along with. Math was my favorite with Naki as he would always have fun with us, and he gives little homework. The only trouble for freshman year was the new living style of school.

Sophomore year
This year you know everyone as this is when you see a big difference in class size. Frisbie gives homework every class but if you do it on time you should be fine. Guice was another favorite teacher as he is nice and works with you if you didn’t do the homework. Sommer is nice and gives homework occasionally but make sure you read the textbook as well. Chem with Loweke was a blast as she jokes around with you and the labs were fun. Stats was a bit harder but if you did well in algebra 2 then it should be fine, and you can survive. Overall in sophomore year it is better than freshman year but don’t get too confident as you can fall behind, and it will be hard to come back.

Junior year
Oh man this is when it starts to crash down. Calc is basically pre calc but a bit harder and if you did well in pre calc then again, its ok if you keep up with the homework and do it. The science start to give you a headache as I got bio which overall is a lot of work. You start off with a lot of labs, but you will get the hang of them. The other sciences are also hard but if you keep your head up and don’t drop it you can do it. Harb is nice and make sure you do the essays and the poems as they are important. Make sure you read the books well here as the quizzes are sometimes quotes which is kind of hard when you read the book like a week and a half ago. I got world religion and it is fun. You learn about other religions and have mini celebrations about them in class with food. Business is also chill, and the book work isn’t hard, and Dempsey is very easy to get along with. History is something on its own with sqr3 but it’s not hard.

Overall ib is something that you can survive. If I out of everyone has made it this far you can as well. Make a lot of friends as they will be helpful in answering questions you have and keep in mind you are all alike so if you have a question on homework that you are stuck on at 1 in the morning then one of your friends is also doing it at that time as well. Make sure you do all your assignments as in the later years it starts to hurt you, and study for the tests. IB will change your life you will have to stay up late some nights and have almost no sleep, but it is an amazing school.

Jorge Andrade

To someone that is just starting out in IB, I would wish them the best in their adventure. I would suggest to them to keep their grades up in freshman year, because it only gets worse from there. I would encourage them not to force themselves to stay in IB; it’s not for everyone. Collegiate is a perfectly fine option if you can’t deal with IB.

I would tell the student to avoid falling into the doing HW at school pitfall because from personal experience, it doesn’t work. I would argue that doing HW the day before it’s due (as opposed to the day it’s assigned) is actually the way to go because it helps keep things level and not too spread out.

For me, science has been most deserving of study. In junior year, I have continued my As in science but only through diligent study and work. My math has been new stuff that I haven’t learned and that seems to be working well for me. I would again advise against doing HW in class as things actually start to matter in class.

Gus Mittal

Dear freshman,

Make sure you don’t procrastinate. Everyone will tell you this, time and time again, but you really can’t hear it enough. It just makes things a lot easier and less stressful. Do whatever you can to keep you from procrastinating, whether that means keeping a planner, setting reminders, etc. Building this habit will be especially important for your junior/senior year, when there’s often many things due at the same time.

In addition to not procrastinating, make sure to get your priorities straight. Spend time on the classes where the material isn’t clicking (for me, that was Biology in my freshman year, APES in my sophomore year). Time management will be your key to success throughout the next four years.

Your grades are not the only thing that exist. Extracurriculars are super important–make sure you join the ones that interest you, but don’t stress about joining every extracurricular on campus to the point where you’re overcommitted. It’s about quality rather than quantity; focus on officer positions and being an active member in the clubs that you join. Joining clubs is also a great way to meet people, compete in various events (for example, HOSA), etc. It’s also important to diversify; show that you’re not just booksmart, but you love service, love the arts, etc.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask questions! When you don’t understand something, make sure to ask the teacher. If you don’t ask, you’ll end up spiraling into a series of confusion. This happened to me in Biology and APES a lot, and so much weight would’ve been lifted off my shoulders if I simply asked. A majority of teachers here are willing to help you out and will accommodate to any timeframe, but you have to take the initiative to ask. If you don’t feel comfortable asking questions to the teacher, surround yourself with positive people who are willing to help you out. Good luck! It seems daunting, but you’ll make it through.

Abel Abraham

At the start of freshman year, the whole IB curriculum may be overwhelming; however, that is ok. Suffering is the first step towards growth. While suffering is necessary for your growth as a person, having excess suffering can cause you to have intense stress, which isn’t good. Thus, I have a solution to that problem. To decrease your suffering threshold, do not expect your teachers to teach you everything. READ YOUR TEXTBOOK. The textbook is your friend. While I am not saying that the teachers do not teach, it is advisable that you read the textbook to get a general background to what the teacher is going to go over today. In my opinion, other than math class, it is best to read the textbook and reread it later. The reason for that is because when there is a test, you won’t have to review as much as a person who has neglect to read the book. Teachers usually said to get like 20 minutes of your time to study every day. Well, you don’t have to study every day, but you should study more than 20 minutes. There is no way a person can just study for 20 minutes and understand everything that has been taught that day. To summarize, READ THE TEXTBOOK and study for more than 20 minutes.

There has always been a false assumption within freshman year where they think they can study 10 minutes before a test is being administered. I am sorry to break it to you, that does not work. While it is ironic that I am currently writing to you to not procrastinate on a test, I strongly recommend that it is to your best interest to study a week before your test. While it is to your best interest to study, there are times where you just must give up on studying. For example, let’s say you have a history exam that is coming up and your teacher tells you that most of the content of the test is from chapter one. As a good student as I was, I read the first chapter and did some Quizlets so I will be prepared for the test. Well, guess what? Most of the test does not contain content from chapter 1. If I had not taken history from a previous year, I would not have been able to answer most of the questions. To summarize, in order to avoid last minute cramming, study way beforehand.

As I have said above, studying beforehand is the key to success in this school; however, you may now wonder what you should study the most. Well, that depends from person to person. I personally feel like there is a high priority to study the science classes. Most of the time, science classes have the most content and takes the most time to process; thus, I study science most of the time. On the other hand, you may have some other classes that you are struggling at and may require extra attention. When you have a class that you are struggling at, ask the teacher. They are there for a reason. If you don’t ask, you will never grow.

In conclusion, life at IB is harsh. The only way to survive this environment is to study, unless you are exceptionally smart. It is advisable to READ YOUR TEXTBOOK and also ask questions when appropriate.

Brian Zhu

Primarily, freshman, IB is not as bad as it may seem initially. Learn to allocate your time wisely and do as much homework as you can during school. After the first few weeks, you will learn which classes it is possible to do homework in, and which classes it is not possible to do homework. Remember sleep is more important than grades.

Subsequently, if you take APES, have fun with the tests. Ms. Allison is a great teacher and you will be well prepared by the time of the AP exam. Also, remember that Ms. Allison is not mean, despite what your first impression might be. Her tests might require a little studying, though. However, when you are studying at home, do not forget the importance of sleep, because sleep is a physiological need and according to Maslow, it takes precedence over grades. As for English, we all had Rossi. You have the possibility of getting another English teacher. Pray to God.

Lastly, make sure you enjoy your time while at IB. You will never get these years of your life back so make sure to play and do the things you enjoy. Also, whatever you do, never forget these two things: nothing is worth stressing over and sleeping is productive.

Vraj Patel

Since I’ve started IB, the system I’ve had in place for schoolwork has changed drastically. Middle school to IB was one of the roughest transition periods in terms of school and adjusting. The curriculum and teachers were very different from the ones in middle school. I had to learn how to change my study habits accordingly within a very short period of time. It was much more intensive than in middle school, but within time, I learned how to manage.

IB is a mix of high difficulty and work intensive classes put together. Depending on the classes, workload may vary from person to person, but in general it is strenuous keeping up. One of the most important skills to develop is proper time management. If one wants to be able to effectively balance homework and extracurriculars, then it is best to start projects as soon as possible. Most homework is manageable enough so that there is still some room for free time. Proper time management leads to more free time, which gives you leeway to study if you feel the need to do some studying.

Most people study when they’re struggling or need to memorize certain information in their classes they still haven’t nailed down. This is common for the more advanced classes such as AP Calculus or the junior year science classes. That’s why it is important to be able to put certain classes first in terms of homework and studying. I’m not trying to say some classes are more important than others, but there are some that you may naturally find more difficult. Determine which of your classes you need work on and put some more time into those.

Overall, IB can be rough, especially in freshman year, as you’re starting out. However, if you put effort into adjusting, you’ll ease into it fairly easily. All you need to do is learn how to manage all your time correctly. Know your strengths and weaknesses in terms of classes and put time into them accordingly. With those in mind, IB can be an enjoyable experience.

Joshua Flores

Throughout my journey in IB, I have realized over time that perhaps I should have spoken more often with my mentor about working through IB, however, I realized that many of the things that she told me were things that I could not understand except from experiencing them myself. Consequently, I would like to have the opportunity to inform the incoming students of the things that they can hear and understand without having to see through experience.

For one, I highly recommend using the planner given to all freshmen for more things than just what your teachers require of you. It is tedious, I am aware, but the benefits reaped from such a simple action are quite large. I never needed to write in my planner before freshman year, and I can promise that no one is good enough to remember dozens of upcoming events, and it is highly efficient to have a place where all of these events are stored.

Additionally, be aware of the fact that your career ideas are most likely going to change. I wanted to be an astrophysicist in freshman year, and that is quite contrary to my current career goals. It is okay to be unsure of your career ideas, as your aim in ninth grade does not condemn you to a life in that field. Finally, I would like to give one last piece of advice – take German and Environmental Science. It may seem hard, or useless, or boring, but at the end of the day both of those classes have excellent teachers who are incredibly successful with the students they have. These are just some tips that I think I would have genuinely been ready for in your position.

The biggest thing that I’ve seen throughout IB is the amount that students can feel completely ‘burnt out’ in the words of Marsh. I promise that this feeling will become very familiar to you as the year progresses, however, there is one important thing to remember; it will all be okay. I’m not kidding. I know there’s a high chance that you were a ‘straight a student’ before this year, and if you’re no longer that way as the year progresses, it’s expected. The rigor of IB courses are unmatched by anything you’ve faced in the past, and very few students can handle a 4.0 unweighted GPA in IB, if any. IB is a learning experience on so many levels, and it matters much more if your grades are significantly improving as opposed to your grades being “good”. The key to success in IB is realizing that stress is not going to help you conquer the tasks in front of you, so there is no point in worrying or having a poor attitude about the work ahead. I have seen students much smarter than me drop out because they cannot manage the stress. Make sure to make friends, ask frequent questions, and pursue extracurriculars that you enjoy. If you do these things, you are very likely to actually enjoy your freshman year.

Caden Funk

Dear Incoming Freshman,

There are many things that people will tell you about how to make it in the IB program, such as making sure that you don’t procrastinate, but most of those things either you already know or you weren’t going to listen to anyway.
The real way to survive is not avoiding all procrastination, it’s planning your procrastination ahead of time. If you have two days to do an assignment that’s relatively short, and you don’t have all that much else to do, by all means, wait until the night before to do that assignment. If you have a thirteen-page lab report due in a month, make sure you don’t wait until the last minute to do it. I had been planning to do it in the entire week before the due date, but failed to account for the fact that I had a test in every single class that week. Do not, under any circumstances make this mistake like I did. When you get to the point of doing the fly lab if you go into biology (by the way, don’t take biology), break it up. Doing it all at the last minute is a bad idea and will most likely get you yelled at by your parents.

Another important method of survival is to give yourself leisure time. Even when there is a week in which you have five tests in two days and you have several big assignments due, you have to make sure that you stay sane. I’m not saying to take hour long breaks for every two hours you work, I’m saying to give yourself the time to something slightly fun in between subjects or assignments. Whenever you finish a particularly long assignment, take some time to play some CoolMathGames or watch a short meme compilation. Trust me, this will help keep you sane when trying to prepare for a test in biology and finish a tedious history assignment.

Speaking of tedious history assignments, make sure that, when working on long assignments, don’t try to bite off more than you can chew. Sometimes it’s better to be aiming for a low A or high B instead of perfection. There’s an old lie that if you aren’t giving one-hundred percent effort all of the time in everything you do, you aren’t trying hard enough. The truth is, giving maximum effort all the time will do far more harm than it will good. Sometimes doing your best isn’t doing something with maximum effort, it’s doing the best you can without working yourself to the bone. If trying to do something perfectly causes a literal mental breakdown and makes you physically sick, remember, perfection will always take a backseat when mental health is on the line.

Finally, remember that the IB program doesn’t have to suck. If you can make solid friendships, learn to procrastinate effectively, make time for fun, and remember that your mental health is more important in the long-term than that A will ever be, the IB program really isn’t so bad.

Adara Harris
P.S. I totally procrastinated this essay.

Dear Future AP Calculus AB Student,

First and foremost, I congratulate you on joining the IB program because it is one enormous journey, a journey that many are not suited for. The purpose of the IB program is to make the best out of each and every one of us especially as you enter into the 9th grade. I can guarantee you now that if you do not study for any exams, quizzes, or even simple assignments at the moment that you will indeed begin to study harder and even harder to achieve your goals. You will have to escape your comfort zone more than ever, and if you are struggling already, I highly encourage you to talk to your teachers and really think about what’s best for you. Now, I say this with regards to both the mental impact as well as the physical workload that the real years of IB begin to give out. IB and the material taught in this program is no joke, and that is something I learned a huge deal about this first semester.

The beginning of junior year was the real testament for how far you can test your limits. I have learned a lot so far, and I have learned most importantly that stress and overthinking are not helpful at this stage in the game. Personally, I am the type of person to get nervous and anxious at the most subtle mention of a test or quiz, but this year I literally have had no time to begin stressing because by that time another test would have already been issued. At the start of this year, although my grades were somewhat decent, I began to realize that I needed to put in more work than ever before. I realized that in order to be prepared for colleges that I wanted to go to, I had to be prepared both mentally and physically for the eventual path following graduation. The most important thing I did to help me cope with this rush of information, testing, and presentations was that I kept a close group of friends and we enjoyed the hard times even throughout the stress of testing and what not. The most vital lesson that came out of that stress was realizing how vital friends are in keeping you sane (literally) and making you want to work as hard from the competitive spirit. I wish I had cherished that more last year as these years in high school fly by, but the key is that the present is dictated by your actions, so be who you want to be and know who you are because that is the best advice I could ever give you. If you like the rigor and the feeling of getting work done, then IB will be no problem for you; however, I highly encourage you to relax your mind and make yourself feel at home because IB becomes your family after the preliminary years – the people around you are the people that you will have fun with but also succeed with later in life.

This school year has been all around the place, and I do wish that I had laid out a plan to not procrastinate on assignments and test studies as often as I had, but the best thing I got from those mistakes was the idea that I will undergo failure and stress and sometimes pain in order to ultimately succeed. Do not be afraid to stay up very late on nights to study for exams. Do not get nervous when hearing a test is going to take place next class, start studying that day. Do not think that no one will ever help you because trust me, your class is there for you and your teachers are there for you, especially. They want what’s best for you, and so I want to go into next semester with the mindset that my work, no matter how tedious or tough, will indeed pay off in the end. Your work will too, you just have to believe in yourself before it gets tough; if you are tough enough to withstand all of the tests, quizzes, and work that IB throws at you, you will be more than prepared for most things in life.

P.S. — For the classes to look out for, the sciences such as Biology and Chemistry will definitely be the most tedious to learn due to the sheer amount and the complexity of the information. The other classes that you need to look out for are History and English as they will be the classes that you need to pay the most attention to; make sure to keep yourself engaged at all times and do so in the sciences as well because they demand a lot of time and also attention from the amount of information that is to be learned in such a small amount of time. The less-tedious yet still very important classes such as the math courses and foreign language courses are more relaxed and very hands-on compared to the classes listed above.

Sincerely,
Muhamed Jaber

Dear world class student of Bartow High School,

I’m sure you already learned in the first few weeks that IB can be really stressful at times with all of the work that’s piled on to you.  That doesn’t change as you progress through IB.  However, you do learn to cope with and become better at handling large amounts of work unless you don’t.  To improve your efficiency at working, I would say that if some sort of work strategy is horrible, that could be a sign that you should try something else.  Time and experience will also help you, naturally.

I would also advise that you don’t procrastinate, something I’m sure you’ve never heard repeated by every single student writing something like this.  Procrastination bad.  Don’t do it. You’re gonna have a rough time and then be completely gassed afterwards and still have other work.  Procrastination is also stupid because it doesn’t even reduce how much work you have and it lends to itself.  If finish your homework minutes before the bell, you did just as much work as you would have done before except you just thought you were going to die while doing it, and you still have that other homework that has to be done next class.  Alternatively, you could do things a day or two before they are due and do the same amount of work without the impending dread.  I leave this hard decision up to you.

The class with the most work in freshman year is bio unless you get Rossi, then good luck.  In sophomore year, APUSH will probably give you the most work.  In junior year, homework is relatively spread out, but you consistently get it from all classes, so the workload is the highest yet.  Apparently things are worst for the first half of senior year.  As for studying, focus on what you are weaker in.  I don’t really know what else to say.  Don’t drop out.

Sincerely,
Jacob Nakamura

Dear Little Freshmen,

Congratulations! You made it into IB! Now what happens?

The most INTENSE years of your life begin! I’m joking (somewhat), but IB really is not that bad. The purpose of this letter (besides for my grade) is to help you survive the IB Program.

First of all, BE ORGANIZED! That is the most imperative thing to do. If you are unorganized, you lose assignments and notes and due dates and grades. You will have to use a planner for Ms. Allison and Ms. Kennon (although I think Ms. Allison might be retiring soon …), but actually make use of it besides what you need for your grade. I have no idea how many times I have forgotten an assignment until I checked my planner. Write everything down. This way, you can be sure that you have not forgotten an assignment (although you might — it happens to the best of us).
In the event that you forgot an assignment:
1. If you have a late pass, this might be the time to use it. If the late pass possesses more points as extra credit than the point value of the assignment, just take the zero and get extra credit.
2. If possible, try to do the assignment before school or during lunch (or during a class ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED THE WORK FOR THAT CLASS!!!).
3. Do not freak out. Maybe this should have been said first, but it seems relevant now. If you freak out, you won’t be able to make any progress while looking like an idiot.
4. Just accept that you forgot your assignment and try not to do it again.

The second most important thing in IB is to accept that perfection is not everything. At some point, you will goof up (unless you are some sort of alien). A “B” is not bad. The grade is proof that you are trying your hardest and that you overcame a challenge. I remember when I got my first B; it was in Spanish. I had a 90 ending the nine weeks, but a test was put in the day grades were due and my grade dropped to an 86. I was a wreck in band practice that fateful Thursday, but I persevered. The goal is to try to maximize the number of “A”s you have, but don’t stress out on the “B”s.

The situation of perfectionism also applies to individual grades on assignments. If you stress out on that one big project for Spanish, you will miss the million exams and the hideous biology lab and be a big mess. Work to get the assignment done and go back and perfect it if you have time.

Another thing, MAKE FRIENDS! The people who begin the journey of IB with you will stay with you for Four years (unless they drop out, of course). My freshman year was a mess — my best friend went to Harrison for jazz band and I had classes with people I did not know and subsequently made few friends. Sophomore year was better because I made friends with Band people (the greatest people you will ever meet). In Junior year (present) I made more friends in band and got to know more of my IB classmates as we are such a small class. Fortunately, I have gotten over my shyness with people and understand that my grade is really friendly. We are all one big happy family.

The people with whom you make friends with will set the tone for IB. If your friends decide to become idiots, so will you. If your friends are nice and polite and get good grades, so will you. Like Mr. Eckman says, the people who you surround yourself with determine your character, so pick good people.

Here is a list of miscellaneous things that don’t really work together, but good advice nonetheless: try not to procrastinate, or limit how much you do. Personally, it is not a good idea to play on your phone at midnight while trying to study for that big biology test. Eat healthy and exercise. A healthy body makes it easier to focus on the important things and not get sick. Sleep as much as possible. Try to do homework the day it is assigned and the weekend homework on Friday. If you do this, you are more successful than most of the IB people (including me). DO NOT CHEAT!!! That assignment is not worth being expelled from IB for. Also, have you no shame and intelligence? Have fun. Be goofy. Life is short but IB feels long; may as well have fun while we are here. 😀

A quick run-down of some of the teachers in IB (just because):
· Ms. Allison – Great teacher. She will prepare you for the APES exam. She is really nice and if you say anything bad about her, you are lying.
· Ms. Rossi – Excellent English teacher. The class she teaches will be the hardest of the English classes, but you have to run the gauntlet first to weed out the not IB material people.
· Ms. Santiago – Best Spanish teacher I have ever had. She makes you talk in class, but that is how you learn and apply skills.
· Mr. Eckman – The band director and IB music teacher. Your basic music teacher just a ton better. Mr. Eckman pushes you to do your best and to the next level. Just do not ask too many questions at once or you will receive a question quota.
· Ms. Kennon – Biology. Do not make her mad because you will be sad. For real. Also, everyone will dislike you because her bad mood will last a long time and into the next class period. Also, you might have her again for AP/IB biology.
· Naki – Algebra II and Stats. Again, not too many questions. Especially if the question is the same one every day and he gives you the same answer every time. Don’t be that idiot. Also, do not fall asleep in class or be sick on those days because math is hard to learn if you do not pay attention.
· Ms. Frisbie – Calculus. 11/10 teacher. Best of the IB teachers out there. Do not fall asleep in class because you will look like an idiot when she calls you out (personal experience).
· Ms. Harb – English. Personally, my favorite teacher at the moment. She is really nice and will grade fair.
· Mr. Guice – 11/10. Best English teacher I have ever had. Really cool and chill.

That’s all I got (I could write more, but that’s just excessive). Don’t die out there you innocent freshman. I’ll see you on the other side with the IB Diploma after graduation.

Sincerely,
Zoë Parker
IB Junior, Class of 2021

Dear freshman,

Are you ready to lose your social life? To suffer and cry yourself to sleep every night? Well, don’t worry – that won’t happen – at least not every night. If you can pace yourself on your workload and be prepared for the things that teachers are going to assign, you will be alright. In fact, doing these things will likely pave your path to success. Honestly speaking, though, you will probably wish to slack off most of the time. Doing so isn’t terrible in itself; losing track of time and repeatedly slacking off is the problem. My advice is to know what works for you; the things that help someone to get their work done will likely differ vastly from one person to another. Figuring out what you can truly accomplish and in what manner you will do so is the key.

When everyone said IB is vastly different from middle school, I didn’t really agree with these people until recently. Others began agreeing from the start of IB. The thing to be noted is that everyone will adapt differently to the program. Some common difficulties, however, will be getting distracted and the snowball effect of homework due to procrastination. An obvious fact is that it will be very tempting to put off work for the next class period till the day before, considering the block schedule, but don’t do this. If this works for you, however, go ahead, as I said before. The main complication here is that we, as students, tend to overestimate our abilities to finish certain quantities of work in a certain amount of time. We also tend to get very distracted. I mean, come on, who hasn’t been in a downward spiral on YouTube on a school night? What you must remember here is that you only have 24 hours in a day. You have to get your work done in this time; just make sure you figure out how you personally will finish your work.

In my experience, the most interesting classes for me have been the sciences. They can be really dynamic, changing difficulties from one day to the next. For some, this mindset shift happens easily, while it can be harder for others. Make sure to study the concepts you don’t understand, considering it is very rare for a concept in science to not be built upon later. The most important thing to do is study things you don’t fully understand. Truthfully speaking, these things are commonplace knowledge.

My one piece of true advice is to make good friends. Your friends will be incredibly important these coming four years. You’ll go through thick and thin with them – blood and tears (hopefully not that much blood). Finding the right friend group can boost your morale and really push you to make yourself better. Yes, I know that sounds vague, but you’ll eventually understand how important these friends really are in one of your coming days.

Godspeed,
Aaryan Dhaduk

Hello Freshman Student,

My name is Daniel Scott. I am currently an 11th grade at Bartow IB. There are a couple of important things to know about IB and how to go about it. The first thing to know is that IB is all about effective time management. Those who are at the top know how to efficiently manage their time. Plan each and every day out. Write down the times of days that you will be doing activities, and plan around it. If you get home at 2:30 PM and don’t have to do anything until 6:00 PM, then give yourself a 15 minute break and then do homework. Effective time management makes it so that way you feel on top of everything going on in the week and know what you do and do not have time for.

Another thing I would say to do is to not procrastinate. You hear this a million times, but it is just the MOST IMPORTANT thing. Especially on Mondays/C-days. On C-days, there is not enough time in class for teachers to go over what they want, so it is not uncommon to get homework in 5 out of your 7 classes; however, if you do get on top of your homework on Monday, then your week is so much easier. If you do not do your homework on Monday, then on Tuesday you will have homework from most of your classes because your A-day teachers will assign you homework on top of the homework that is due on Wednesday from your B-day teachers. However you choose to look at it, there is going to always be one night each week that you are bogged down with homework. If you choose to make that day Monday, then you won’t have to worry about your homework as much during the remainder of the week.

One last thing: if you ever have a problem with your teachers or peers, then act diplomatically. Treat everyone with respect, if they do not respect you back. In arguments when you feel like you have a valid criticism that you want somebody to accept and change themself, there are a couple of steps to take. 1) Think before you speak. It is very important that when you want someone to change themself, that you are very careful with their words. In the US, the defender always has the upper hand, as the person trying to get someone to accept their criticism and act upon it, you will always be at a disadvantage in an argument. You have to watch what you say, that way you won’t say anything that has a harsh implied meaning, which will have the defender go on the defensive and make them less willing to listen to you. 2) Don’t yell at them. No matter how unbelievably angry you are at something someone did, don’t yell at them, except in life-or-death situations. Yelling at someone not only is extremely rude to that person, but also makes them more likely to go on the defensive. If the person that you want to get to change is on the defensive, then they will never want to agree with you. Make sure that what you are saying is true and sounds appealing to that person. If you yell at them, they will not ever feel that what you are saying is appealing. 3) Listen to what that person has to say. When trying to get someone to change their habits, you need to understand how the other person feels, that way you can better understand how that person thinks, which will help you to show them your point of view. By listening to someone, the encounter will feel more like a discussion, and you may learn something yourself from the way that person thinks.

Daniel Scott

Dear freshman student,

If you’re just starting as a freshman, my best advice for everything about ib and high school in general, is to not give up. Yes, I realize it sounds like a cringy, cheesy kitten motivational poster that usually elementary guidance counselors decorate their walls with. This program is really challenging, and will most likely make you regret going with it, when you’re doing Allison’s STNT at night instead of sleeping. However, you get used to it, by not giving up the first week. If you keep going in the program, it eventually gets easier.

Sophomore year itself is so much easier than freshman since you’re conditioned by then. Junior year will again hit you like a train, but it’s ok. Freshman year was like being hit with a truck, so you are used to the feeling. By then, you might as well finish the whole program since you are halfway through. And senior year is when you can relax again, well more than you could in junior year. Overall the years, the main thing that helps you get through this program is to have the determination to not let it overwhelm you, so much so that you lose reason as to why you came here in the first place. So, don’t give up, you’ll most likely regret it.

Grades in the long run don’t matter that much. I say this cautiously, so don’t just go failing quizzes because you didn’t want to study for it. What I’m trying to say is that one C on a test won’t ruin your whole high school career; you’ll still go to college. My extremist mind thought like that in freshman year and that caused a lot of stress, as one can imagine. The correct mindset is to review what you did wrong and what you should do to change your grade. If it’s a test, ask your teachers for a makeup or just study harder or differently. If it’s an assignment, just do better on the next one to contradict that one. Colleges don’t just look at grades, but at everything else too-clubs, gpa, and volunteer hours.

General advice for classes you’ll have: For Allison, actually do the STNT’s, despite how long and gross they are. They’re actually helpful. Time management is really helpful skill to learn, if you want to be able to sleep in high school. Teachers don’t really like you sleeping in class, I don’t suggest sleeping in Frisbie’s. Procrastination is going to happen, can’t fight it, you just have to learn how to manage with that habit. Hope this helps,

Jessica Loaiza