Dear freshmen:
As an IB student, I have a lot of experience in being an IB student. For this reason, I will use this short ‘letter’ to transmit my knowledge straight from my prefrontal cortex into Ms. Frisbie’s database, where it can be stored in a server to be digitally beamed to your blue-light eye-feeders years later to be processed from bytes to photons through cone cells into neural pathways, where it will be interpreted from lines into letters into words into meaning at a rate of 180 words per minute (or less if you’ve been spending a little too much free time on Roblox). This elegant dance of knowledge and information will take place through mankind’s most pristine and perfect form of transmitting knowledge: a numbered list.
Firstly: have friends. Although it will technically stop you from being an IB Nerd, the benefit is worth the loss of honor. Friends can help you with your homework, play Minecraft with you, remind you to do your homework, tell you good morning occasionally, and even, you guessed it, do your homework (just kidding, don’t do that). Overall, I would rate friendship as a solid 9/10.
Secondly: sleep. I know, they might as well kick you out at that point, but trust me, as long as you do a good job of hiding your glorious seven hours of rest from your friends, you can avoid being socially exiled. (Be sure to fake a yawn every once in a while to make it convincing). Some benefits of sleeping include:
– You become slightly less depressed.
– You might actually remember what happens in class.
– Your brain will probably develop better or something. I don’t know. I’m not a neurologist.
Thirdly: do homework early, this will help you complete #2 and will overall make your existence suck less. When you ignore me and save literally every assignment for the last minute, remember: I told you so! After you’ve remembered that, convert every ounce of pain and suffering you went through into a thick oil of determination that you will set ablaze the next time your teacher gives you two weeks to do an assignment.
Fourthly (the secret bonus advice that nobody was expecting): Prioritize. Imagine the scenario: it’s near the end of semester one. Your first-quarter grades for math and English are 74% and 92%, respectively. Your second quarter-grades for math and English are 85% and 94%, respectively. If you have both math and English homework with only enough time to do one of them, then you’ll obviously pick English because you clearly suck at math, and all these numbers will be meaningless when you apply for your second job working at McDonald’s… is what I would say if I were a pessimistic loser! Your semester average for math is 79.5%, while your semester average for English is 93%. Your 93% in English can survive one or two sloppy assignments, but that 79.5% is currently on life support and needs immediate attention.
Now that your little meat brains have been stuffed to the brim with precious information, I will go to sleep. On the off chance that someone actually reads this, good job! You’ve officially put in more effort into preparing for IB than I ever did. Goodbye, farewell, and enjoy your all-nighters.
Lucas Auto
Dear freshmen,
I want to start by saying congrats for deciding to come to IB, and I hope the transition from middle school to high school has been going well. Looking back as a junior now, I can confidently say that choosing to be a part of this program has been one of the wisest decisions I’ve made. I’m not even completely done with the program, but it’s already taught me lessons that I wouldn’t have learned if I had gone to a regular high school, like GJ or LHS. While the benefits might not seem obvious right now, trust me, they’ll become clear in the long run—and they’ll be incredibly rewarding. IB doesn’t just teach you to persevere; it also teaches you other skills such as time management and balancing multiple responsibilities. These are the very skills that you’ll need for college and beyond. I’ve seen this firsthand with my brother—his time in IB made his college experience smoother than most other college students as he was already familiar with how to handle pressure, manage his time, and persevere even when things got tough. Also, I feel better knowing that putting myself through this rigorous program will set me up better for college. During high school we have the support of our parents and have them to lean on; whereas, struggling in college would be much harder as we would be living away from our parents for the first time in a completely new environment, and adjusting to the new independent lifestyle. Ultimately, what I’m trying to say is that IB is a rewarding program, so make it easier for yourself (I will get to this later) and don’t drop out as it’s a strong urge you will deal with throughout your time here, especially towards the end of your sophomore year.
As overwhelming as IB can seem, there are numerous things you can do to make your time in IB more manageable. You’ll probably notice that the tips I’m about to give appear in nearly every one of my classmates’ reflections, whether you’ve read any already or will read in the future, indicating how crucial they genuinely are. The first piece of advice I want to share is to never procrastinate, and as obvious as it sounds, we all sometimes fail to follow it (myself included). Getting an assignment done right when it’s assigned is going to make your life easier throughout IB, especially when it comes time for the bigger assignments such as writing your IAs (like your Math IA that you’ll be writing with Mrs. Frisbie). IA’s are the type of assignments you don’t want to procrastinate on because you’ll want to put your best work forward since they actually count toward your IB diploma. Not procrastinating can also produce better outcomes on your tests, as studying throughout the unit is more effective than cramming the night before, which often results in sleep deprivation (another topic I will address later). However, I don’t always follow my own advice. There have been many instances when I ended up studying the night before a test, and I always regretted it afterward.
This ties right into my next topic: sleep deprivation. Everyone always talks about how they had to pull an all-nighter to study for a test, or to finish a book assigned for English class, but personally, I’ve never had to pull one or even stay up past 12. It’s never worth it to stay up just to finish an assignment or study, because it affects your ability to learn the next day. You won’t be able to retain information as well as you would after getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep. On a side note, if you ever need to take a break, just take one. Don’t let the guilt of not being productive get in the way, as it’s something I’ve constantly dealt with. If you ignore taking breaks, you’ll risk burning out in the long run.
Lastly and most importantly, make sure to surround yourself with good people. For me, finding a supportive group of friends has made navigating through IB much more manageable. Everyone is going through the same challenges, and having friends who are helping and understanding makes things a lot easier. These friendships will grow into unbreakable bonds that might even carry into college, as many of us will likely end up going to the same colleges.
With all things said, make sure to make time for life outside of IB, and don’t make everything about schoolwork. After all, these are four fun years of your life that you’ll never get back.
Good Luck,
Ishita Patel
Dear future student,
IB is probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever unwillingly participated in. However, I reluctantly feel like it in its ups and downs is a worthwhile experience which is 100% worth sticking through. I personally believe that success in IB can be attained through good time management, making friends, doing things you enjoy, and setting goals. IB survival will help you in a multitude of ways, it’s a great way to prepare yourself for college and will also boost your chances of getting into excellent colleges. If nothing else it will traumatize you (figuratively, you’re going to be fine) into improving yourself and your academic strengths. Despite how hard IB and general high school can be, don’t stress it too much, just do what’s best for you and your best.
Time management is really important to your IB success. As the years go by IB is going to throw more at you and what you do in your free time will matter. Don’t overwork yourself doing a bunch of stuff to look good for colleges or to your parents. It’ll just stress yourself out and take away from time you could spend enjoying being alive. If you want to pass IB and accomplish a lot, make sure you create a system for getting things done that works for you. Personally, what works for me is taking time at home when I get home to take a break and relax, then jumping into my work starting for what I want to do the least or what will take longest. This works for me because it lets me spend at least some time unwinding and after I finish the worst of my work it’s an uphill battle. Moreover, if a teacher assigns something to do it immediately, procrastination just stresses you out. Setting goals can also be helpful, I’d recommend setting big and small goals throughout the years to structure what you want to accomplish. These goals should be flexible, don’t let them hold you back instead of pushing you forward.
Being an academic weapon or boosting your GPA is important, it’s not worth much if you’re miserable. When joining clubs and picking classes explore what you love, not things that you feel will make you look good. Don’t try to be what you’re not for your GPA. If you like art or music or film, do that. Always make time to do the things you enjoy; it’ll be your lifeline when IB gets stressful. If you can find ways to add your hobbies to school life, do it. There are plenty of clubs, like BHS art club, where you can do hobby-based activities and get community service. Enjoying yourself and building a strong resume don’t have to be separate, in fact you should be doing both. Relationships are also important. Make sure you have good friends who like you, and that you like. Hang out or talk to them regularly. IB is more fun when someone else is suffering alongside you. Also being nice to your teachers is great. Remember all the work they give you is more work for them too. Be considerate and don’t ruin their lives, it’ll help you in the future. All the IB teachers are great too, they are very understanding. If you really need something, just ask.
That’s all I have to say, good luck. Don’t quit, your classmates will miss you.
Lindiwe Collins
The advice that I would give is to completely understand the material before moving on. Some classes are fast paced in terms of topics, and missing one day means missing crucial information about a topic. The notes and study guides are really beneficial in terms of memorizing and understanding problems. However, some notes and study guides do not show the reasons for the steps, so they are less effective depending on the understanding of the topic. One way to help with this problem is to act like explaining to a friend. Explaining shows the degree of understanding to the problems and identifies how thorough the explanation is.
I would say that the major issue in transitioning to high school is the sleep schedules. The change from 8am starting time to 7am is quite drastic for people that stay up late. Being sleep deprived will make every day not as enjoyable, and the afternoon naps would make people feel unproductive. Sometimes due to the amount of homework, the naps are skipped to meet deadlines. This results in being exhausted for days and missing out the attention for classwork.
One aspect of IB that I really enjoy is the community. As people leave the program over time, the community becomes closely knitted. Everyone knows each other to some extent and helps out with each other. Sometimes, slowing down and enjoying the time makes the experience worthwhile. Being in IB means pursuing one’s own goals in life, but also experiencing the struggles together as a community.
Belinda Zheng
Dear Freshman,
Congratulations on making your decision to enter the IB Program! I hope this program guides you to determine which aspirations you want to pursue and what opportunities you feel will be best for your future. Luckily, as you enter your Pre-IB courses, your teachers tend to ease you into the program, allowing you to become accustomed to the rigor. Below is some advice and information about what to expect that I have learned through my journey of IB, and I hope this can be of use to you all.
Undoubtedly, your workload with IB will be significantly more demanding and intense than previous work you have done in school or what you see your peers from other schools doing. Ultimately, IB is equipping you with the skills, adaptability, and work ethic that may be demanded from you when you enter college or the workforce, preparing you for success when you enter these environments.
The IB program does require some sacrifices to be made, however. You must recognize that eventually, you will have to do homework on the weekend if you do not already do so. That does not mean that every weekend of yours will be packed with 12 hours of homework and no social time, but you may need to spend more time on homework on the weekends than you are used to doing. There may be times you may not be able to go to social events or activities as well due to the workload, but that is a realistic sacrifice that may have to be made. Ensure you are not continuously neglecting your social life, however, as balance is essential as well.
Regarding procrastination, I can’t just say to never procrastinate, as that would be hypocritical of me and realistically, everyone in IB procrastinates to an extent. What I will tell you is that you should reflect on how you use your time. Find balance between work and leisure. Take breaks but don’t take too long of them in that they significantly minimize your time to complete important schoolwork. If you do end up procrastinating, be smart about how you decide to use your remaining time. Be aware of deadlines, time and effort required for assignments, and the weight of the assignment to your grade. Although you shouldn’t strive to consistently rank and sacrifice the work for your classes, prioritize effectively if needed and be on top of your responsibilities, minimizing last-minute scrambles.
Sleep is crucial in IB. On average, I feel most students in IB (or my grade at least), receive 6 hours of sleep a night, which I emphasize to be a minimum number of hours you should be obtaining, especially during your freshman year at least. If you don’t have any other homework to do on a school night and are contemplating either scrolling through social media or sleeping, choose sleep. Sleep is important for maintaining focus and mental health, allowing one to recharge and be rejuvenated for the next day.
You may have heard the horror stories of dozens of all-nighters IB students supposedly pull; in my experience, these situations arise from severe procrastination in students, which I too have fallen victim to at times. In my three years of IB, I have had no more than five nights probably where I received 1-3 hours of sleep in one night. The number of instances of my almost “all-nighters” are not too bad in my opinion. It is important to realize that some late nights are unavoidable, but often can be controlled by mitigating extreme procrastination. Establishing a routine that enables you to prioritize sleep allows you to be on top of your schoolwork and be better prepared in balancing any challenges that may arise.
As a freshman, I was eager to join numerous clubs. Ultimately, I did not stay in those clubs long-term and ended up being more involved in clubs I am passionate about in my second semester of sophomore year. I advise you all to not get overly excited about joining every single club on campus that you think will make you stand out to colleges. Identify what you feel passionate about and join clubs that target those areas. Colleges will be more impressed if you show or write about your passion, commitment, and experiences you gained from these long-term extracurricular activities. Generally, I recommend joining 1-2 community service-oriented clubs, 1-3 competitive clubs, and any other clubs should emphasize your deep passion and commitment for those clubs. Community service clubs are great opportunities to obtain numerous hours that are essential to earn early on before you get swamped with schoolwork and other commitments later on. Many students in IB also like to engage in competitive clubs especially targeted in their passions/career aspirations, for example math for Mu Alpha Theta and business/entrepreneurship for DECA. They allow for insight/involvement in a certain field and also emphasize to colleges the prestige and commitment you have towards the topic through awards or accolades you may earn in competitions.
The most rewarding aspect of IB, in my opinion, is the friendships you will form. We are a family with our peers as we go through the experiences and struggles of IB together. Although we are all unique and different in our own experiences, we will forever be bonded by the time we shared in IB, facilitating lifelong friendships built on supporting each other through the tough times. I often describe IB as being like a cosine function, starting off well some weeks, but having tough, stressful weeks that make you feel like you are plummeting to all-time lows. Your peers in IB however are experiencing these waves as well, though, and you are able to get through them together. It is also important to foster a united and inclusive setting with your grade level. Often many grade levels begin branching out into certain cliques and excluding many. You are all on this journey together, and it is valuable to reach outside of your friend groups and interact with new peers. Ultimately, uniting as a grade level now allows for avoiding messy drama or divisions that are immature and unnecessary.
It’s equally important to acknowledge that ups and downs may occur with your peers as well. It’s a part of growing up and learning how to be mature and grow. Recognize what positive influences you enjoy surrounding yourself with and who uplifts and supports you when times are tough. IB is not easy, and I don’t recommend surrounding yourself with people that make IB and social life ten times harder. Although it is important to recognize the unity you all share through your experience in IB, distance from negative influences is perfectly okay if needed to maintain your mental health and well-being.
This is advice I have gathered from my time in IB. There have been numerous ups and downs, but I have had so many learning experiences that enabled me to feel better prepared for life academically and socially. Your time in IB won’t be perfect. There will be countless opportunities for learning experiences; however, don’t limit yourself when you enter the program. Step outside of your comfort zone, learn from your mistakes, and I believe you will grow to be a better and more well-rounded person than when you entered the program.
Best Wishes and Good Luck!
Danielle Howell
Dear underclassmen,
Congratulations! No matter when you read this, I am sure that you have achieved something great that is worth celebrating. After all, you are here in IB, and pushing through everyday is something you should be proud of. I’m Phoenix, and I’m currently a junior in IB. Now, this is the second time I have been tasked with disseminating some of my little knowledge onto you, and honestly, I am glad I can redeem myself because – I’m not going to lie – last year’s essay was a little weird. But that’s okay; now, there is just more room for change, growth, and more wise words. For example, the first change is that I won’t try to fancify my words because last time I sounded like a weirdo; I’m just speaking my truth like you should as well. Now, to me, the perfect way to give these words some direction and purpose sounds like a thesis. For the countless papers you will write, crafting a sound thesis is really key and worth some good points. One thesis might go something like this: IB has provided me with valuable experiences that can be translated into advice and wisdom to be imparted amongst my peers such as things to do and ways of life. In retrospect, that probably doesn’t work that well but it’s okay – 11:59 is getting a little too close and the point comes across so let’s get started.
Okay. “Things to do,” what does that mean? These are some valuable skills and experiences to have and do that can benefit you not just in IB, but in life as well. Honestly, there really is no structure to this, which leads to flexibility, and flexibility is important. A-ha! I’m so wise. I think that you’ll find flexibility and being able to adapt to the things that come your way can really improve how life seems to come at you. Think about it, there is so much stress that can stem from feeling like matters are out of your control. While many times they can be, you are always in control of you. So, if you choose to adapt to changes and find the positives, like when multiple test days change to the same day or sudden homework comes up when you already had plans, then you’ll never be sad. Maybe this goes into “ways of life” more? Oops. Actually, if I rename this paragraph as “ways of life,” then I’ll have a really good segue into the next point. Okay. The second way of life, or just like mentality that could be useful in having, at least sometimes, is being nonchalant. This is related to adapting to see the positives because when you aren’t so upset by things, you can become more relaxed. I think sometimes, we’re all a little dramatic, so we can tend to complain a lot. But I’ve noticed that when people just say, “it’s okay,” any initial stress tends to melt away. Anything stressful or a new challenge is not something that you cannot overcome, so don’t get caught up in the details and just sail over it. Fear is the entrapment of the mind, so just don’t let yourself get trapped. Ooh. Ahh. This section boils down to trusting that that things will turn out okay because you have to ability to change and overcome, while not creating negativity by complaining excessively. Many of the things affecting you are also affecting your peers, and over-dramaticism can stack up and take away your aura.
Now that I cleared away some of the abstract ideas, I can actually talk about the real tips and tricks that I have. First, respect everyone. Especially when it comes to teachers and elders, showing respect is important; not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it shows who you are as a person. Some examples off the top of my head is putting your head down or doing other teachers’ work in class. I am definitely guilty of doing these things too, but at least keep it in the back of your mind that our teachers work hard to manage and prepare valuable lessons for us, so their time is worthy of our respect. Second, be communicative. I love talking, and through school and life, I’ve gotten many opportunities to talk in front of groups of people or for parts of my grade. I’ve found that confidence and engagement with those you are communicating with is so just fun. Particularly in IB, communication is important because your batch is only going to get smaller. Since freshman year, I’ve seen my go from clique-y to family over these three years. I really do feel like we’re just one group and there’s not really borders between groups. I will say though that finding the line between confidence and arrogance is hard, well only if you are arrogant, I guess. Please be humble. Don’t brag about making a higher test grade without studying in your little Telegram group chats. Everyone is doing what they’re doing, so just try to boost each other up. Similarly, don’t be stingy and help your peers. Do not cheat. But, teamwork will really get you through this program. So, give advice and it’s asked for and be ready to impart some of your knowledge unto others.
And with that, I say good luck! I could come up with a real meaningful and impactful conclusion but… it’s okay. I’m being nonchalant. In all seriousness, you will have many obstacles thrown at you, but the right mindset and friends can make them but small bumps in the road. Erggh, now I’m getting a little anxiety that this is TOO informal. I really don’t write like this normally I swear. This is too many demonstratives and contractions for me. I sound like a nerd, but hey, focusing on grammar stuff is good for Mr. Guice so it’s okay.
Thanks, mwah,
Phoenix Adraneda
Dear Future Students,
While you progress through school you might be discouraged. People may emphasize the difficulties of the road ahead, stressing how hard you will have to work and your future sleepless nights. Some of these people may say it out of concern for you, some say it maliciously, to stress you, and even more will say it in remembrance of their own high school experience. While these words are partially true, they do not paint the full picture. Will you have to work hard? Yes, you will. You will probably have a few sleepless nights as well. However there are also fun times ahead.
Through working together with classmates you will find ways to lift one another up. You might gain an understanding on a topic by talking with a classmate. More so, through this working together, you will be able to bond with classmates, forming new friendships. Though it may be difficult, you will not be alone. Teachers and friends will be there to help you. Do the best you can and don’t stress yourself by focusing on the bad, remember that for every problem there is a solution and for every negative there is a positive.
Really, what I am saying, is not to needlessly stress yourself out. If you can’t do anything about an issue there is no use spending time and energy stressing about it. Alternatively, when you can take action, do so instead of spending time anxious. I promise, it is better to get it over and done with then to constantly worry about it. If you need help solving an issue, you can always ask for it from your classmates and teachers. It may not seem like it, but everybody has had struggles somewhere. Teachers are understanding, they know what it is like to have a problem and they want to help you. Whenever you have a question or issue, remember it never hurts to ask. All in all, instead of worrying day and night, take action to solve your problems.
Matilda Varner
Dear Freshman,
You have entered the IB program and high school. Both of those things can be challenging in so many ways. When I first entered the IB program three years ago now I underestimated the difficulty and rigor of this program. I personally had never had any difficulty with school until I got to IB. School just came naturally to me. Freshman year for me was a big wake up call to how difficult school could be. Many of my classmates say that things didn’t really get difficult until Sophomore year but for me it was difficult from the start. Throughout middle school I never had to study, do extra work, ask questions, I just sort of got it. Though this may not be everyone’s experience many of my peers have said they had a similar experience. I struggled a lot my freshman year and most of the reason why is because I didn’t know how to study, and I didn’t want to teach myself I expected to just get it eventually. That mentality is very wrong, studying properly is a very important skill in this program. A lot of information gets thrown at you in this program and you must be able to memorize and thoroughly understand it very quickly. Learning how and actually studying has benefitted me immensely throughout my years at IB,
All of my teachers from Freshman year have since left so I cannot give advice on classes specifically, but I would still like to give some advice on classes overall. First, when choosing electives if you really care about your GPA make sure you only take honors, Pre-IB, AP, or IB level classes, those classes are weighed out of 4.5 and 5.0 and will help to boost your GPA. Regular classes are scaled out of 4.0 and will bring your weighted GPA down even if you get a 100%. Also don’t stress yourself with AP classes your first year if you’re not ready. My freshman year both of my electives were AP classes (AP Environmental Science and AP Human Geography) and it didn’t end well. I was very stressed out all year, did not process the material well, and scored poorly on the actual AP exam. As for core classes my biggest advice is too study, study, study and ask questions when you don’t understand even if it seems stupid it’s better to sound stupid than to not know what you’re doing.
Academics are not the only struggle in High school. High school itself is a brand new world in comparison to middle school. My first piece of advice on this is stay organized. Learn to balance your school work, with community service, extracurricular activities, friendships, and sleep. Especially sleep, sleep is something that throughout this program can become pretty scarce but don’t forget that you need it. Another thing to note is to just be yourself no one really cares what you wear, who you’re friends with, a big misconception about high school as that people are gonna judge and bully you left and right but no one really cares, so just be yourself. Also choose your friends wisely make sure you surround yourself with people you actually like who will be there for you and who you can talk to. To summarize, ask questions, study, stay organized and balanced, and make sure you get some sleep. Good Luck!
Reese Akre-Smith
Starting International Baccalaureate (IB) is an exciting, yet sometimes overwhelming, experience. As an incoming freshman, you may feel a mix of motivation and nervousness—wondering how you are going to balance schoolwork, social life, and do so swiftly. Trust me, you’re not alone! Every new student faces these challenges, but with a little guidance and time, you’ll quickly find your pace and excel. In this essay, I’ll share some valuable advice on how to thrive during your first year, advice that I feel was helpful to overcoming the obstacle that IB is, from managing your time for academics to maintaining your self care through the process.
Starting High School can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to managing your time. The transition often comes with a growing feel of independence, and with that, a greater amount of responsibility. The key to thriving as a freshman is learning how to balance your academics in a timely manner while avoiding some common pitfalls that many new students face. My first piece of advice is that as a freshman, you will experience the flood of multiple responsibilities, from class work to community service hours and to hanging out with friends. You will want to do everything at once, but learning to prioritize certain work is key. Focus on what work needs to be done immediately and thoroughly and invest your time in that before choosing other activities. Personally for me, Literature and reading was always a tougher subject and because of that I often left it for last knowing that once I got to that assignment I would be exhausted; It wasn’t until I started doing the work first, when I had more energy and attentiveness, that my grades started improving and it slowly become a strong subject for me. So, it’s important to note that core subjects that are your weaker subjects are the most deserving of your time. Prioritize the work that you know you need to improve on.
One of the biggest pitfalls a freshmen will face is procrastination. In no time you will slowly figure out that there is no one there to remind you of deadlines and it becomes easy to put off assignments for “later”. As a Junior, I can tell you that this only causes unnecessary stress and decent work. A way you can overcome procrastination is by breaking larger tasks into smaller, timely tasks and having a deadline for each. During your first year it is important to develop good study habits that you will continue to implement into your upcoming years. You will feel pressure from the constant busyness, but don’t forget that taking care of yourself is just as important as academics. The biggest advice I can give you is to sleep. Sleep is so incredibly important and necessary for your work. No matter what assignment is due or what terms you need to study, nothing is more important than sleeping a healthy amount. It is acceptable to sacrifice an hour from your sleep occasionally, but it is unacceptable to be pulling an all-nighter or multiple in a week, although if your time is managed properly, these incidents will become rare. Time management isn’t just about getting everything done; it’s about doing so in a way that keeps you healthy and happy. When you feel overwhelmed and want to give up on your work, remember IB is tough and rigorous, it’s not meant to be easy, and almost all your classmates feel the same pressure. Just slowly find what strategies work best for you, talk to your support system and persevere to reach the finish line.
Brianna Alvarado
Dear freshmen,
As I am writing this, it is currently 6 pm on a Sunday. I have 4 essay assignments, 3 scholarship letters, 2 college applications, and 1 FLVS test that I have yet to do. Every time I’ve written an essay like this, I’ve preached the importance of not procrastinating, but I have come to realize that I will never take my own advice—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. No matter how hard I try, I always push things till the last second, and I’ve been trying to figure out why for four years. That’s not to say I’ve done poorly in any measure, but just to preface that my advice is not perfect and just a reflection of what I believe makes the ideal student.
In hindsight, freshman year was a breeze; however, the jarring adjustment into the habit of having to study for a test, struggle with homework, or even put in effort for class is a big shift for many. Coming from McKeel, I was not used to any of those things, so I struggled more than some others. Many of you guys will be exactly like me—and you will initially crawl through IB before you can walk. It is a demoralizing experience to get your first bad grade on a test—but I believe it is necessary; everyone needs an experience to show them the worth of studying—the worth of effort. For many people, such as myself, that is not too far off from failure.
Sophomore year, in my opinion, is the best year. The homework load is incredibly light, the tests are easy, and the teachers are very lax. By this time, you will know how to study for tests, how to be efficient with your work, and be comfortable with the amount of effort you are willing to put in. All I can say for this year is to enjoy it as much as you can. Go to the Friday fests, and the Christmas Parades, and go out on weekdays.
The second semester of junior year is when stress starts to build. You will start having multiple long nights in a row where you try to finish assignments minutes before they are due. However, it is imperative that you find time to start taking your ACT/SATs. The summer after junior year is the perfect time to study your chosen test, so it would be better to have finalized which test you will stick to.
Senior year will make you realize that you cannot have everything. You realize that time is finite and there is only so much that you can do. I’ve had to skip tennis practice, the gym, and school festivals to finish college applications and scholarship submissions. The most important skill to have developed by this point is prioritization. You will not be able to accomplish everything, so choose what matters the most to you.
The closer I get to the end of the first semester, I realize that I am getting closer to the point where I will start visiting my parents and sister instead of living with them. I’ve begun to reorganize my priority list as well and move my time with my family closer to the top. Today I spent the day watching movies with my family and procrastinated homework till 6 pm, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I know that I will never take my own advice, but I hope that this is the exception.
When you enter IB, try to find your balance and make sure that you do not lose sight of everything once you get caught up in this rat race.
Sincerely,
Abir Bhushan
Assuming you’ve already taken Ms. Frisbie’s Pre-Calculus class, you should know the norm as well. Her class is difficult, but she teaches in a manner that makes ANY subject easy to understand. Ms. Frisbie can be very scary at times especially when you aren’t paying attention, but she’s actually really swag and cool. Sometimes when you struggle with a subject, you can ask Ms. Frisbie for explanations because she’s the all-knowing and she knows everything (if you haven’t noticed she has a REALLY strong memory). The internal assessments that we authored developed into something immeasurably more than we could have ever envisioned. Although I did not sleep after writing the IA because I procrastinated – it was really fun doing research for a subject that you’d like to do.
How to keep a good grade in Ms. Frisbie: Keep turning things in as you have the power in your hands to absolutely fail Ms. Frisbie’s class or get a massive win. Make sure you turn in your calc-IA and have fun with it. Don’t rely on the smart guy too much and do your own work because sometimes he might be wrong [Ethan], and the main cause for it might be that they want to quit IB and just gave up doing HW at home and whatnot, which I’ve observed is what he [Ethan] is in the process of right now.
How to check on the morale and wellbeing of other students: This year compared to freshman year or sophomore year, the amount of “I want to quit IB” and suicide jokes has increased tremendously by almost everyone in group chats and regular day-to-day talk. What does this mean? It means that they’re not doing so hot 👎. But it is excepted as it increases exponentially from freshman to seniors in IB from what I’ve observed. If anyone actually tries to leave IB, you have to harass them back into IB or reconsider leaving, we CANNOT lose any more people bruh and your friends are the sole reason why IB is a cool place to be. Anyways, good luck and have fun. (👉ﾟヮﾟ)👉
Jason Zheng
Dear Freshman,
Welcome to IB! It’s an exciting and challenging program that’s different from what you might be used to. The most important thing you’ll need to succeed here is good time management. You’ve probably heard this advice before, and you’ll hear it again, but that’s because it’s the truth. Managing your time well makes all the difference. When you get home, start your homework and try to finish whatever you can, even if it’s not due the next day. The only exception is large projects that need more time to plan out. Trust me, staying ahead on your work will save you a lot of late nights and stress. I didn’t always follow this advice, and it was not worth it.
But IB isn’t just about schoolwork. You’ll meet some of the best people in this program, as well as some who might drive you a little crazy. Somehow, both types of people will become your friends. Having a good group of friends is really important in IB because they help you stay grounded and motivated when things get tough. It’s also important to find balance. While academics are important, you don’t have to give up your social life. It’s okay to hang out with friends and enjoy yourself sometimes. Make an effort to keep in touch with friends from other schools too; don’t let IB cut you off from them. Those connections are valuable, and spending time with them can help you recharge.
Another big tip is to put real effort into your work. It sounds obvious, but staying focused and trying your best makes everything easier. The program isn’t impossible, but there will be tough moments—especially when multiple assignments or exams hit at once. That’s why it’s so important to get into a routine early on. Once you’re used to keeping up with your work, it feels less overwhelming. Everyone goes through burnout in IB, so don’t feel like you’re alone. When that happens, having good friends around can really help. Talk to your teachers too — they’re there to support you and will always listen if you’re struggling.
To sum it all up: stay ahead on your work, find good friends who motivate and support you, and remember to have fun. IB isn’t easy, but with the right mindset, it’s manageable.
Sincerely,
Niva Patel
Starting as a new freshman in high school, whether you are at IB, Bartow, or Summerlin, is a big challenge and it can be difficult to figure out how to balance a new workload, social life, and extracurriculars. As a Junior who is halfway through the year, I still find it difficult at times, but what has helped me most was taking a step back and analyzing where my priorities lie between the three. Your own value you place between your extracurriculars, school, and social life are not always going to be the same as your peers and that is ok. There are going to be people more dedicated to their schoolwork, are in more clubs than they can count, or seem to always be out with friends and have a never-ending social network and that is just because different people will value different parts of their high school lives more. Personally, I saw my values and priorities drastically shift between sophomore and junior year when I realized they were not what was best for me. School and academic success should be your main focus for the next four years; however, failing to invest in extracurriculars and a strong network of support via your social life can be a major misstep.
Regarding how to best succeed if I were a freshman again, I would say to start habits early. There are times whereas a freshman you genuinely may not need to take notes, study, or not do your homework till the last second possible, but you are in a position where you have the leeway and lack of complete responsibility to where you can figure out what works and does not work for you for the coming years. Do not be afraid to fail during freshman year because you are trying new strategies and methods for studying or balancing your time as this is the point where you can learn without lasting repercussions, which is not so true as you go through high school. Figuring out what works for you is crucial; moreover, get in the habit of studying, and taking notes all of the time. It doesn’t matter what way helps you the most or if you feel you need to take notes or study, that is not the point. What is important is that you have the habit of always doing those two things for when you get to sophomore or junior year, and you begin to always need to study and take notes. Already knowing what works for you and being in the habit of doing these things can help you so, so much in terms of academic success.
Extracurriculars are key to college admissions, but the most important part is that you are in clubs or sports that you genuinely enjoy. Being in many clubs just because you feel it will help down the line on a resume is not as beneficial as you may think. Joining a couple in freshman year and then cutting out the ones that you don’t like to pursue a greater level of involvement in the clubs that you are passionate about not only looks better on a college application but will make you much happier throughout high school. Clubs can go in tandem with building a strong social community as they are a great starting point to meeting many of your peers, especially in IB where the population is pulled from so many different schools. Volunteering, going to a club event or meeting, or just being invited somewhere are all great opportunities that should be taken. Having the perspective that any time that isn’t spent working on school can harm you quickly as taking breaks and spending time with others can be the motivation and boost you need to be able to do even better in your schoolwork.
Abigail Jennings
After going through the IB program for almost four years, I’ve learned many things that all IB students should know. Some of these things include getting work in on time and learning different studying techniques. For a freshman just starting in IB, I recommend keeping track of all your assignments somewhere, whether this is done through the means of a planner or reminders. I personally recommend using an app, such as TimeTree, that allows you to use it as a calendar/planner that constantly send reminders. Another recommendation I have is to learn many study techniques. These can vary from using flashcards to creating study guides. Along with this, using spaced repetition is very useful when trying to study.
Some pitfalls I have faced is the accumulation of work due to having missing work. Missing an assignment tends to create a snowball effect where you are constantly trying to catch up with work all the way up to the end of the quarter. To avoid this, I recommend keeping on top of all your assignments by doing them right after school ends or whenever you have free time. Another pitfall I have faced is being so caught up with all my schoolwork that I forget to have a life outside of school. It is important to find things you like outside of school such as sports and other activities. You want to make sure you have a balanced school and work life.
The most important class and deserving of the most study in my opinion would have to be chemistry. In chemistry, there’s a lot of memorizations of different formulas and trends that take a while to get down. Once you move on to AP and IB Chemistry it becomes significantly more difficult. Questions are asked that tend to provide more information than needed. It is also very difficult to use logic to solve problems. If I had to choose a second class that deserves a significant amount of study, I would pick calculus. Very similarly to chemistry, it has several formulas that need to be memorized. Questions in calculus are also very difficult to digest and be able to come to a solution for.
Emmanuel Molina-Orillac
Dear Incoming Freshman,
Welcome to the International Baccalaureate program at Bartow Senior High School! You’re about to start on of the most challenging, yet rewarding phases in your life up to now. On top of entering into your first year of high school, you’re also entering into a rigorous program designed to prepare you for college and beyond. You already knew this was going to be challenging when you signed up for IB, but getting a good understanding of what really is going to push you in the next four years will pay dividends in avoiding stress and unnecessary problems on top of your school work. As a junior and someone in the official IB Diploma Programme, I hope to be able to use my experiences, both successes and failures, to instruct you on how to thrive in your time in IB at Bartow.
The best starting advice I can give is to stay on top of your work. At some point, sooner or later, you’ll run into the problem of procrastination as you struggle to balance your workload. You may have struggled with this in middle school; if so, now is the time to really hone in on mitigating your procrastination. A small amount is natural, as different due dates will lend themselves to different focuses at different times. Procrastinating frequently can severely impact your academic performance and health though. In most cases, procrastination can be dealt with pretty easily. Once you get home, do your work as soon as you can, then do whatever else you need to do (sleep, eat, chores). Admittedly, extracurriculars and other time commitments can make this become more challenging to deal with. Personally, it was a huge learning curve when I was in marching band during freshman year. Staying after school frequently or doing sports can make managing your schoolwork more complicated. That is not to say you can’t do them. You should be doing stuff you enjoy to offset some of the more boring/tedious parts of school. What you shouldn’t do is overcommit yourself. Freshman year is a good time to just do maybe a couple things, like a club or sport, so that you don’t overwork yourself. Enjoying your experience is really vital in surviving IB. There are many extremely smart people that have struggled, not because they couldn’t take the heat intellectually, but because they basically believed they could do more and ought to do more than they were actually capable of handling. Another part of staying on top of things so that you can enjoy your time in IB is to study often. While counterintuitive, studying is going to take a lot – not all, but a lot – of stress off your mind. Getting study time in, even just fifteen minutes to half an hour for all subjects, does wonders not only for your grades but also for your confidence and attitude towards school. Studying last minute can really ruin ability to put forth your best effort, especially if you stayed up the night before doing it, so doing your best to space out study time some time in advance is a good goal to shoot for.
With all that said, the most important thing to do in IB is to enjoy your time. Sometimes you’re going to have to sacrifice some free time for school work or important things, but don’t let school take over your life completely. There are others in IB going through the same things you are, and building bonds between classmates is going to benefit you so long as you don’t get mixed with the wrong crowd. Sometimes you’re going to put off work just a bit to spend time with friends. As long as that isn’t the norm, doing that from time to time can help you destress and remember that you’re not just in IB to prepare for college and future careers; you’re also in high school to grow and mature before you have to stand alone on your own two feet. If you don’t already have any friends going into high school, I wouldn’t worry too much. Being an active student will get you to meet new people and form bonds with like-minded individuals, so just try to be a good person and a good student, and you’ll attract good friends. If you start to struggle in IB, ask friends, teachers, administrators, family members, and/or anybody willing to help. The people around you probably want to support you in this new endeavor, so your best bet is to let them. You’ll struggle plenty in IB, without a doubt. If that’s not what you wanted, then IB probably wasn’t the fit for you. That struggle is not alone, however. You also get to learn, grow, adapt, meet new people, challenge yourself, and prepare for your future not only as a worker, but as an adult in a way that many others in high schoolers are unable to. Freshman year is your new start. A new chapter of your life is beginning, so whatever you choose to do from here, just make sure to make it count.
Best Regards,
Jacob Heist
Dear Future Calculus students,
Looking back at the first half of my junior year in Calculus and all my time as pre-IB/ IB, I would say it was a very difficult time of my life as I had a lot of new things to learn and old things to remember. But the most important thing I would recommend for you to do is to not be behind on work as it can be very difficult to stay on track once you’ve fallen behind. This happened to me many a times and it has cost me a lot as far as my grades. I can’t believe it took me almost three years into high school to realize the importance of doing your work on time, but it is one of the most important aspects of succeeding in the IB program and it will carry on with you for the rest of your life.
Another important thing you should do is to talk to your teachers and administrators as they are trying to help you graduate from high school and IB. I learned this the hard way as I hardly communicated with my teachers, that I couldn’t ask for help as easily and it was hard for me to gain the help I needed when I didn’t understand an assignment. I would also make sure that you have a good circle of friends to rely on when you miss class or assignments as without them it can be hard to regain your footing in those classes.
The last thing I leave you with is to find ways to have fun outside of school or extracurricular activities. You and I are still growing mentally so make sure that you still have some fun in your life while progressing through the IB program. The way I have fun is to play video games with my friends in IB. This allows me to have good communication with them in and out of school and create closer bonds with them than I thought I could have. Well, those are some of the most important things I can tell you about and I hope you enjoy the rest of your IB journey.
Sincerely,
John Philson
WHAT IS UP FRESHMANNN,
Welcome to the next best 4 years of your life 😀! Listen, high school at BHS isn’t about surviving — it’s about thriving and pretending you know what you’re doing. So, let me drop some wisdom on you so that your ahead of your game and you don’t get bullied!
1. Homework will try to kill you
The secret to IB? Start your work way before its due. I know, shocking. But trust me, trying to annotate that 300-page book or write that 1,600-word essay at 2 a.m. is not the vibe 😔. So make sure to plan out your work and stay ahead! Have a planner on you and write down all important dates and events to ensure success.
2. Choose Friends Wisely
Find the people who will lift you up and be by your side through the ups and downs. People who will laugh with you, not at you when you trip up the stairs; yes, you’ll trip, it’s not funny, everyone does (Take that figuratively or literally). Also, avoid the try-hards who flex how much sleep they’re not getting or how they “didn’t study and got a 7”. They’re lying.
3. Prioritize your studying time
Focus on your core classes first before trying to study for your other extra classes. For example:
- Math: Try to study what you learn in class when you get home every day so that when it comes time for the test you basically already know everything.
- History: Know the key events, and when in doubt just say “it reflects the societal tensions of the time.” It works, trust.
- English: In every book you read, pretend every character is a metaphor for “the human condition” your English teacher will eat that up.
4. Start studying for SAT/ACT
Make sure you take the PSAT in freshman year. Decide whether you want to focus on either SAT or ACT. Take SAT/ACT in 10th grade and try to continue to improve from their so you have ample enough of time to study. Try to preferably get those tests out of the way before senior year or at least the first quarter of senior year.
5. Stay out of drama
People love drama and gossip. Just be lowkey, don’t attract unwanted attention to yourself and focus on yourself. All of it won’t matter in 5 years.
6. Be Cool to your Teachers
Teachers are human too—except for the ones that assign homework on the last day of break. Kidding. Not really. Anyways, treat them with respect and be on the top your game but don’t be the “Actually, we had homework” kid. No one likes that kid.
7. Don’t Forget to Have Fun
IB isn’t just stress, study, repeat. Go to that random club meeting on Tuesday, join a sports team even if you suck, but most importantly make memories, you only live once.
You’ll do great! I believe in you. Keep smiling, do the work, and don’t take anything too seriously. Except for that 1,600-word essay. Bye!!
From,
Angelyn Geevarghese
Dear incoming freshmen,
In my time at IB, I have found that the most important advice I can give to incoming
freshmen is to find a perfect balance between your school life and home life. This balance does not just include spending an equal amount of time between school and home, but also making sure this time is efficient and makes you as happy as possible. For example, I recommend taking classes that you will personally enjoy. Doing so will ensure that you do not get easily bored or burned out at school. In my sophomore year, I took AP Psychology, which remains one of my favorite classes to this day. I was very invested in the content of this course, and as such I remained on task and efficient in school. Moreover, I was able to enjoy time to relax at home and perform other activities due to my efficiency at school.
It is just as important to not fall behind with classwork and homework in IB. I have
personally struggled with this issue as a result of sickness and vacations, but this has added to my experience as an IB student. Especially as a junior and senior, falling behind in just one class can easily affect the preservation of balance between school life and home life. Of course sickness comes unexpectedly, but my best advice is to catch up as quickly as possible. When you know you’re going to miss school, ensure that your teachers are aware and plan to complete any work and notes that you will be missing.
Another important factor to maintain balance between home life and school life is to not
over-commit to clubs and sports. I suggest only joining school clubs that you are truly interested in, instead of joining as many as possible. Similarly, I advise committing to one or two sports that you are very passionate about. If you are able to make these select choices and subsequently stick with them throughout high school, you will be able to prove yourself as a committed student. These commitments can also be useful for college applications. For example, I have participated in the school’s German Club for four years and led the club for the last two. Doing so has given me great experience in leadership and commitment, which I discussed often in my college applications. Attempting to commit to a multitude of sports and clubs simultaneously will detract from time needed for yourself or classwork, and as such I advise against it.
Best of luck,
Braden Wilmot
Dear incoming IB Freshman,
I am currently a Junior at IB Bartow, so far, my experience here at IB has been fairly positive. Coming into IB I thought that it would be a huge amount of workload instantly, and although it may seem like it is, trust me it isn’t. The first year at IB is to get you accustomed to the possible workload and tougher curriculum. Although this may seem scary at first, as long as you time-manage and don’t procrastinate you will be fine.
Another thing that you must be careful of is overworking yourself. And what I mean by that is that you don’t take too many AP Classes or Dual-Enrollment classes right out the gate. As well as not doing too many extracurriculars to where you are overloading yourself with homework, meetings, practices, etc. Once you find a balance that works for you, stick to it, and once you find an extracurricular that suits you (which I recommend doing fairly early), stick with it and attempt to gain a leadership position in said extracurricular, as this will help with college applications and even college essays down the line.
One major thing that I recommend you avoid is that you don’t get super down or angry at yourself over one or two bad grades. If your grades are slipping because you don’t understand the material, that’s fine! Talk with your teacher and learn, make your experience at IB more about the learning than the grade; however, if your grades are slipping because of procrastination, that’s another story. In this case I would recommend you take as much time as you need, if that means a whole weekend, so be it, in order to catch up on all of your work. Also, do your best to stay healthy because if you get sick then it becomes kind of difficult to catch up.
I hope this finds you well and I hope you enjoy your time at IB!
Cole Stevens
So a lot has happened.
Stuff is getting harder, homework is taking longer. Currently, I am trying to build a better work habit, being ACTUALLY doing my work on-time.
Anyways, I don’t really have much new advice, other than just ignore whatever I said last time and just do your work when you get it. Also, I can’t wait to have to do TOK and my extended essay. Yippie, wahoo.
So yeah. Happy whatever the closest holiday is, just use your time wisely or something i don’t really have much else to say and I’m tired right now
Sincerely (maybe),
Cameron “clumsy” Messerschmidt
Dear IB Freshman,
I remember being in your shoes, pondering about the grueling years to come, due to the heavy workload the IB Program is known for having. I chose to give up several things that I cherished, particularly my close friendships that lasted from the start of elementary school to the end of middle school and the sense of community that I had built. As a matter of fact, my parents had actually discouraged me on multiple occasions from coming, but I insisted. Although my high school experience has been very demanding in regard to my academics, I have little to no doubt that I made the right choice in attending IB Bartow.
As an IB student who is nearing the end of their first semester of junior year, I am here to provide you with strategies that have worked for me and pitfalls that you can avoid as a student. Firstly, create meaningful friendships. Having a network of people along this difficult journey will significantly make your high school experience easier—you all are in this together, so lift each other up and work together to achieve common goals! Secondly, implement new studying techniques, with each varying from subject to subject. The IB Program requires the study of a wide range of subjects, so make sure you know how to study efficiently and effectively for each course. Practice problems are definitely the way to go for calculus and chemistry. On the other hand, courses like U.S. History and Business Management require reading the textbook and taking detailed notes. The last piece of advice I will share may just be specific to me, but whenever I intend on doing homework or studying for over 4 hours at a time, I watch “Study with Me” videos on YouTube with a 50/10 Pomodoro. This method helps me stay motivated without burnout; there’s just something about seeing someone being productive that makes you want to do the same—this is formally regarded as an example of the spillover effect.
That being said, I am far from being the ideal IB student: I lost count of the number of all-nighters I pulled this year, and I am currently piling up numerous missing assignments in German. Don’t fall into the temptation of putting off an assignment because you think you’ll have time later—you will not. Typically, when I do this, I am left to do several large assignments the day before along with the daily homework that is assigned, leaving me with little to no room for sleep. For instance, just last night, I did the APUSH Unit 4 One-Pager, APUSH Multiple Choice Progress Check, APUSH Reform Movement LEQ Outline, IB Business Chapter 12 Notes, IB German Vocabulary Worksheet, AP Chemistry Book Problems, and some missing assignments despite a few being assigned at least a week in advance. Needless to say, I was exhausted all throughout the day, and the assignments I listed are only the ones I managed to complete—there were still many tasks left unfinished. Learn from my mistakes and do not risk the consequences of procrastination; they are damaging to your mental and physical health. Another one of my pitfalls is my excessive emphasis on my grades. Grades should not be your main priority in IB; be a well-rounded student and get involved within your community, especially in freshman year when you have the most spare time. Now, I am working continuously to keep up with the amount of service hours that my peers have because I did not prioritize volunteering in my earlier years of high school.
Coming into IB, I advise you to have an idea of what you want to study in college. Excel in all the courses that are necessary for your major and be “good” at everything else. Personally, I intend on majoring in chemistry at the moment, so I place a heavy emphasis on studying for the chemistry tests and understanding the material of my other STEM courses like AP Calculus AB and AP Computer Science A. In addition to performing well in the courses that are closely associated with your intended major, get involved in extracurriculars that most relate to your interests. In my case, I serve as the treasurer of Mu Alpha Theta and am a second-year member of Science Olympiad. I am not saying do not engage in other extracurriculars outside your intended field of study; besides what I mentioned, I play volleyball and am involved in other clubs such as A-Team, DECA, and National Honor Society. Determining what is deserving of the most study is different for everyone, and it depends on your plans for the future. The only caveat is that if you notice your grades dropping in your other classes, redirect your attention back to them.
Being a student in the IB Program at Bartow has raised the bar for my academic expectations drastically, and I don’t think any other school in Polk County comes as close to preparing me for college the same way Bartow IB does; however, you, as a student, have to put the work in. Being successful in the IB Program is made possible through a collection of efforts from teachers, parents, and students; each must play their role seamlessly to contribute to students’ success. Stay driven and discover several forms of motivation to alleviate any concerns you may have about IB. I am confident that the IB Program will be worthwhile, especially if you are an ambitious and driven student. You got this!
Sincerely,
Kevin Espinoza-Hernandez
Dear Freshman,
Congratulations on choosing to enter the IB program. I believe this program is an excellent opportunity to challenge yourself to learn more. During your four years, you will encounter personal growth as you develop essential skills that can help you manage your time and homework efficiently. As a current IB junior, I will inform you that they next couple of years will demanding and may seem overwhelming at times; however, in the end the hard work pays off as you gain a sense of accomplishment and reap the rewards to having the IB diploma. With this in mind, here are some tips that may help you through the years.
To begin with, I would recommend that you stay organized. By now, you are most likely aware that the IB program can be demanding, so organization is key to sanity. Using a planner or digital calendar will help you manage your assignments and relieve you from last-minute stress. While organizing your tasks, make sure you break larger tasks into smaller achievable goals before the deadlines and prioritize your homework based on deadlines and difficulty. In other words, focus on assignments that will take longer and are due earlier to improve the quality of your work. Secondly, remember the importance of time management. Make sure that you start working on Internal Assessments and studying for midterms early enough that you have time to ask questions to clarify concepts or ask for feedback on assignments.
Additionally, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You will learn and grow along the way over the years so if something doesn’t go as planned, reflect and learn from it and move forward. Learning from your failures is crucial to success not only in this program but overall, in life. Common pitfalls I face during my time in IB would be procrastination and underestimating the time and difficulty of certain tasks. Honestly, it is easy for me to put off assignments until the last minute especially when they look extensive or lack immediate deadlines. Based on personal experience, I would advise you to stay on top of your work to avoid feeling stress during the year and develop time management early on to avoid feeling stressed. Overall believe in yourself and don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it.
You’ve got this, and I hope you will thrive and persevere in IB. Wishing you the best!
Sincerely,
Faith Okereafor
Hi incoming I.B. freshmen!
You’re entering a rigorous academic program that can and will be unforgiving sometimes, and it’s not for everyone. Having thoughts about leaving the program, or leaving the program entirely, is fine. An I.B. diploma is NOT worth sacrificing your mental or physical health because high school will be a very small part of your life. If you are set on staying I.B., you must learn how to properly manage your time and ask others for help.
One of the most important aspects of this program is not overloading yourself with unnecessary difficult classes with the goal of looking impressive to colleges. It is smarter to take courses you can handle or to take progressively harder classes until you can handle having a lot of difficult courses with mountains of work. If you can’t handle the pressure of having so many challenging courses, your GPA can drop, and, knowing I.B. students, will stress you out beyond belief. Also, DO NOT VIEW I.B. AS A COMPETITION. You are here to learn how to work with people who act and think differently than you and trying to make every class and every test grade a competition will stop you from doing that. An A is an A. There is no difference between a 90% A and 100% A towards your GPA.
All your classes will be deserving of study; however, I believe your science class will be the most important to study in. Both biology and chemistry are difficult classes, and you need to study and pay attention in class if you want to have good grades in the class. Biology students need to study the many different concepts and systems of the natural world because every unit will cover an overwhelming amount of information. Chemistry students need to memorize important formulas and rules, but they also need to know exceptions to those rules because the exceptions will appear most on tests.
Above all, read the books you are assigned. SparkNotes is great and will help you understand the content of the books, but you still need to read the books because you will do multiple assignments on different aspects of the books such as the writer’s style, symbols, character development, and more. I highly recommend reading the SparkNotes for The Scarlet Letter if that book is assigned to you. The Scarlet Letter is a challenging read that very few people enjoy.
I think following my advice and the advice of my classmates can help you get through I.B., but your own experiences in this program will be the most helpful to you overall. Grades are important, but always prioritize your health over your grades.
Good luck in I.B.,
Zoe Espie
Hello Freshmen,
As an IB junior I have experienced the trials and tribulations of the IB program for almost three years now and I have some advice I think would be useful to you. Firstly, be very careful with what classes you choose to take. Multiple AP courses can get tiring quickly and any courses that you take online/Dual Enroll will require you to spend personal time to self-study for the courses and the final test and you’ll have to do these courses in addition to the ones you already have. Also, while I’m on the subject — don’t get behind in your courses be they in-person or online. Procrastinating will only cause the work to pile up and your grades will start dropping as a reflection, both of which make it very hard to recover as you’ll have to turn a lot of work in late and most teachers don’t have a lenient late policy. In addition, regulating the time you spend for school is important. While spending time on studying and doing homework is important, so is sleeping, exercise, and time to do extra hobbies that you have. Don’t push off work till the last minute and sacrifice all of your sleep to do it the night before when you could have spread the work out.
Also be careful with your extracurricular activities. To get Bright Futures you will have to have 100 hours of community service or work and there are NO exceptions. Extra community service hours, however, are great as colleges eat that stuff right up and NHS also requires a decent number of community service hours to apply. Clubs and afterschool activities are also very important for college apps and for your own experience as well. I would recommend clubs like Interact, Key Club, Amnesty, DECA, FBLA, and any other club that catches your interest.
Lastly, you will have to choose a math and science direction by the end of sophomore year. You will have time as a freshman to experience biology and in sophomore year you will take chemistry. After that you will have to choose whether you take bio or chem for the next two years. At the same time, you will also have to choose if you want to take calculus or applied math for two years. I recommend thinking about this decision early so you can pay attention to which science class you like the best and do the best in and which math class you want to take. The choice you make should also be a personal choice, and not one that you get peer pressured into otherwise you will come to greatly regret your choice. In addition, to clear up a misconception Biology is NOT easier than chemistry, both courses merely focus on using different skills. In fact, biology can be much harder than chemistry and I hope you consider this while you are picking your science course. Lastly, please do not double science (take IB Biology AND IB Chemistry) as you will have double the work and double the stakes for if you do badly in both courses and don’t do great on the final exams you may not get the IB diploma. If you are really desperate to take higher level Chem and Bio, I would recommend taking AP chem or bio as an elective instead of taking IB level Chem and Bio, but taking both sciences still requires HOURS of studying weekly and is a major time commitment. As I said before, do not underestimate the difficulty of AP courses and try to take more just for a “GPA boost”. You will pay the consequences for your actions.
Sincerely,
Michelle Moore
The most important advice I could give to someone starting their freshman year is to socialize and build a community with your peers. Without the help and support of my friends that I have made, I wouldn’t have been able to make it to junior year. Throughout the IB curriculum, it is okay to rely on your peers for help when there is a difficult time or seek help from upperclassmen who share or have shared your struggles because it removes a lot of pressure and stress that comes with doing the course. It may be hard at first when going into IB because you don’t know how, but with the uplifting of your peers and mentors, you will slowly develop the skills needed to complete the workload. If you are very worried about falling behind on the workload and want an experienced upperclassman to give you more detailed advice, I would recommend signing up to get a mentor in our mentorship program for freshmen. The mentorship program will connect you to the community of upperclassmen who will be more than happy to help with your concerns.
There are many mistakes I made when coming into IB, some of which are stressing over exams and assignments. It is okay to be worried about tests and whether you passed or failed them in order to motivate you to study; however, stressing too much in a way that affects you is not okay. It is important to understand when to let go of stress and just focus on getting the assignments done. We have very understanding teachers in our IB course who will be more than willing to help you with your issues. Another mistake I made was developing a procrastination habit. Almost every IB student I know leaves things to the last minute, and it never ends up well, which causes many of us to get overwhelmed with stress and anxiety with very little time to spare to complete assignments. Once the habit of procrastination has been made so hard to break which is true even for me.
In the beginning, it is very important to classify your classes as the ones that deserve the most priority. Every person has a class that they tend to do better in, and even though many think that it’s common sense, it is important to pay less attention to subjects that are easier for you and focus on the ones that are harder. It is better to pass all your classes than do exceptionally well in one class because you only paid attention to that class because it was fun and easier than your others. It is also important not to load up your schedule with very hard classes that you know you will struggle with. For example, if you are not good in math subjects, don’t take AP Statistics as your elective even If all your friends are choosing it because then you will have more work on your plate.
Indrani Nakka
Dear incoming IB student,
My name is Thi Pham, and I am a current IB senior. I have experienced the difficulties and joys of IB. Freshman year was a dramatic change for me. I went from attending a school that rarely challenged me to a school that assigned more homework and tests. At first, it took me some time to adapt to the new and challenging environment. I have always been good at managing my time, but even if you are not, IB offers a useful class called Inquiry skills, which teaches you time management and studying skills. A lot of people think this class is useless and find it annoying to turn in a filled-out planner every week; however, I enjoyed filling out my planner, and I still do this in my senior year. During the first couple of months, I watched as people around me began dropping out. I realized one reason they were leaving was that their grades were slipping. I believe time management is the reason I persevered and maintained high grades. I advise you to complete your homework the day it’s given and use a planner so due dates do not slip by you.
Freshman year I took my first AP class: environmental science. On the first test I took, I failed miserably. I was very disappointed because I had never failed a test in middle school. I learned that there are classes that deserve more attention than others. Some classes require extra effort to earn high marks. I found that all my AP classes required more studying than my regular classes. Taking APES freshman year taught me this early in high school, and I carried this lesson with me throughout high school. The extra hours that I put into every AP and IB test resulted in high scores on the final test at the end of the year. It really shows how hard work leads to great results.
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to make sure you create a balance within your life. Everyone who has heard about IB thinks that IB is a place full of students that have no life. However, I believe that in IB, you need a balance within your life to avoid burning out. Make sure to do a sport you love or spend time with people outside of school. A sport gives you time to let out all your stress and relax. Also, hanging out with friends is another way to relax and ensure your whole life is not school centered.
I believe the friendships you make within IB are the most valuable aspect from the program. Of course, the education is valuable, but years from now, what will you remember? The lectures from chemistry or the funny moments with your friends. All in all, do not beat yourself up about challenges like a failed test within school. Years from now, you probably will not even remember it.
Good Luck,
Thi Pham
Hello future IB student, hello and welcome to a very challenging, but rewarding experience that you will never forget. I am not going to pretend that IB is easy, it’s not. However, with some of the tips I can pass on to you, your IB experience can improve dramatically. Overall, IB can be improved by having good time management skills and keeping good friends.
First of all, time management. Although it may not seem like it, Mrs. Devore’s class legitimately can help you maintain good time management skills and learn new study tactics. Unless you are in the upper 1% of students, you’re going to have to learn to study for your exams. Whether the test be with Ms. Frisbie, Mr. Guice, or Herr Porter, if you want to maintain all A’s, then learning how to study and turning in your assignments on time is key. I know I have struggled with this, I have gotten F’s, D’s, and C’s, and you might too. If you do, don’t worry, it is not the end of the world, all you can do is try to do better next time and improve yourself and your grades, specifically, reflect on why you failed and how you could change that. In fact, colleges love it when they see improvement in your grades. Furthermore, being in IB means receiving an IB level amount of work, this will be as difficult as college courses. Keeping up with the work and not falling behind is important. If you do find yourself in a pitfall, don’t panic. Your teachers are, surprisingly, human too and have the capacity to experience human emotions. I, in my sophomore year, fell behind in Ms. Frisbie’s IB Pre-Calculus class and had many unsubmitted assignments, but I talked to her, and she allowed me to turn in my late work for full credit. Overall, maintaining good time management skills is key to your successful IB career.
Also, the most fun that comes from IB is, despite how cringey and cliche it sounds, the friends you make. I know I would still not be here if I didn’t have my friends to pick me up and help me to carry on and I know I have managed to help my friends out when they’re in pitfalls. But it’s not just having friends, it is also about having fun outside of school too. Colleges love your extracurricular activities that you participate in, it can even sometimes be more important than your GPA. Extracurriculars also give you the opportunity to get officer or leadership positions. These clubs also allow you to meet with like-minded individuals and help to build long-lasting friendships. Overall, having good friends and participating in extracurricular activities can make your IB experience better and not feel too tortuous.
Well, this is what I think is the most important thing I can pass onto you my fellow IB student, all that is left now is for you to grab IB by the throat and demolish it! I wish you good luck and Godspeed.
Aiden Crottie
To minimize any stress with certain subjects like math or science, I recommend doing the homework on the exact day they are assigned, instead of the day before it is due. Doing the work the day it was taught helps to provide a more knowledgeable mind on the subject and allows you to go through the assignment quickly. Keeping assignments spaced out like this allows you to have more time to complete other things outside of homework as well. While everyone and their mother who goes to IB always says this, do not procrastinate! It will only get worse if you procrastinate as a freshman.
In addition, I also would advise you to perceive every new assignment as a new way or form of gaining knowledge — knowledge that you want to take with you forever. I always had the habit of quickly running through assignments and not really taking the time to commit to memory whatever it is the assignment was supposed to actually teach you. So, just be mindful when you are doing your homework to really learn and comprehend what it is you are doing so you don’t have to struggle when final or even semester exams come up. Another tip would be to pay special attention during classes that primarily use lecture-based classrooms in order to glean the most amount of information possible. For example, taking notes is important during Ms. Chevallier’s lectures as she will often say the most perfectly worded lines that, if written down, help greatly in many of her assignments and for comprehension in general.
In addition, I suggest you keep a written planner that you take to each class to write down any upcoming test dates or homework assignment due dates. The planner is tremendously helpful in keeping track of all your work, but this method only works if you actually open up the planner every single day when you come home from school. Otherwise, the planner would be for naught. I also want to emphasize that even if you have a timed in-class essay that you have coming up that the teacher tells you to not study for — definitely study. Obviously, the only things you can study is the structure for the specific writing you have to do and maybe brush up on any command terms, but trust me this will help you significantly in feeling more prepared for the essay and help you avoid going blank during it.
Roma Philip
Dear freshmen,
Congratulations on being accepted into the IB program at Bartow High. You are here because of your academic excellence in middle school. You are all smart and have the ability to complete this program with success if you are willing to put in the necessary work. Hopefully this letter will assist you in managing a smooth adjustment going into the IB program and help set you up for success.
Being transparent, stepping into freshman year of IB is a big step up from middle school, no matter your intelligence. You will be mostly what are called pre-IB classes, which you take freshman and sophomore year to prepare for the IB classes in junior and senior year. Many if not all of you will have to learn or improve upon your notetaking and studying methods. Several students I know struggled a lot with procrastination freshman year. Maintaining a good work ethic and keeping an organized schedule—meaning you are keeping track of your work and appropriately spacing it out—will be very beneficial for you, not just in freshman year but throughout all of IB and beyond.
One important thing is not to fall into the rut or stereotype of being constantly focused on schoolwork. IB is tough but not impossible and still leaves room for you to enjoy clubs, sports, and other extracurriculars both in and outside of school. Finding a healthy hobby that helps you destress and disconnect from the workload of IB is really important. For me, it’s exercise, specifically running. I really recommend at the very minimum finding ways to do light exercise, because exercising regularly is proven to give you more energy. Another thing is sleep. Several of my IB peers go on about staying up past midnight every day. This is not healthy in the slightest. It will be tough to get the recommend amount of sleep for teenagers, which is around 8-10 hours. If you maintain a good work ethic and get your homework done quickly you will find getting enough sleep will come naturally.
Most importantly, enjoy your high school experience! IB is an amazing program that will provide you with many opportunities in the future and equip you with tools necessary for success in the professional field. Cherish the friends you make here and enjoy relationships with some of the most amazing teachers you’ll ever meet.
Best of luck,
Cooper Jenks
Dear Freshman,
Congratulations on being accepted into IB. I hope you are excited to come here. IB will be an interesting journey for you. It will be different from middle school and require hard work. Middle school may have required no effort, but IB is not the same. You will learn important skills such as time management and perseverance from your time here. I will warn you there will be challenging times, but at the end of the day the IB program is worth the struggle.
The first thing I would like to say is don’t procrastinate. Procrastination will cause unwanted stress and burnout. Working on assignments daily prevents work from piling up. In IB you will get long term projects and assignments, so try to manage your time wisely on them. Time management is a key skill you should use. Having good time management can make your experience at IB run smoothly. On the other hand, having bad time management can and will make it hard for you. I know you are probably learning how to use a planner daily in Inquiry Skills. Using a planner is something you should keep doing. It can help anticipate how long certain assignments take and how much work you have. If you’re not a big fan of planners, I would advise you to write down your homework assignments. When there are many assignments, it’s easy to forget some homework assignments, so making a checklist can ensure that you complete everything.
Additional things to consider in freshman year are volunteering and taking the PSAT. You can try completing volunteer hours in freshman year when you have more time compared to junior and senior year. The PSAT will give you an idea how the SAT is and help prepare you for it. There are many different clubs at this school. Participating in different clubs can be fun and a nice way to relieve stress. Sometimes after a long day at school, activities can be a nice way to take a break. Taking breaks is important to prevent you from being overwhelmed by schoolwork. Another important thing is getting enough sleep. Staying up late to study is not good for the long run. Staying up late can make you tired and prevent you from focusing, so try to complete your homework as soon as possible so that you can sleep early. Late nights are something to avoid, especially in freshman year.
The last thing I would like to say is make sure to enjoy freshman year. It is one of the easier years in high school and should not be taken for granted. Try to utilize your time and do things you love doing because as you get older, it gets harder to find free time. I wish you good luck in the future!
Sincerely,
Shreya Gupta
Dear future freshmen,
You are probably reading this at the start of your freshmen year and I was at the same position as you two years ago. Starting IB was definitely a big change from middle school, but I have learned some helpful tips that I hoped I had when I was a freshman. Starting off, the whole getting used to freshmen year is definitely hard and a bit scary, but as time goes on, it will be easy to adjust to the new year. For me, freshmen year was a new start, I was able to join sports and clubs to learn my new interests and I was also able meet a lot of new friends and even created a new friend group who I have stayed close to ever since. My biggest piece of advice is to try out new things, I would recommend joining clubs like I did. It was a chance for me to meet new people and get a lot of service hours.
Apart from the social aspects of freshmen year, academics is very important to focus on. It is important to take classes that interest you instead of classes just for the GPA boost. Taking harder classes straight out of middle school and taking online classes apart from that can be very hard to get used to as well as time consuming, so be careful when choosing your courses. Personally, I would not recommend taking online classes during the actual school year because it can be very difficult to keep track of, instead, I took Dual Enrollment classes during the summer. This takes me to the next point, always be organized and do not procrastinate. I always regret procrastinating, even though I still do, but the course work can pile up. I would recommend using a planner or some sort of online tool to organize homework and your after-school schedule. Also, always ask for help, it can be from your teachers or your friends. It will be beneficial in the long run.
Finally, make sure you balance your school time and your time away from school. Throughout these past two and a half years of IB, I have maintained my grades, completed all my homework, but also found time to volunteer, hang out with the friends, and play a sport. It is important to have something to do that interests you aside from homework to maintain a healthy balance. Highschool only happens once and do not take your time here for granted. There will definitely be some times where you struggle and feel burnt out, but with the right group of friends and the right mindset, IB will definitely feel worth it.
Richa Patel
Dear BHS/SA/IB students,
As an IB Junior, I’ve made it a long way from Freshman year and have learned way more that I would’ve ever expected. Some of the most important things I’ve learned, and am still learning, are to not procrastinate, collaborate with my friends, and to never give up. Thinking back on Freshman year, I was an entirely different person, sometimes I cringe or recoil at the thoughts of some of the things I used to do or hate myself for the small things that I did, but in the end, I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and I know that you will go just as far. As I’ve gotten to know my IB peers and created, and continuing to create strong connections with almost all of them, I’ve been able to collaborate with them, which not only helps me during touch assignments, but also has given me the outlet I need for how stressful IB might get. Having the close support system of friends who are all going through the same program helps to bring me and my peers closer, so I advise that you try to talk to be and to create those strong ties with your IB (and Bartow) classmates.
The best thing I could tell you to avoid is procrastinating. While everyone keeps saying it, and while it might seem like it’s not that bad, as you advance through IB and continue to face harder, more rigorous, classes, procrastination begins to affect you way more than you might think. I know this from personal experience, while I was able to squeak by working on assignments at the last minute in Freshman and Sophomore year, I have not been able to do the same starting Junior year. Also, procrastination causes way more stress than necessary. I know that some people prefer working under some pressure, like I do, but the stress caused by waiting until the last minute for a project, essay, or even homework, is not worth the short boost in motivation that will help you put together a lackluster assignment. Throughout the past two years, I’ve learned that some classes may be exponentially harder than other classes, but you can’t let yourself fall behind in your easier classes because you know it’ll be easy to make up the grade. Trust me, I’ve done it. You must stay on top of your classes, all of them, in whatever way that works best for you. One last thing, AI is a useful tool in aiding you to complete assignments; however, that does not mean that you should rely on it to complete your assignments for you. I have used AI hundreds of times to help me when doing an assignment or even doing research, but I never let AI do the work for me, nor did I let it write something for me. If you use AI, be responsible for it, because teachers can catch you easily if you try to write an essay in AI or complete homework with AI.
For me, the most important, and deserving, things for me to work were projects and essays, especially throughout sophomore year. In Freshman year, I did not have to write many essays, and most of the projects that I did were creative based, with not many challenges; however, in Sophomore year, I had to write a lot more essays and create a lot more projects, most of which were for Mr. Guice’s English class, which I struggled with the most. Another thing I found I needed to work on was reaching out to your teachers. I’m someone who doesn’t send or read emails often, but I’ve learned that teachers are willing to try and help or reach out to you if you are reaching out to them. Some teachers are extremely helpful and will work hard to make sure that you can make up work if something happens, like Ms. Loweke and Ms. Frisbie. Truly, however, the stuff that is most deserving of study is homework. I struggle to work at home, so I have recently found out that going out with a friend to the library or café is extremely helpful in providing an academic work environment where I’m able to get things done; however, pick who you work with carefully. I have found that me and my friend are able to balance talking and having fun while still being productive. I find it helpful to have someone to talk to while I do work, but I am aware that other people work differently and won’t be able to deal with the distraction. Overall, the things most deserving of study depends on the person, so if you’re struggling in an area, you should try your best to spend time and improve your own skills.
Overall, IB is difficult and will not be easy, but you don’t have to make it impossible to succeed. My best tips are to have a support group and to stop procrastinating. IB will seem impossible at times, but you just must preserve, and you will make it through. If you ever need help or are struggling to continue working in IB, just make sure to reach out to teachers and to work collaboratively with friends. Dropping out is not the end of the world, many of my friends did it because it was necessary for them or because it wasn’t worth it for what they were pursuing, and that is okay. If you choose to stay, that’s amazing! I’m sure that you will make it through with flying colors.
Sincerely and with Best Regards,
David Cunningham
Dear Freshman,
When reminiscing about my freshman year in IB, there were a few choices that I’ve made that I have come to regret. I am a current IB junior, and to me, freshman year felt like a lifetime ago. I have changed so much since then, considering I was only a 14-year-old. A mistake that I myself made as well as a bunch of my peers, was that we all compared ourselves to everyone else. I saw everyone else as competition. I took only classes that boosted my GPA rather than classes that I actually enjoyed. There is constant pressure to be like everyone else or even trying to be better than them. I soon realized that everyone had their own strengths and that I should not compare myself to others because we are all different people with different strengths. Even though someone might be taking extra rigorous classes to boost their GPA, which doesn’t mean you have to as well. It is okay to take classes that are not honors or AP because your electives should be classes that you are genuinely interested in rather than taking classes merely to boost your GPA.
Compared to middle school, the workload in high school increases drastically. At times, it may feel like you are drowning in schoolwork and there is not enough time to get it done. The feeling is something that everyone experiences, and you should know that you are not alone. One way to avoid this feeling is to not procrastinate your schoolwork. Everyone tells you to not procrastinate your schoolwork because it will eventually accumulate, which will leave you even more stressed as the due dates are rapidly approaching. Although this is true, this also seems inevitable as we all at some point procrastinate on an assignment because we do not want to do it. Try to motivate yourself to get it done early, which will save you so much time in the future. There are times when homework will take up most of your time when you get home. The important thing is to not get overwhelmed with the work and to break it down into chunks while taking breaks in between, so you do not drain all your energy too quickly.
There are many rumors that say that homework will consume you, and you will not have any time to do anything else that you enjoy. These rumors are not true. There will be a few days where you have a huge pile of homework, but IB does give flexibility. There is time to do a few activities that you enjoy while still keeping up in all your classes. I am in a bunch of school clubs and still have time to play a sport while completing my homework on time. You can pick up a few school clubs and even a sport if you are really interested because there is enough time to do all this. Although there may be a few things you might have to give up, you will still be able to relax and have time to yourself. One thing that I highly recommend is to dedicate a small amount of your time to yourself. It does not have to be a whole lot of time. During that time, do something that will help you relax and help you take your mind off of school. This will help you feel a lot less stressed, although it may not eliminate your stress completely, as that is inevitable.
Do not constantly throw yourself into taking extra classes just to boost your GPA because there is more to life than just school. Make sure to have fun because you only get the high school experience once, so enjoy the experience while it lasts. Best of luck through your IB journey.
Sahasra Jasti
Dear freshmen,
As I am writing this essay, the first semester of my junior year is coming to an end. As much as I want to say it’s been long and hard just to make it where I am today, it really wasn’t. When your parents or people older than you tell you that your high school years will be your best but shortest years, they’re not wrong. Looking back on these past 2 and a half years, it’s been hard I will admit, but it’s been equally, if not more, fun than difficult.
I feel like as a freshman the most important thing to know is information. There are so many small kinks and things that there is to know about IB and all the little tasks that one must do. Listening when Mrs. Urbinati and your teachers tell you about IB related topics is important to stay on top of things. I feel like doing things like community service would be best to do in your first two years when you’re much freer and have more time to do things. Once you’ve finally finished doing your 100 hours, you’ll have much more time to do fun things in your latter two years when you’re finally in IB.
The first ever tests you’ll take in IB as a freshman will be rough because you’re just getting adjusted to the level that you are required to be at. I would advise freshman to always study more than they think they should for their first tests, so their first quarter won’t be made up of you trying to recover your grades. Whenever you come back to school after long breaks I would also advise to study longer for tests as somethings you might have just forgotten due to the long break. For me the hardest classes will either be your science or your language class. These classes have generally been harder for those I’ve spoken with so I would suggest to study more in these topics. In addition, I would say to make the most of your first two years of IB and go out as much as you can and have a lot of fun experiences with your friends. These experiences will be things that you can always look back on. Finally, I know everyone will say this, but procrastinating will never be helpful, but if you do end up procrastinating make sure to leave yourself just enough time to actually turn in your work on time. Late work will always be something that will bring down your grades. Though it may not seem like many teachers penalize for late, when you get to junior years almost all of them will. So, make sure to study hard and enjoy yourself during these next four years!
Best regards,
Chandrani Nakka
Hi freshman,
As an IB Junior right now I would love to give you some advice I learned. First of all, I’d say don’t worry too much about not having friends right now. It doesn’t seem like it, but you all will be friends later. And I mean all. Everyone is forced to bond with each other in IB one way or another. Whether it’s the Better together activities, homework assignments, or for some reason always switching around clothing (I don’t know why, but it happens a lot) everyone bonds and becomes one big group. In a type of program like this, you might not know a lot of people starting out from middle school, but you do make friends. It’s also okay to change groups, get to know people for who they are and surround yourself with what you want to be.
On another topic, I would say if you’re as smart as I’m sure you are, you probably haven’t had to study a lot before. In my experience you don’t really need to study crazy hard until junior year. Do not just pick classes because that’s what everyone else is taking. Different courses are for different people. Even if Chem is what most people are doing, but the line of work you want to go into uses mostly biology, do not be afraid to do biology. This program cannot be done for someone else. It has to be for you. Do learn how to study and do your work. Procrastination is going to be apart of your life unfortunately, but don’t be too hard on yourself. The workload we get is a lot more than a normal school, so procrastination isn’t the same for everyone, but you should still try to control it. Junior year was when I had to start saying no to things so my suggestion for you is figure out your thing before then.
Extracurriculars are good but turning into a vampire and changing your sleep schedule to get work done isn’t. You will get burnt out if you’re doing too much. Sadly, you will see it affect a lot of your classmates. Count how many people you have in your class right now and cut that number in half. That’s probably who you’ll graduate with. Another reason you all get so close, you’re hanging on to what you have left. Anyway, extracurriculars is another way to meet people. Please try to have friends outside of IB, and that can be people outside of school or a Summerlin kid etc. Life’s a lot more fun when you put yourself out there and have fun. Please, please, please do not be afraid to go out for sports. Freshman and sophomore year you can figure out what you want to do and maybe that isn’t a sport at all, but I implore you to try all your options of extracurriculars so when you’re older you can really narrow down and focus on a couple of things instead of the glass being half empty for a bunch of things. Don’t put yourself in a box of thinking you can and can’t do this or that. Why not try? Get a friend.
Honestly, my biggest piece of advice for you; don’t stretch yourself too thin. You don’t realize how taxing school is until you’re physically sick from going to sleep at 2am, balancing relationships, and trying to have a life outside of school all while having the most rigorous classes you could take. High school shouldn’t be mostly memories of crying in front of a laptop screen. Take a break sometimes. Have a “sick day”. Go out with your family. You are still you, don’t ever forget that. I know you’ve got this.
I’m always rooting for you,
Maria Peoples
Starting high school and even more so in a rigorous program like IB, is the start of an entirely new section of your life. The most important advice for any incoming freshman is to establish strong habits early. The responsibilities you pick up throughout high school such as the academic, extracurricular, and personal can add up and being organized or having any basic organization helps a lot to manage everything. Find a way to keep yourself organized by trying to memorize everything that you must do never works. Time management is also not just a skill but something you have to learn as it will save you a lot of time and stress just by making sure you spend the right amount of time on something and getting things done early.
Equally important is finding a balance between work and relaxation. While it is good to challenge yourself in your high school career you should also know your limits and try to work past them. Creating a good work/personal balance is key to this as it will prevent stress from building up. A strong GPA is important and a good thing to have but you must make sure that you can handle the coursework that comes with these higher GPA classes, or it will only harm your GPA if you can’t keep up. Building strong relationships with others is another critical aspect of success in IB as if you need help you can reach out to others quickly instead of waiting for a teacher’s response. It will also reduce stress as also throughout IB you will gain long lasting friendships with others through the program.
The most common error I see that should be avoided is procrastination. While it is tempting to delay work, particularly on projects or tough assignments, this habit often leads to stress as you will instead rush to get the work done instead of getting a quality project done. Find a way that works for you to eliminate procrastination such as working a bit each day or something else. Beyond academics and extracurriculars health is almost as important as being healthy allows you to put more energy into your academics, extracurriculars, and personal life. For example, getting enough sleep instead of pulling all-nighters, regular exercise, and maintaining good relationships with friends and family contribute greatly to your personal health. By staying organized, creating balance, and managing challenges and tough situations, you can be successful in IB.
Jonathan Reid
Dear IB Freshman,
Congratulations first off in entering and committing to the IB Program! It is a great achievement, and you should definitely take a moment to be proud. You have come a long way since and it is commendable that you strive for academic excellence. Now you are becoming a part of a program that is not only a rigorous roller coaster, but an experience you will remember for the rest of your life. I will be honest, it is challenging at times. The rumors or experiences you may have heard from others about IB may or may not be true. However, I not going to sugarcoat the benefits of this program since you deserve to honestly understand what this school is going to do for you in the future and how you will have to navigate throughout the next four years. Hopefully this letter gives you sufficient tips in balancing your school and personal life.
First things first, please understand and implement good time management for the next four years. You will not believe how much writing out your day and upcoming things in a planner will do for you, even if it is just for five minutes of your day. And I recommend writing down everything, classwork of the day, homework, projects, tests, sport games, volunteer opportunities, even your personal life events. This allows for you to see everything you have coming up effectively and allows you to plan out your days accordingly. Always prioritize homework and studying for tests as keeping your grades up are extremely important. Take advantage of any free time you have during school to finish work and even get a head start at home. Your future self will definitely thank you. Don’t rush through finishing things just for the sake of an easy grade, do spend some time understanding the content and use a friend’s help if you are stuck. Having close friends and peers will help you out with 50% of your problems in IB. Don’t procrastinate, but obviously I have done this in the past and just recently even for projects. You are human so don’t beat yourself up if you fall a little behind or have a lot of work to complete the night before things are due. Just stay calm, put on some music, and lock in. If you put your mind into finishing things, you definitely will. Every now and then prioritize your sleep and mental health first. If that means taking a day off to just catch up on some work and relaxing at home, definitely do it. I take a day off at least every quarter, even when I am not behind, and it works. Getting eight hours of sleep every night may be hard, I only get six-seven hours. But getting sufficient sleep is really important and you don’t want to develop an unhealthy sleep schedule over time. I know some kids who do that in my grade level and they are the same ones with slipping grades, it is definitely not a coincidence. Another tip I would recommend is studying for tests in advance before they are announced. If you have an extra hour or two of free time on the weekend and you can predict a test coming up, take an advantage and get a head start. Start to analyze when teachers give tests and overtime you will make accurate predictions of upcoming test days. Some teachers like Ms. Frisbie are gracious enough to give a syllabus of the whole quarter so you know exactly what is due when ahead of time. Again, this goes along with time management. Just plan out what to do when for each class, and you will always stay on top of things.
As much as school is important, so are extracurricular and maintaining your personal life. Being involved in clubs and sports is crucial and will help you build up your college resume when it is senior year. I would recommend joining a few your first year then branching out more once you are comfortable with your time by sophomore year. There are so many types of clubs Bartow offers. There are competition-based clubs, and you can win prestigious awards for it, like FBLA, DECA, and HOSA. There are volunteering clubs like Key Club, Interact, and NHS, which is an easy way to get community service. There are just few examples of clubs I am involved in which you should join as well. Getting leadership positions in clubs is great too. Joining a sport is also a great extracurricular and you still maintain touch with the normal Bartow students. You can create good friendships in sports and clubs. Back to volunteering, you can do so through clubs, non-school-based organizations, or individual opportunities. It is something which you shouldn’t compromise and should get involved in. With effective time management, you will definitely find time to do community service. If you unable to accomplish much in freshman year don’t be too upset or harsh on yourself. You still had to adjust to the new system of school and keeping a balance within your life. During my freshman year, I only participated in two or three clubs and only focused on community service. I got more involved in other things my sophomore year once I was comfortable with IB. Having a strong support system around you is crucial. Be friends with good people who are also involved in extracurriculars and do well in school. They will be great motivators, excellent helpers, and fun people to hang with in your free time. I have a great friend group and we are always hanging out whenever we can, whether it be birthday parties, at the mall/movies, or even for community service, I am extremely lucky to have a group in IB. Carving out time with your family for trips or dinners are also important, as they will be a part of your whole life. Keeping a good social life will help you during high school. My final piece of advice for you would be to look after yourself. Prioritize self-care through skincare, going to the gym, keeping your space clutter-free, and treating yourself. Celebrate little academic or extracurricular wins with rewards, big or small. It will be a great motivator. Have time for yourself and stay healthy. Staying balanced with your life and happy will grant you success during the IB program.
Good luck,
Hetvi Patel – Class of 2026
Being a student at IB is not an easy task. There will be many late nights, tears, and stress. There will also be many times when you will want to give up and quit. What IB has taught me is that there is always another perspective, opinion, and argument. If you ever find yourself exhausted and ready to throw in the towel, look at your situation from a different perspective. Think of all the opportunities that will be handed to you, all of the relationships you’ll build with successful people, and the experiences that you’ll have that no one else will. You are at IB for a reason because you have what it takes.
There will be many people that will tell you to take the easier way, but from what I’ve learned and experienced, the easy way isn’t always the best way. It may seem great now but what will it lead to, is it a dead end, are there potholes? You have to take into consideration the outcome and what this program really prepares you for, it’s not just college, it’s life. That may sound cheesy and played out, but this is true. Many adults that I have talked to wish they had the same opportunity you have, that they would have gotten a better education so that they could’ve become something greater. You have a chance to be something greater, to make change in the world, but it starts somewhere. Just think of the story you’ll be able to share in your speech when you receive your Nobel prize.
Olivia Magee
Good morning, afternoon, or evening current freshmen,
My name is Erick Arias, I am a senior from BHS. For context as to who I am, I am a 17-year-old who came to Bartow a little late into his junior year of high school. I am also originally from New Jersey.
For the first 15 years of my life, I grew up with the same people throughout all of it. In my first 2 years of high school, I felt like I made my closest friends for life. Yet, I felt like I lost it all when I moved at the end of my sophomore year. This feeling of displacement reminded me of something, that something being my first month of freshman year. I knew no one when I transferred to BHS, and everything felt so foreign. With this, I decided that I just wanted to get over high school, as losing everything and everyone I had before, made me think that forming deep connections with people was dumb and a waste of time (emo, I know). Due to this, I isolated myself, only spending time doing schoolwork and focusing on improving myself. This led to my biggest regret, which was wasting my junior year of high school.
While I did get a head start on my college apps, as I started preparing in my junior year, and I had one heck of a season with volleyball, I felt disappointed with what I accomplished. I had done so much for myself, but I had no one else to celebrate it with.
It is important to focus on your academics and take care of yourself, but it is best that you do not let this desire to be the best overtake you. One piece of advice I have for you is to not let yourself get too self-centered. Take some time to get to know people and try something new. Like how now in my senior year, I picked up two new sports for fun, cross-country and wrestling. I still cannot tell if this is a big mistake as wrestling has only just started for me, but due to these two things, I have made so many close friends due to a shared love for sports. Not only this, but I let myself be more social. As previously mentioned, I had rarely ever spoken to anyone else, since I was always so busy doing my own thing, whether learning guitar, studying for hours on end, or working out. I made little time for myself to interact with people outside of class. Now that I have taken a breather from these things, I have connected more with my peers and teachers.
One thing you MUST avoid is being close-minded. Whether that be for new things, or in the way someone acts. If you let yourself consciously or subconsciously block off something due to you not being open to new things, you only damage yourself. There is simply no benefit to not trying something once (I am only talking about morally and legally good things).
To conclude my thoughts, I believe the most important thing you can study during your time in high school is yourself. I apologize if this comes off as cheesy but, in my experience, high school is the time to test every aspect of yourself and your character. For example, your limits. Always push yourself to do better until you cannot anymore. This allows you to see what you can truly handle. Also, learn what type of people help push you to be better. Your friends, whether close or not, have a major influence on you. So, if you can find people that allow you to be yourself and improve on whatever it is you want to be good at, you can avoid a heck of a lot of stress throughout high school. Finally, learn to accept defeat. Defeat does not necessarily mean something is done for good and that you are just a loser. In fact, I view it to be the opposite and better than winning. When you lose something, that means you still have room to improve. So, when you think you have become the best at something, yet you come short of being #1, just know that clearly shows that you can become better.
Just like how money needs to keep moving to increase in value, you too must keep moving. Always aim to improve and be a better person, not just for yourself, but for everyone around you.
Erick Arias
Dear New incoming freshman,
I know high school can be scary but you don’t have to worry. It just takes some getting used too for sure. For me it took at while to get used to the new surroundings and this new environment I was in. Believe me, everyone knows what you’re going through and they have been in your shoes before. High school is a place that prepares you for the future and it is a wonderful place and experience.
Definitely some advice, to use on your first days of class is to remember your teachers’ names and where your classes are because it’s pretty easy to get lost. Getting used to the whole high school experience can be tricky but using proper preparation skills can help you. Such as, using your school supplies to the best of their abilities, writing down deadlines and due dates (they are very important), and making sure you ask for help if you don’t understand something. As a result, of using your proper preparation skills you will flourish and grow in getting used to high school.
Some possible things to avoid though can be tricky to identify. Since you’re new to high school you can’t pick up the wrong stuff going on. I would suggest to stay away from people who can bring you down and hurt your education and wellbeing. Also, don’t feel judged for things you might do differently from others. Finally, I would suggest to always have a good attitude and be prepare for class, it will make your day so much better. It’s your time to shine and make the best of your high school experience, you can’t have bad things ruining your future.
One of the most important things to focus on in high school is developing strong study habits and time management skills. This is crucial because high school is a big step up from middle school considering the amount of work and expectations. Getting organized, keeping track of your assignments, and setting aside regular time for studying can make a huge difference in how well you do in high school. It’s also important to really engage with the material you’re learning, whether it’s in subjects like math, science, or literature. This means not just memorizing stuff, but also understanding the concepts and subjects and how they are applied to real-world situations. By doing this, you will build a solid foundation that will help you succeed not just in high school, but in college and beyond.
I truly believe your first year of high school will go wonderfully if you follow the advice that I’ve written to you. It will help you achieve great things and help make yourself an amazing future and career.
Sincerely,
Breeann Bilbrey
A high school student
When I think back on my time spent at Bartow High, there are many mistakes I’ve made that could be helpful to a freshman entering school this year. For example, getting involved in activities/ community service. Where there are sports, clubs, and organizations, there are friendships and ways to get adjusted to school culture. It’s also an opportunity for colleges to see your passion and involvement as they factor it into their admissions and scholarships. Also, try different courses since when else will you have the opportunity.
Do not let procrastination and anxiety get the best of you. Putting off writing that paper or studying for that quiz will only add to your anxiety and in turn lower your grades. Developing correct study habits from the start set homework hours, doing large assignments over several days to ensure you get off on the right foot. In addition, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Teacher resources are available to assist you, and they want you to succeed; asking for clarification or a deeper understanding shows you’re engaged and want to learn.
With math, science, and English being the courses that you need the most to graduate, focus most of your time to these subjects. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating healthily, and take breaks when needed. You will enjoy high school if you learn to work hard and know how to strike a good school-life balance. My biggest regret was taking classes for the GPA boost and not because it strikes my interest.
Elliott Scarlett
The advice I would give to freshman starting at BHS is to have fun and experience as much as you can but also care about your grade especially the easier ones because having good grades in those raise your GPA. Pitfalls that I would say to avoid is hanging out with the wrong crowd and friends, they can inflict you into doing you wouldn’t do and cause your record to look bad for no reason. For studying and classwork, I would say staying after school when you can to get tutored is never a bad thing and will help more than you know. Raising your hand in class will never make you look stupid or dumb, another student might have the same question and will help both of you.
Gavin Bauer
Starting high school comes with challenges but it also produces memories one could never forget. The friends you make along the way are some you’ll have for life. You learn so many things as along as you’re willing to take the time. Highschool doesn’t have to be seen a waste of time, only if you make the best with the time you’re given.
As a freshman, you’re testing the waters before you dive in. Explore the clubs and extracurriculars around the school. Find where your interests can be highlighted and don’t be afraid to get out there and make friends. Friends help to make the long school days bearable and can be a great resource! Not just in terms of companionship but also in terms of subjects at school. Studying with friends can be an effective way to process information and pinpoint areas of weakness in a topic, which can be very handy in the long run.
Another aspect to consider is the courses you can take. Look at them as learning tools to further your knowledge in those certain fields. If you know what field you want to work in or interested in, aim for courses that push you in that direction. So, you not only get a feel for what’s required of that field but also enjoy the courses you take. Once you’re in the course don’t take the knowledge of your teachers for granted, don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is a learning experience; you’re not expected to know everything right off the bat. Lastly, don’t procrastinate when given assignments. It’s very easy to procrastinate, and it’s safe to say the majority fall victim to it. Just know the longer you wait to complete an assignment, the longer you’ll be stressed about it. If needed get an agenda of sorts do it, it’s a great way to keep track of your assignments and such. Do whatever you can to do to learn and achieve your desired grades.
Anne Clark
Dear Freshman,
I would like to welcome you to BHS/SA/IB. as you start you journey through high school, my first advice to you is to be prepared and stay organized. As a freshman I wished I learned to keep my assignments sorted out and so that I could find them. When it comes down to juggling multiple subjects, you should make sure to buy a binder along with dividers, that way you won’t have to worry about losing assignments. This will help you keep track of your work and prepare you for your next class in case you have an assignment due.
One pitfall you must avoid is procrastination. It is easy to put off assignments as it is to do them especially when you have multiple assignments from different classes. However, procrastinating can lead to you being stressed out and showing low quality skills on those assignments. Start doing your assignments the day you get them and set deadlines for yourself so that you don’t have to do them later. This helps you manage your assignments and improve your academic focus.
Lastly, you should prioritize your studies that are key to your future endeavors and goals. For example, the career path you want to pursue. All your subjects that you take are important but, you should focus on the subjects that will help you get into the college that you want to go to, like math, science, and languages which provides a strong foundation for you as a high school student. You should not hesitate to ask your teachers or peers for help or advice if you need help. Build good study habits to help support you as you advance. I wish you the best luck as you progress through your years in high school.
Sincerely,
A former freshman
Kennise Thornton
Hello, incoming freshman, I know a lot of you all are very nervous because this is your first year in high school, but it is not as bad as a lot of you all think it is and to help you all out I would like to give some advice that I wish someone told me my freshmen year. I know starting off high school is a very big deal, but do not let the nerves get to you. First off, I would try to be on time to all of your classes and don’t be tardy because there is a thing called choice room where you get sent if you are late to class and you get sent there the whole period and you miss a lot of class time by doing this. Also, by getting sent to the choice room, you could miss a big test or quiz, or you could get behind on a lot of your work and trust me it is not fun catching back up. Another thing, for all your core subjects, try to study at least an hour or two before your test or quizzes because those count as a lot of points and if you do badly it could really tank your grade. Also, if you do not understand something do not be afraid to ask for help as if you stay quiet and don’t ask, it could mess up your grade and your future knowledge.
Another thing to know about coming into your freshman year are which classes are the most important to spend your time on and what are some good study habits. I think the most important classes are AP and honor classes, but mainly your core subjects. To me, the most study time consuming class is math. I would study at least an hour for every core class before a test or a quiz, but for AP or honor I would study for 2 hours. Also, if you feel like you’re not understanding I would see if there is tutoring after school or ask the teacher if you can come after school for 30 minutes to get help on whatever topic you need help on. I think some good study habits are making a study guide, if the teacher gives you a review paper go over that, or you could go back over some old work you have done to see and better prepare you for what’s on the test.
Lastly, I want to give you some advice on some possible pitfalls that you could avoid. First off, if you are falling behind in your classes, don’t just give up or say “I’ll do them later”, this will end up making you more and more behind and instead just do them as quickly as possible and try to get everything turned in within a week or so. Secondly, try to come to school as much as possible as the more days you miss the more and more you will fall behind in your classes, so try to come to school every day that you can. Another thing is try and be organized with all of your class work. This is because if you are shoving class work into your book bag, it will be all crumbled up and it could also get lost, so try and get either folders or binders for each class to keep your work nice and organized.
In conclusion, this advice should help and make your freshman year easier. This advice will help you be more organized, have better grades, and have a better attendance. Try to not be nervous and enjoy your freshman year.
Griffin Lewis
Dear freshman, as you begin high school, my hope for you is that you can take something away from this that will make the next four years just a little bit easier. High school is hard, there is no doubt about that. Managing a social and academic life can be rough, especially when you want to thrive in both. However, these four years are about more than just growth in academics but as an overall person, so be gentle with yourself.
First and foremost, I would like to share some simple and basic social tips to help you get through high school. As a highschooler, socializing and making friends can be very hard, but it is crucial to make friendships that will help you stay sane amidst the workload. To do this, you have to put yourself out there; start conversations, get involved in clubs and sports, and treat others the way you want to be treated. Be open minded when getting involved, you never know how good the outcome may be if you never try. In addition, be kind and respectful to your teachers and peers. Being respectful to teachers will make a positive difference on the way you view their classroom and the experience you have in it. Lastly, as hard as it can be, never let the opinions of others dictate how you live or view yourself. We are all tiny individuals on a giant floating rock in an even bigger galaxy. These four years of your life are so short and in 20 years you will not remember that Timmy didn’t like your outfit on a random Tuesday your freshman year of high school. Make as many memories as possible, your time here is short and it goes by too fast to be worried about what others think while you are trying to live your best life.
Now that we got socializing over with, the main thing you are here for is to get an education. This part of high school does suck sometimes, but it will all be worth it in the end. It is important to always remember that it is a privilege to be able to get an education and attend a safe school with supportive teachers and staff. On top of that we are blessed to have three schools in one with classes for everyone. With that being said, whatever academic route you take there are some things you can do that will hopefully make your life a little easier. First of all, do not procrastinate. As someone who struggles with procrastination, I can say it is the worst attribute to have in high school. It is hard to juggle seven classes as is, if you do not prioritize doing your work you will get overwhelmed fast. You are trying to strengthen your brain, not mentally drain. Secondly, stay organized. Managing seven classes worth of workload is tough, especially if you are unorganized. In addition, stay engaged in class. This will help you to enjoy the class a little more and gain more knowledge. It is also important to choose classes you are interested in and can handle. Do not take a bunch of higher-level classes if you know you are not fit for them. This will only cause more problems for you. Sometimes you will take classes that require extra work, in these classes it is crucial to study. If you do not know the topic, study. Studying will help you immensely in your academic success. Find what technique works for you and study as much as you need to obtain success. Lastly, know that your grades do not define you. If you fail a test, assignment, or class it is not the end of the world. Failure is inevitable, learn from it and be better for the next time.
As I’ve said multiple times, high school is not a very easy time. You will fail many times; perfection is not possible. You will likely lose friends and have a couple uncomfortable social situations. You will probably get in trouble a time or two. You will get stressed. You will have sleepless nights and even more tired mornings. All of these things are inevitable and allow for you to grow as an individual. Do not let small setbacks tear you down long term. When you mess up, learn from it and fix what needs to be fixed. You are going into this as a child and leaving an adult, technically, so a lot will change. Understand that change and growth is necessary, especially in education. Good luck and make the most of it!
Ryleigh Waltz
Some advice I would give to someone becoming a freshman is to not care so much about what other people think and to focus on yourself and your studies. Starting high school and not caring what other people think is really hard and very difficult to do, but over time gets easier and easier. When beginning your journey you will be scared or nervous or neither but remembering that high school won’t last forever and there’s a lot more people that you haven’t met yet is comforting, at least for me it was. Being good in your studies probably seems like the most important thing but it’s not. The most important thing is being happy and discovering more about yourself and who you are. Learning more about yourself is more beneficial than anything; you can know your strengths and weaknesses and that can help you a lot in high school.
Some things that I would try to avoid are to not be so hard on yourself and that nothing you do is unforgiveable because high school is where you’re allowed to make mistakes. I would also tell someone that doing good in your studies is important because you don’t want to have to worry about it when you’re a senior. When you feel like you are stuck there is always a way out and someone to always help. When I was starting out one of my biggest pitfalls was not caring about my grade and half doing my work which led to poor grades. If I could go back I would try and do my work fully so that I could look smarter on my resume and applications for college.
The most important and deserving study I would have to say would be reading. Being good at English and literature can help you interpret different types of writing all the time and be able to form a bigger depth of knowledge on a topic. Reading is also good for a good fast pace so you can understand things at a faster rate leading you to spend less time interpreting thing. All topics are important but ELA is my favorite due to its diversity and what you can use ELA for. Overall I had a good high school experience and it should be hard but easy most of the time and nothing lasts forever so I would enjoy it as much as I can.
Noah Sanchez
Hello freshmen. My biggest piece of advice for you Freshmen would be to not procrastinate. If you have ever procrastinated, you know that feeling of dread that washes over you at 12 a.m. when you realize that you haven’t done your homework. Usually there are 2 options at that point: do your homework and have a bad sleep… or skip out on doing the homework and let your grades drop. The first day that you do your homework in a timely manner is the day that you will feel bliss. Having free time without stressing out about homework is a great feeling. Don’t procrastinate (everyone else probably said that too).
My second piece of advice would be to occupy your time with extracurricular activities. It could be a sport, culinary, orchestra, band or even a job. If you don’t have something to do after school besides occupying your time with video games or sleeping, you will most likely be a mess. You might think that it’s a waste of time, but it really does give you a good experience that you will remember for the rest of your life. When people talk about their past experiences at high school, they never really talk about how much they adored AP chemistry. Also, it gives you an opportunity to meet people which is very important. You will feel miserable if you have nobody to relate to.
Studying. I don’t like studying. I have never been good at studying. I guess my only advice for studying would be memorization of equations or whatever you are studying by using flash cards. The only time I remember studying and it being effective was in chemistry when I was memorizing the elements on the periodic table, and the names and chemical composition of compounds. I hope you enjoy your next 4 years of school because that will (hopefully) be the end of it.
Noah Mednick
Being 3 years in high school I have learned and developed so many things. As a junior, my advice to freshman would be to not take freshman year for granted and to try your best in school. Freshman year is like your base layer or foundation for the rest of high school so if you don’t try it can impact you later on. I encourage students to achieve their goals and to try new things because at the end of the day we all start somewhere. Set high standard goals for yourself because once you achieve them it’s very rewarding to see you prioritized yourself and your goals.
Throughout high school I have gone through so many pitfalls and struggles. A pitfall I encourage students to avoid is skipping or missing school because once you let yourself not go for one day it’s a constant loop and you fall behind. Being present in school is so important because you can listen to the lectures and if you miss school you fall more and more behind. Another pitfall I would avoid is procrastinating and leaving everything until the end. Leaving everything last minute is the worst mistake I have done because I always end up more stressed out since I am on a time crunch and I tend to perform worse since I know I have limited time left. Everyone goes through their own pitfalls but it’s important to keep pushing and know it’s all worth it.
There are many ways to study, but it’s the matter of finding what works for you. I still struggle to this day finding study tips to help me perform better but that’s okay. One of the study tips that helps me memorize things is repeatedly writing things over and over until I don’t have to use my notes to write it down or using flashcards. A study tip for problems is trying over and over different examples because then you learn where you need help and how to fix it. Studying is very rewarding when you finally memorize a certain thing or finally understand a problem or how to do it. Seeing you get a good score on a test or assignment is the most rewarding because you know it was worth it. Everyone learns differently, you just have to find what works for you.
Heidi Monter-Montiel
What advice would I give someone just starting here freshmen year? I think it would have to be, that you should do your work on time because putting it off until the last second usually does not work. And even when it does work out, it drains you, also just try in each class, you do not have to get an A but just at least try. Starting as a freshman can be both exciting and overwhelming, but you can make the most of your experience. First, it is crucial to manage your time effectively. Balancing classes, homework, and social activities can be challenging, so consider trying to plan it out. Prioritize your tasks and avoid procrastination to stay on top of your workload.
In terms of academics, focus on understanding the material rather than just memorizing it for exams. Subjects that seem most important and deserving of the most study often vary by major, but foundational courses in your field are critical. Attend all your classes, take part actively, and do not hesitate to ask for help from professors or classmates if you are struggling even if you do not know them, I can assure you they do not care that much. If you can get extra help, take it, there are other kids who are also struggling and doing nothing about it, do not be them.
Common pitfalls to avoid include neglecting self-care and overcommitting yourself. Ensure you get enough sleep, eat well, and take time for relaxation. It’s easy to get overwhelmed if you try to do too much at once, so set realistic goals and know your limits. Remember taking care of your mental and physical health is just as important as your academic success. Try your best and enjoy the friends you make along the way.
Hayden Bauer
Hey freshmen!
Welcome to high school! — but watch out! it can be really hard without some advice. Let’s start off with a first piece of advice, stay organized. High school can get overwhelming with all the assignments that you have to turn in, so finding a system that works will save you a lot of stress and a lot of lost homework, trust me I would know. Just stay on top of your work from the beginning, and don’t wait until the last minute to start studying or completing assignments. this will help you avoid procrastination. which can quickly cause homework to pile up and become unmanageable.
Another key piece of advice is to get involved! Join clubs or start going to more afterschool events! I missed a lot of school event I would’ve hard such a fun time doing so whether it’s joining a club, playing a sport, or volunteering, make sure you start getting involved and having more fun! Also don’t forget you can stay on top of schoolwork while still having fun, just make sure you keep track of time and mange it wisely. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it — whether it’s from a teacher, or a classmate. You’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to support you.
Lastly, focus on developing strong study habits early on. Some subjects might come easy to you, but others will require more effort. Math and science often build on concepts learned in earlier years, so paying attention in class and start reviewing your notes regularly. It’s crucial for good grades. Don’t just cram for tests; truly understanding will set you up for success. Your grades and overall well-being matter, but remember that high school is also about learning and building friendships. Keep positive, and enjoy your journey.
Best of luck,
Eldon Trowbridge
Dear Freshman,
Welcome to BHS/SA/IB! High school, especially the freshman year, can be one of the most exciting yet overwhelming times, but it’s a journey you will always look back on with pride and growth. I want to offer a few words of advice that may make your transition easier and prepare you for success.
First and foremost, one of the most important things to remember is to stay organized. High school can be demanding, especially in a rigorous program like the one here at BHS/SA/B. You’ll have multiple subjects, assignments, and deadlines to juggle, and it’s easy to feel like you’re always playing catch-up. My advice is to invest in a planner or use a digital calendar to track everything. Also, try to divide big projects into smaller pieces, and do not leave studying or making assignments for the last moment. The procrastination factor may become your worst enemy in such cases, and though it may seem very luring to push things until later, it just adds to unnecessary stress.
Other advice would be to balance academics with personal life. Sometimes, with all the workloads that are piling up, you might forget you also come here to grow socially and emotionally. It’s okay to mess things up sometimes; it is okay to take a break. You may feel compelled always to be on top but always keep in mind that your well being comes first. Learn how to ask for help when you need it-be that teacher, counselor, or peer. There is no shame in seeking help; quite the contrary, it is a sign of strength and not weakness.
Finally, be active in your learning. Don’t just let things happen; engage yourself in class and initiative. If you don’t understand something, ask questions. Participate in discussions. Try to connect what you are learning with your own experiences or interests. This type of active engagement will help make your studies more interesting but also allow you to retain more of the material. Be open to the diverse perspectives and opportunities this school has. You can enjoy plenty of extracurricular activities, clubs, and events that will help you build your skills and expand your horizons outside of the classroom.
Good luck and make the most of every moment. These next four years will fly by a lot quicker than you could ever imagine, so be sure to take the time to enjoy them and make lasting memories!
Sincerely,
Italia Lopez