Many of these were written by juniors, to advise new juniors. The rest were written by sophomores, to advise new sophomores. They are otherwise in no particular order.

 

 

Dear future junior,

You’ve probably heard this a million times but I’ll say it again to emphasize it: Be organized! You’ll get a lot of work from a lot of teachers. The work is typically manageable if you schedule it. If you know a big project is going to be due the day of an important test, don’t wait until the day before to do the project because then you won’t study for the test… or maybe you’ll stay up past midnight to finish everything. Either way, not a good idea. You can avoid a lot of stress by simply being organized. Take advantage of the schedules that teachers give you — a few will give you schedules for when their work will be due. Actually look at these and think about your extracurricular activities and how you’ll manage your time.

Secondly, don’t waste time in class. If a teacher gives you time in class to work on homework, don’t waste all the time talking to your friends. Think about it this way: If you finish your homework in class, you won’t have to do it at home when you could be doing something you actually enjoy (unless you enjoy doing homework, then by all means feel free to spend as much time on it as you please). Another great reason for this is that if you don’t understand a question, you can ask your friends or teacher about it and clear up any misunderstandings (note: you may not have this opportunity later).

Thirdly, make time for what’s important to you. It is possible to balance the work load and still have fun. Don’t get so up in all the work that you forget what fun is. Some weeks are stressful like when IAs are due (pick your sixth subject VERY carefully, study throughout the year, and work hard on your rough draft so you understand the changes you need to make for the final). One easy way to enjoy your junior year more is: Don’t take classes just because your friends are taking them. Really think about the classes you’re choosing and weigh whether you’re willing to dedicate the amount of time that class will require. Just because your friends want to take a class to raise their GPA and “they’ll be in the class, too” won’t make the class fun — make sure you want to take the class.

A note to the juniors taking biology… Spread out the human body systems extra credit over a long period of time. Trust me on this one — she gives it to you early and you should really start it early. It takes a lot of time and don’t underestimate the amount of work involved in it. If you just spread out the systems, maybe two a week, so you won’t be stressed to finish the project the weekend before.

Good luck in your new year!

Nathalia Rivera

 

Junior Year of this program is the toughest year so far I have endured. There are way more AP classes and the first IB classes, along with a CAS project, CAS hours we now have to worry about, clubs (and getting officer positions), sports, and maybe juggling a social life now that everyone has a driver’s license. It seems overwhelming at a first glance, but using time management learned from the first two years of IB helped tremendously in getting through the third year.

Looking towards the future is what helped push me through the roughest part of this year. Touring colleges, picking a major, and completely each assessment that got me a little closer to the IB diploma boosted me out of a rut during the school year. The accomplished feeling of handing in my Business IA or the Fly Lab propelled my focus back to schoolwork and concentrating on getting everything done. Like the Robinsons say, “Keep moving forward.”

However, I believe there is a suitable balance between work and fun. Going out with friends or taking a trip to the beach is a great way to relax some stress that comes with junior year. Personally, Friday nights are reserved for going to the movies or heading to a party. After 5 long, grueling schooldays, I find it essential to always save Friday night for myself. Just because you’re attending one of the most rigorous high schools in the nation does not mean you have to be buried in academics round-the-clock. Take a breather and have some fun.

Simone Gable

 

Dear Sophomore,

My first piece of advice for you is to always keep the end goal in mind. For example, when tired at 12am doing a project or writing a paper, keep in mind that the writing skills, determination, benefits of finishing the assignment (hey, maybe like those cool things called points in the class), etc., will be well worth the lost sleep in the end. That being said, don’t procrastinate. I myself have managed to get much of my work done well before it is due. This allows for more sleep, less stress, and more time to work on other assignments. It’s actually pretty simple; personally, I keep a sheet of notebook paper on which I have all of the dates for the entire week, sometimes two, and assignments due on each date. This allows me to finish assignments on time, keep track of my many assignments, and see what I can start on next once I finish the day’s homework. I believe this method to be successful because the latest I have ever stayed up in my IB career (to do homework) is 1:30am. Even then, I probably could have avoided this by starting earlier. Hold yourself accountable; don’t make excuses. Just remember, others might have less time than you and they too still have to get it done. Don’t be a weenie 🙂

My second piece of advice is BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS! Schoolwork isn’t everything! Sure it’s SUPER important but it isn’t the only thing that will get you into a good college or boost your social life. Universities want to see that students are well rounded; this means sports, clubs, hobbies, etc. SHOW THAT YOU HAVE A PERSONALITY! They don’t want to accept boring students who do nothing but schoolwork and sleep. Join a club! Try out for a sport! Have fun! But don’t just do it to put on an application; find something that interests you. Try to hold an office in a club. High school isn’t all IB; there are tons of things to do! Initiate a class party, go to Hacienda after school, or hang at a friend’s house! These are all good ways to separate yourself from the stresses of IB and relax a little. Don’t make high school the most boring four years of your life; trust me when I say you’ll look back and regret it. Experience the world! Don’t be a boring weenie 🙂

The last piece of boring advice I’ll give you is participate in school activities! It’s always good (AND FUN 🙂 ) to gain new experiences and meet new people. School functions are perfect for that; you get to have fun while integrating with the rest of the school. Just because you’re in IB doesn’t mean you can’t find friends outside of it. GO to events like football games, basketball games, volleyball games, homecoming, powder puff, parades, community service activities, etc. Don’t be that kid that always sits at home alone. Learn to be independent. It’s ok to go to something by yourself! You’re bound to meet someone new and interesting. Go out and be a part of BHS, not just IB. Join a sports team and proudly display their logo on a hoodie that you’ll live in from December to March. Or, you could be lame and only own an IB hoodie, which is fine too. I’m not hating on IB, I just think you should put yourself out there more. Oh, and don’t just take a class to boost your GPA. Use your elective to find something that will help you in your future, regardless of class weight. Nobody likes the people who take online classes just to improve their class ranking. If you do this, you’re a weenie 🙂

Sincerely,

Courtney Lamoureux (who is totally NOT a weenie 🙂 )

 

As a sophomore, things seem to be pretty chill. Junior year, however, is a different beast.  Things don’t get that much more difficult, but you may become a little more stressed.  My only advice: don’t procrastinate.   I know that it is very unoriginal, but it’s good advice that someone will take one of these days.  Do things when they are assigned, not the day before they’re due. This will prevent you from worrying about it in the future.  And if you do procrastinate, just get it done.  Don’t worry, everything will be okay.  You won’t become a high school failure if you do poorly on one assignment.  It’s really not that big of a deal.

Now, I am supposed to give advice to someone taking the same classes as me, so that means band. Which means a lot.  I am very sorry for those of you not in band, but that’s kinda what the rest of this essay will be.  So, we all know that marching season is super hectic.  Once again, I advise you to do assignments ahead of time.   For example, marching practice is on Tuesdays.   So is IB music (which may or may not be a thing during marching season).  Any way, if you stay after school before practice, you know that you are not going to get anything done. We IB kids like to think that we’ll work on homework during this time, but we all know that that’s a lie.  So, to avoid having to do a ton of homework Tuesday night after rehearsal, do it all on Monday night.  When you get home from school on Monday, do all of your assignments that would be due on Wednesday. Then, on Tuesday, you don’t have any homework that must be done.  You can do the homework you were assigned on Tuesday on Wednesday and then you’re all caught up.  It works great, trust me.

Okay, so maybe I lied when I said that the rest of the essay would be about band… The only thing that I can think of that stuck out this year was The Absolute Worst Bio Lab You Will Ever Do In Your Life Lab. The Fly Lab for short.  Many people this year skipped school the day before it was due because they didn’t start working on it soon enough.  Please don’t be one of these people.  It’s stupid how much it aggravates others.  Start working on it the weekend before, and you’ll have plenty of time. (Hopefully.  Also, with this lab, doing the lab is FINE.  Typing the lab SUCKS.) So… yeah… that’s all I got.   Sorry that I couldn’t make this more humorous. It’s not like anyone will read it anyway, except for you Ms. Frisbie @

Laura Roth

 

I would like to give you some advice for the coming year for a couple of your classes.

In pre calc class the most important advice that I can give you is to not piss off the teacher.  As long as you do not piss off the teacher your life will be a lot happier.  Make sure to always do your homework, and try to save as many of your late work passes as you can, they can end up gaining you a point or two at the end of the nine weeks.  The reviews are your best friend, as long as you do them and can accomplish everything on them you will pass the test with flying colors.

In history class, your new best friend is crash course.  In the last month before your exam it will become your life.  Make sure to get a good review book.  They are very helpful and will help you learn a lot of the material, especially if you didn’t study a lot during the year.  Don’t be afraid to go and find new resources whether they be new books, or videos online.  Do whatever works for you in order to learn the material.  Learn to make connections early in the year.  By making connections throughout the year it will help you at review time.

I would strongly recommend business class.  Mr. Brennan will prepare you beyond your wildest dreams.  You will be more prepared for this test than any other test you have ever taken.  You will know all of the material and the night before the test you won’t even be worried.  Just make sure throughout the year that you take notes, pay attention to lectures and try not to get the joy of winning.

This is a very fast paced year and will go by very quickly.  Just make sure to study and I would not put off your journals for the last minute.  Pick a journal you like and give it your all.  You can do this just keep pushing through the year.

Logan Slick

 

Dear (soon to be) Junior,

Lots of people will tell you that junior year is the worst year of your life with no sleep, no time to have fun, and insane amounts of work. Those people are so wrong. As long as you take classes that you are somewhat interested in and try to get your work done promptly and not procrastinate (which can be a struggle), you will have no problem getting through the year.

The classes I took were AP Physics, AP English, IB Psychology, AP Spanish, IB Pre-Calc, AP U.S. History, IB Theory of Knowledge, and AP Human Geography. Seems like a full load, doesn’t it? Well, even with every single class of mine being AP or IB, I was still able to finish my homework every night (usually in less than two hours), go to swim practice for 2-3 hours from Monday through Thursday, and spend tons of time with my friends and family on both the weekends and even the week days. As long as you come into junior year with positive thoughts (definitely not thinking that it will be the worst year of your life), I can assure you, it won’t be that bad. Personally, I think so far, freshman year was the hardest — and you’ve already completed it, too!

Without a doubt, the biggest decision you will have to make about your junior year is the science you are going to take. I chose to take physics because I’m stronger in math. If you are good at math, then I definitely recommend you take physics. Mr. Webb really is a great teacher and he knows what he is talking about. However, if you are not so good at math and are willing to do lots of work and go into the medical field eventually, then take biology  — it will lead to a lot of late nights doing long worksheets but you will definitely pass the AP test. Mrs. Kennon is a great teacher. The other big, yet less taxing, decision you have to make is your elective. You should definitely take AP Human Geography with Ms. Leon. She is the funniest human being that I have ever met in my entire life. I had the best time in that class and learned a lot!

Also, aside from school, make sure you have fun! Go out with your friends, spend time with your family, do crazy things, go to crazy places, play sports, eat amazing food, laugh, make the best of it! You’re only in high school once — make it count. There are a lot of things that you could make yourself go crazy about in junior year. But just remember to stop, take a breath, and relax. It will be hard at times, but it is definitely all worth it. Just do your best, manage your time well, and most importantly, have fun and cherish the lifelong friendships that you will make in IB. My group of friends is my rock, and I hope you form that rock over the next few years too. Happy Junior Year!

Sincerely,

Abbie Tamayo

 

My first year of IB was definitely more challenging than the two years prior, however I felt as if the new school year made me more mature and independent. Being able to drive meant that I would have to undertake more responsibilities, both in school and out, and that impacted my education. Although the topics I learned throughout my classes, especially in pre-Calculus, were not too challenging, I felt as if the biggest deterrent to fulfilling my maximum potential in school was my procrastination and, at times, undeniable laziness. There would be times when I had massive amounts of homework due the next day yet I would still go to the gym or even waste too much time eating, despite myself blatantly knowing that I had work to do. I don’t know what the cause of this unwillingness to work is, perhaps it is mental and physical fatigue from trying to manage so much in my life, but it has gotten better as I progressed through the years here at IB. So my first piece of advice for anyone coming before me would be to take small steps.

What might taking small steps mean? I believe that one of the main causes of my lack of motivation to work at times was the fact that I knew of the massive amount of work that lay before me. Knowing this, I would often try to postpone working on it at all for fear of being able to manage working on in. At times I would have to force myself to take small steps when it came to beginning homework. To me that might mean simply getting my backpack from across the room and opening it and taking out my school supplies. From there I would check off from a mental list inside my head. This list was like a mini progress bar that had all the things I had to do on it. By slowly checking it off it made me feel as if I was making small successes on my way towards accomplishing my end goal. This would give me a sense of gradual accomplishment and would increase my productivity, therefore overcoming my laziness. By taking small steps, someone can begin to slowly shed away at their workload piece by piece instead of taking it head on. There was a quote I believe from the old English teacher here at the school, Ms. Smith, that went “the only way to eat an elephant is to take it one bite at a time”.

My second piece of information to share with any of my successors would be to develop habits. Aristotle said,  “We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit”. We all have had days when we have felt truly inspired and motivated to work on something. And we all have had days where it feels as if a light has been turned off, leaving us feeling unmotivated. To combat this feeling of un-motivation, some of the greatest creative minds on earth have developed habits to rely on no matter how motivated they are feeling. The routine of going step by step to get your homework out, look at your agenda to see what homework was assigned, sharpening your pencils even, is as much a part of the process of finishing work as the end result. Without a routine, one can often feel lost amongst the sea of overwhelming work. Habit eliminates this feeling of despair by allowing someone to begin a routine, let’s say homework, through a routine that may not even be related to the original work. Finding your own routines and habits may be the tricky part for everyone individually but day by day, as the process becomes habituated, you can essentially program your mind to ready itself for whatever work you have ahead of you. The author E.L Doctorow said “writing a novel is like trying to drive a car at night, you can only see as far as your headlights go but you can make the entire trip that way”. So I leave you with this: no matter how distant the goal is, develop habits, overcome your weaknesses, and take it one step at a time.

Antonio Glenn

 

Dear Juniors,

You guys did it! You’ve finally made it. It’s been a long journey and you should be proud of yourselves. Seriously. Not everyone can put up with the stress that we have. It takes some serious strength. But it’s not over yet. Everyone says that junior year is the toughest of them all, but I’m here to tell you that while the work load may be heftier and the work may get harder, you will all be absolutely fine. Just remember to never give up and to always stay on top of your work. Procrastinating may seem alright at the time but trust me. When you have 4 major projects due the next day, you’ll wish you would have gotten it done beforehand.

Most problems in junior year arise from students being unprepared when it comes to time management skills as well as a lack of determination. This year really is a pain, but it will all go by much easier if you get your work done and not waiting until the day its due to do it. I used to wait till I was in my 3rd period class before I’d do my 5th period class’s homework, and because of this I did poorly on my 3rd period class’s tests. You have to make sure that no matter how lazy you feel, you at least work on your work some, to make it easier to work on later, because what if something comes up and you can’t do it? Or you’re just super tired and really need a mental health nap? Hopefully you’ll have some of that work done so you have time for obstacles like that.

One of the biggest things I learned from my junior year is to always, always, ALWAYS take notes. No matter how good of a listener you think you are, or how well you think you already understand the concept, you need to take notes. Don’t give up half way through the first semester like a lot of us did. Keep up with them because you’re really going to wish you had them during the time for midterms and finals. Plus they are always handy to help with homework assignments, especially Mrs. Kennon’s assignments, which are solely based off of notes and are almost impossible to find online, or Ms. Frisbie’s, where she always goes over problems like the ones you’ll do in your homework the class before. Basically what I’m saying is that if you keep up with your work, stay on top of it, take notes and pay attention, junior year will be a breeze for you. Good luck guys!

Sincerely,

Senior Jasmine Lokietek

 

Hi Sophomore!

Another year of IB down. I know everyone has told you that junior year will be the worst experience of your entire life, but I need you to know that it is really not that bad. I’ve actually had a fine year, and I still think freshman year was the most difficult. I know you probably deal with a lot of stress right now, and I’m with you there. I’ve gone through some anxiety struggles for a while now, and it’s finally getting better. At some point, you hit your stride. You won’t dread homework anymore. You’ll sit down, get it done, and move on. Something else about homework — it is ok to get some done at school the day it’s due. Teachers will tell you that it’s a terrible idea, but it will save your sanity. Do not overdo it, and never copy someone’s work. But when you have some free time in class, let someone help you through an assignment you just couldn’t bring yourself to do the night before. It’s ok. Just don’t rely on it. Lastly, if it ever feels like too much, talk to your teachers. A lot of them have been through the same thing, and you’d be surprised how many of them are understanding. Don’t ever let your workload make your life miserable.

Don’t let IB stop you from sports, extracurriculars, hobbies, or volunteering. It is not impossible to have a job and attend IB. I work four days a week until 5:30 or 6:00. Once it becomes routine, it no longer stresses you. Don’t be afraid to get Chipotle on a Tuesday night. Spend most of your Fridays with a few close friends, spend a few binge-watching Netflix, and spend a few more helping out at a cause that really matters to you. Don’t get all your volunteer hours from random assignments that you don’t care about. Colleges know you don’t care. They want to see depth of activities, not breadth.

Ok, so you’re probably taking Biology or Physics. I didn’t take Bio, so I can’t help you there. But if you did choose physics, please actually do your work. All late work is accepted, but that doesn’t mean you should turn something in a month after it’s assigned. You’ll get your points, but you’ll be lost on your AP exam.

Try to actually care about English and TOK. Both of those courses have made me not hate school. They will actually make you think, and you’ll be surprised at how much the simple act of thinking can make you feel a lot more awake and alive. Plus, you get Ms. Lavelle.

A lot of students get low grades in Spanish. Bs and Cs are common. Do not feel worthless because of your grade, or any grade, ever. Some things are hard. That’s ok. Make up for it in your college applications with a killer essay and a demonstrated passion for some area in your life.

Study for the SAT.

Make sure to eat well and exercise. You will be smarter. You will get better grades. You’ll be happier.

Finally, make sure you check in on your friends once in a while. All of us go through some pretty hard times, especially in an environment as high-stress as IB, and they probably need you more than you think. You have no idea how far a little concern and a few kind words can go. Good luck. It’ll be over before you know it.

Riley McDanal

 

Dear young grasshopper,

WELCOME TO THE ACTUAL IB PROGRAM little junior. Congratulations! You have survived the first two years of your high school experience. If you are like me, you went through the last two years thinking that your life was terrible and you had sooooo much work and zero time. Well, you’ll soon realize that you haven’t seen anything yet. I don’t mean to scare you with this letter, but junior year is difficult. All the stories and warnings that you have heard are probably scaring you. I will admit that they scared me too. However, YOU CAN DO IT!

All of your teachers have prepared you to enter the IB program’s rigorous curriculum and workload. There are few things that I want to tell you. I know everyone will tell you the same thing and you probably won’t even listen because what do dozens of other people who have been there know, riiigggght. Regardless, here are a few tips regarding schoolwork for you:

1. I would say DO NOT PROCRASTINATE, but you aren’t going to listen soooo do not leave everything until the last minute. Plan ahead and make sure that everything doesn’t fall onto one day, ESPECIALLY with big projects like your IOP (you’ll find out about that with Mrs. Lavelle.) Planned procrastination is semi-okayish.
2. Study, study, study. You may have moments when you think that you understand a concept and you feel that you don’t need to study. Well, you are wrong. ALWAYS study! The time you spend studying will pay off when you don’t have to worry about pushing that 89 up to a 90.
3. Ask for help! Don’t be afraid or feel inferior because you didn’t understand a concept or want some help. If you are afraid or unable to ask a teacher, your classmates are right by your side. They can help out (although this advice should be taken with a grain of salt… refer to #4.) Sometimes you can learn a new trick or have an epiphany and understand because the concept is explained differently.
4. DO.NOT.CHEAT. It may seem reaaaallyyyy tempting at times when you have so much due, no sleep, and a lowish grade. It is NOT worth it at all. You will only suffer. The assignments that you get are given for a reason and they are meant to help you. If people find out then your integrity goes down the drain. People WILL talk about how you copied that one assignment and the idea that you get good grades based on cheating will pass through the minds of your peers.

Well, I think I’ve said enough about the schoolwork. If you still have questions you can find me or scroll up or down to the other letters. Now you may think that this is where the letter will end because IB is all about the work. WRONG. IB is so much more than a school for smart people. It is preparing you for the real world and shaping you into a better person. Remember, you are in high school! ENJOY IT! You are lucky enough to be in a school where there are clubs that cater to so many different interests. Join clubs that you want to join, not just because they will look good on a college resume.  Also, BUILD FRIENDSHIPS! When you are stressing out, your friends are there to help ease your worries and help you relax. They can also help put things in perspective, because EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY!

Good luck little one. You are ready for this year. I BELIEVE IN YOU and you should believe in yourself.

With lots of love and well wishes,

Axita Patel

P.S. Your teachers will seem super scary, but they are totally awesome and super nice… IF you stay on their good side.

P.P.S. Feel free to get a hold of me if you have any questions! I’m here to help. I gotchu.

 

Junior year of IB has been most difficult and stressful so far, and I am glad that the year is over. I have learned a lot from the past three years, and if I had this knowledge beforehand, it would have made the years much easier. The best advice that I can provide for upcoming juniors, to the extent of my experience, comes from my mistakes as well as those that I have observed in others. I have learned that it is necessary to apply yourself as seriously as possible in all your classes, no matter which one. It is also essential to not allow the stress and anxiety of the workload to affect you in such a negative way, but to avoid this by planning ahead and not procrastinating. Following these tips will never ensure an easy road through the year, but may definitely aid in improving it.

Throughout the two years leading up to IB, you begin to form impressions of which classes will be the most difficult and which classes you do not have to try in. This, for the most part, ends up being false. It is necessary to place your full effort in all of your classes, and to never get too comfortable with a grade in a course. Many individuals have higher grades in the more “terrifying” classes like AP Biology, than classes commonly thought of as simple, such as English. Additionally, never “quit” during the year, even if it is almost over. Every day/week/semester is important, and you never know your your grade may come down to it. Whether it is due to the difficulty of the course for the individual, or the extent to which they have applied themselves, it is important to maintain a balance between all classes.

Everyone procrastinates and even after planning to start a presentation or project weeks before it is due, it never occurs. Even so, it should be minimal, still allowing enough time to complete the assignment, and to obtain a healthy amount of sleep.

The final and most vital piece of advice that can be offered is to not allow all the work, assignments, and especially AP/IB exams at the end of the year cause panic or distress. In the years before, students are accustomed to taking only one or two simple AP exams, and therefore get comfortable with studying for just a few days before them. This habit should end beginning in the 11th grade, as taking 4, 5, or even 6 exams (some with multiple Papers) in a span of two weeks does not allow much time in between for studying. All this does is create panic and unpreparedness on exam day. In order to effectively prepare for exams without stress or panic, it is essential to begin at least two weeks before.

As stated previously, there is no simple solution to the IB program. There is no way to make the years easy, effortless, and painless. The years of IB will undoubtedly be some of the roughest, but there is no reason that this should drag you down and take over your life. At the end of the day school is extremely important, especially in the IB program, but you have to learn to balance your life.

Steven Rozier

 

Junior year is known as your hardest year in high school. That statement is true. However, it isn’t that bad if you manage your time and do your work properly. Two classes that I think that need these skills are Biology and English. Also, don’t forget about CAS!

If you are taking biology, well bless your soul. I am not going to say it’s an easy class because that would be a lie. The workload is a lot at times and overwhelming. However, if you manage your time it will not be that bad. For labs, don’t wait until the day before to do it because there’s a lot to do. Also, you have seven days to do it so divide up the work. Also, pay attention to what she writes on her notes because they are sometimes helpful for understanding concepts. For worksheets, use the book because a lot of the answers are in there.

English is a good class. Ms. Lavelle is a great teacher! One thing I would suggest is that you read the works. This is extremely important because you will have to give a commentary at the end of the year that is based on one of the works. Also, you have to write journals based off of the books and it won’t help you to not do them properly because there are in-class discussions about the journals. If you haven’t read the book, Lavelle will know. Also, don’t fret too much about the oral presentations near the end of the year. This doesn’t mean just wing it. I mean they aren’t too hard you just have to know what you’re talking about. Also pay attention to the discussions that are in class because they provide good insights and ideas about the works that you can use for analyses.

CAS projects are essential for IB. It would behoove you to start early. Also, I would keep on your CAS Coordinator’s case when it comes to approving your projects.  Also, find a CAS project with friends and that you’re interested in or seems interesting to you because it’s always better that way.

Joshua Eapen

 

Dear Student,

First, I would I would like to congratulate you for making it though another year. Yay! I’m sure you’ve worked hard to get where you are today and I respect the time and effort you placed into your academic endeavors, regardless of how good or bad your grades actually are. As you may have already discovered, all good things come with a price. It’s up to you to decide what’s really important and what you’re willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals.

I’ve heard that when you’re in IB you have to pick two of three things (studying/academic success, sleep, and social life). Somehow I didn’t get any of these but at this point I realize why. If you avoid the mistakes I made you’ll do great in all aspects of IB life. First of all, do your homework as soon as it’s assigned; I’ve found that my best weeks are when I do my homework assignments the day I have them assigned. Somewhat related, put in any CAS hours you do as soon as you do them. Another thing to avoid is sleep deprivation. Take it from me, staying up until 2:00AM playing video games when you have a test the next day is a bad idea. In general just try to maintain a normal sleep schedule, eat healthy, and exercise regularly.

Additionally, an important thing to remember is that teachers are there for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Even if you don’t need help, keeping good relations with your teachers is still the logical thing to do because not only it is respectful, they’re the ones you’re going to be asking for recommendation letters for colleges and for jobs. Furthermore, be kind to your peers and parents, both of which can be extremely rewarding relationships.

Sincerely,

Kim Fullenkamp

 

Dear class of 2017,

Don’t make junior year harder than it is. If you just do your work proactively and don’t procrastinate, then junior year won’t be all that difficult. If you don’t start your homework until midnight the night before something is due, of course you won’t get that much sleep. Do big assignments on the weekends, because you have extra time. Junior year’s workload isn’t overwhelming, so just start your homework instead of taking a nap after school. You’ll get better grades on your assignments anyways!

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

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

Sincerely,

Nicholas Johnson

 

Dear incoming junior,

I know there are plenty of rumors about junior year; you’ve probably already heard it’s the hardest year in IB. To be honest, this will definitely be the hardest school year you’ve had. But don’t get intimidated because you can get through it, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with the workload of junior year but there were a few things I learned that may be able to help you get through it.

First of all, do not procrastinate. I know that will be very difficult and it’s easy to put everything off to the last minute but you will feel so much better when you know your work is done. This is the year you have to start using your planner, make several to-do lists. One list can be for things due the next day, one for the end of the week, and one for the end of the month. This may seem dumb but you will get a lot of due dates months before, especially your IOP in English. It can be easy to get caught up in the immediate assignments and forget about your IA or IOP. These assignments are very important because they factor into your IB diploma. Work as hard as you can on your IA, IOP, and IOC… it will benefit you in the long run.

The year gets harder after first semester. First semester is a breeze when it comes to your workload. Second semester is when everything picks up because exams are around the corner. Start studying for them early; it will be so much harder to cram for your exams because you have so many. Sophomore year you probably had about three exams, but this year you’ll have at least six. Most of the exams are back to back so it’s very hard to study for your next test. Again it’s hard to think into the future and study for something that may be weeks or months away but it will help you in the end. For your IB test, it is necessary that you write out every learning outcome and the answer for it. I promise this will make your first IB test a breeze and set you up for next year’s exams. When you do anything regarding IB do as best as you can, do this so, if necessary, you can have a cushion for another subject that you may not do as well in.

Junior year is not as bad as the rumors make it seem. Although it is a lot of work and you will have to try really hard, you can do it. Never forget that it’s only 180 days long and you’ll be a senior as soon as you know it. As long as you try your best you’ll be fine.

Sincerely,

An incoming senior

Rachel Michels

 

Dear Friend who is one year behind me and taking the same courses,

Junior year gets hectic between increased work load due to actually being in the IB program officially and CAS starting and other things. The best advice one can offer is to not get bogged down, don’t lose motivation. Being able to do things on your own accord and not having to learn from mistakes is crucial. If you only start learning to do things by motivating yourself after messing up repeatedly you might fall behind and/or get incredibly frustrated with yourself. This happened to me, and it was probably the worst part of the whole year. I did manage to get only one B both semesters, but that probably could have been better had I been motivated earlier in the year to study. Minor advice: biology is hard, study for it.

Socially, having friends helps make life bearable in a general way. If your entire life is waking up, going to school, going home doing work, rinse and repeat, it will probably get boring and unless that’s the most exciting sounding life it probably is terrible. I wouldn’t know exactly since this didn’t happen to me, but I used to consider myself socially independent and not needing friends and I know now that I was totally wrong. Friends are important unless you really are a complete recluse. Friends can come from lots of places and groups, but probably having one main close-knit group is nice because then there’s always a place to be/go. Additionally, being able to drift really helps too since then when in doubt or when faced with a situation where none of your good friends are you can just float from group to group and pretend to care about stuff.

The last bit of advice I have is to not be stupid. It might sound childish or dumb or unprofessional or something but those words can save you so much time and effort and energy and everything. I wish someone, even myself from the future would have worked, had come to me 8 months ago and punched me and told me to not be an idiot ever. People do dumb things and there’s no way around that, so you can at least try to be preventative now rather than later. No harm in at least trying, I wish I had.

Sincerely,

Logan Owens

 

Dear Juniors (and freshmen who are worried about junior year),

First things first: junior year is not as bad as everyone says it is, so take a deep breath and relax. The trick is to just do it, whatever “it” is right now. Don’t think about how hard it’ll be, don’t think about how boring it’ll be, don’t think about how bad the finished product going to be. Just get on in there and do your best. Get ‘er done. You’re most likely underestimating yourself. As A.A. Milne (the author of Winnie the Pooh) said, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” I’ve found that no matter how terrified I was walking into an exam or an oral or an essay, I have always managed to survive afterwards (even after I see my grade!). So just suck it up, accept that for the next however many minutes, you are going to be doing something you don’t want to be, and DO IT.

I recommend the following as well:

• Take responsibility for your exams (it sucks, I know). Research your exams. Keep the syllabus with you. On your own time, ensure that you completely understand every topic you cover in class and those you don’t cover, which are still on the syllabus (because that happens, which brings us to the next point…).
• Don’t think that your teachers owe you the education they are being paid to give you. Technically, yeah, they do. But is every teacher a great teacher? Absolutely not. In some classes you are just going to have to take charge and leave the class behind if you want to master the material or even pass the exam. Make sure you figure out which classes those are at the beginning of the year, and then get a move on, pardner!
• Don’t whine. This is what your life is. Roll with the punches and embrace it.
• Try your hardest to be nice. You can figure out how to be a good person later, but now is the time to figure out how to be a nice one. With IB it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re overworked and completely exhausted, and therefore get a free pass to be a jerk. That’s selfish and wrong. Be nice.
• Find something completely unrelated to school that makes you happy and build yourself a community there. It’s a good way to put IB into perspective and keep yourself from going insane.
• Upperclassmen WANT to be friends with underclassmen. We think you’re cute and we want to help you out because it makes us feel good. We like watching the lil babies get the hang of our cult.
• Find an adult you can talk to and trust. I know you want to be a grown up and handle your problems on your own, but sometimes you just need to go to your momma (or whoever) and let them help you and give you a hug when you feel like you’re going to cry (this goes for life in general, not just IB).
• Appreciate your friends. Openly. Remember that time that one person said something nice about you in passing to your face? Yeah, that felt really nice. Your friends deserve to feel that way all the time. Make that happen for them.

Good luck (not that you’ll need it)!

Claire Pincket

 

Dear soon to be junior,

The fact that I’m writing you this letter at midnight the day before it’s due is a perfect example of what you shouldn’t do next year, procrastinate. Now that you’ve been in pre-IB for two years you probably think you’re pretty great at procrastinating. Well you’re not. You don’t know what procrastination is until you’ve had a game to play that night, a fly lab due the next day, and a pre-calc test to study for. So please take this advice and don’t put off big projects until the night before. Trying to write an essay and a lab report at 3 a.m. after drinking your second energy drink is not smart and the work probably won’t turn out that great. Plus you’ll be exhausted the next morning and won’t be able to stay awake in your class. I guarantee right when you fall asleep the teacher *Naki* is going to say something extremely important about an upcoming test, but you’re asleep! So you missed what he said and now you have another problem to worry about. As you can see there really is no benefit to procrastinating, so just try to avoid that, at least at the start of the year and you should be fine.

When I sit down and reminiscent about junior year one thing that always comes to mind is Bartow High School Soccer. If you want to have some fun during junior year come play for the soccer team. Even if you don’t play soccer you should still try out! It’s a life-changing experience that I don’t want any of you to miss out on. However, if playing on the high school team doesn’t float your boat you should go to Sports Friday. Sports Friday is a wonderful CAS project that is perfect for you. All you have to do is come out on Fridays and enjoy blowing off steam in the form of physical activity with all your best friends! But in all seriousness it is important to have some out of school activity that you enjoy doing that can help ease the stress brought on by everything that goes on during junior year.

Now that you’re going to be a junior it’s time to create a CAS project. Do I fully know what CAS is or how to use Manage Bac? Nope, but you can do better than me! Figure out what you’re supposed to be doing early in the year, AND KEEP UP WITH IT. That’s probably the most important part of it all, if you can keep everything organized you shouldn’t have a problem. The hours are not that hard to get, and you don’t even really need to have a CAS project until second semester. Now I have some random information that should help you next year. First off, don’t start to play yugioh, the reasoning for that should be pretty obvious, just talk to Rohan Nakka if you don’t believe me. Also if you have not already gotten a parking spot, avoid getting one in the lane right next to the road. It takes forever to get out of the parking lot from there. If you are unfortunate and have to take one of those spots and don’t have a class right next to the parking lot just wait until the busses leave in the front and go out that way. It’s just as quick if not quicker and you avoid having to get through the line. I think I have now blessed you with all the knowledge that you could possibly want in order to survive next year. So I guess you’re welcome, and good luck!

Nathan Sipe

 

Class of 2017, more specifically Tomas,

Junior year is going to be exactly what you make it to be. You can make it difficult for yourself (by taking Biology instead of Physics), or you can have a relatively easy year; it’s all your choice. So, as far as classes go, the best 6th subject, in my opinion, is IB Business. Mr. Brennan is a hilarious teacher and makes learning the content enjoyable (plus, the content is super easy anyway, so learning it will be a piece of cake). However, if you have taken AP Psych already, then I know they don’t do anything in that class, like ever. So, if that kind of 6th subject interests you, then I would advise it. As far as the others 6th subjects, I really have no clue what they do or the amount of work they do. So, all you artsy-fartsy people, I can’t help you.

Now, I’m pretty sure you’ve already chosen between Physics and Biology (because let’s be real: who actually chooses Chemistry?). So, to all of you Biology people: you are a brave people. It is a lot of work and a tough class. However, despite this and my late nights, I still enjoyed the class as a whole. It is really satisfying to be able to finish a huge lab or project you had been working on. You Physics people, though: not a bad choice. It’s almost certain you’ll get an A in the class. So that’ll help your GPA. However, every single Physics student in our class claims they were “murdered” by the AP test and had no idea what the questions were asking. So, you chose your poison: tough class and a tough grade, or a tough test.

Alright, enough with talking about school. School isn’t that important. My single, biggest advice to give to you is this: make sure you enjoy what you’re doing and enjoy the people you’re with. While good grades and academic achievements are nice and really good for your future, it is still just as important to develop relationships with others that will create amazing memories for your future-selves. If you ever wake up in a bad mood because of school or lack of sleep (due to school, of course), then just simply say “No. I WILL have a good day.” Then bam. Simple as that. Let yourself be happy, no matter what your circumstance. Have a great summer, and be ready for an exciting junior year!

Riley Troutt

 

throughout junior year, i have come to realize several things that i wish i would’ve known sooner. the first and most important, is that every little assignment matters. i found this out the hard way. it was a late night and i still had the precalc homework to do. i had already used all of my late passes so i was in a jam. i ended up deciding on sleep instead of doing the homework, figuring i would just do better on the next test. unfortunately, i took a zero on the assignment and ended up missing an A by 8 points. even worse is that i had an 89 for the previous 9 weeks. I missed an A for the semester by 8 points.

The other major thing that i learned was that effort goes a long way. At the start of the year i didn’t put forth much effort and skated by with mostly Bs and a couple As. However, the second semester i was more determined to do well. i turned in every assignment and tried my hardest on every little assignment. I finished out the second semester with almost all A’s. in retrospect, i wish i would’ve had this mentality at the beginning of my freshman year.

In conclusion, it is important to remember that school isn’t just about being smart. it is about the mentality that you have and how far you are determined to go to succeed. with a strong work ethic and determination, success comes more easily.

Jared Cossin

[Editor’s note: Over the course of my teaching career, I have come to realize that I don’t have to correct my students’ wayward capitalization in an assignment like this. The capitalization is all Jared’s.]

 

IB is hard, guys. It’s not the material. It’s the time management. It’s the people. It’s the stress you go through when you’re in class all week and then you miss one class or one day for a doctor’s appointment or a sick day and suddenly EVERYTHING that could possibly be due, is. I missed a lot of school this year. A lot of it was for doctor appointments and some of it was because of personal issues. Heck, I had so much going on at home that I lived in a youth shelter for 2 months out of the school year. All that taught me something about people, though. They’re all different. There are, of course, similarities such as an affinity for sugar and music, but everyone has their own little tweaks that must be paid attention to, lest you offend them.

When I lived in that shelter, I couldn’t print notes for class. I couldn’t go to all the after-school activities. I had to deal with these people who were constantly in my face trying to fight me or just wanting someone to release their anger upon. I was targeted. Why? Who knows. I was the only white girl for a long time. I had a higher education level so could commonly settle arguments over truth between clients (what we were called). The staff were nice to me at first. I had an air of confidence about me, refusing to ever put my head down. All of these are possible reasons for them to resent me but I can never know the real one. This experience taught me about people because I had to observe people for their tweaks. A.O. acted “motherly” but really just liked to boss people around. She would get upset easily if you interrupted her or ignored her advice. K.M. had anger issues and would jump on anyone if the mood came to her. Her sister was very defendant of her older sibling and so would join in the fight, despite her otherwise glazed over look in the eyes. If K.M. was in that mood, it was best to avoid her until she calmed down.

All of this may not seem to mean much to you, but it can also be a metaphor for the high school experience. It was horrid while I was there and sometimes it felt as if I’d never get out, though I knew that the end would come. I had TR (temporary release) days that made it all more bearable. Little things like making a good friend kept me going. Sound familiar? That’s high school. We may drudge through each day waiting for the weekend and living for breaks, but it will end. One day we will be discharged into adulthood and no longer be monitored by parents and school staff. There’s no way of telling if the friends you make will last, but it is nice while they do. Everyone has certain things that upset them, and sometimes those must be avoided. High school is hard. IB is harder, depending on who you are. Everyone is going through SOMETHING, but you never know what it is for sure. Just do what you can for now and, eventually, it will end.

Grace Henry

 

Dear new mathy kids,

Pre-Calc is pretty legit. Frisbie’s a fantastic teacher and only gets mad at the computer like 3 times per class. Don’t worry… She’s not THAT scary (only a little). And you don’t really have to try that hard. Just be good at stuff and don’t suck at vectors.

But really though, Junior year isn’t that bad. Most of the teachers are great and easy to talk to if you need anything. But don’t take advantage of the nice teachers because that would be a travesty.

Don’t forget to actually do all of your homework and read all of the books for English. You have to do journals with analysis so don’t just read sparknotes. But have a great junior year and a great life.

Logan Edwards

 

Junior life in IB is extremely difficult. Do not expect it to be anything like sophomore year. It may start easy at first but it’ll hit you when you least expect it. Be prepared to do a lot of work and do not expect to sleep much. If you do the work and don’t think about it, it will be over before you know it.

Honestly, junior year was the most difficult year of my life. I was very stressed out most of the year and did not handle the stress well. Learn how to handle your stress and don’t keep it inside. If you need to cry or scream or eat to cope with the stress, do it. It helps to have good friends to talk to, too.

Junior year is honestly just a lot of work. Be prepared for those late nights, especially finishing biology labs and studying for precalc. You can get through it. Also, DO NOT PROCRASTINATE ON YOUR FLY LAB. Besides that, just be ready to do the work. You’ll be a senior in two years. If it gets bad, just remember it will get better.

Daphne Fernandez

 

Junior Year is commonly talked about as being the hardest part of your entire IB experience. I remember as a sophomore that i feared Junior year entirely. I was afraid of what was to come and whether or not i could handle the work. In addition, i play two sports that take up the entire year from start to finish and even overlap at some points. However, i made it and i will tell you some things you can do to help yourself.

By now you’ve learned that planning and managing your extensive workload is key. Guice does well in preparing you for Junior year when he gave you a massive amount of assignments all at one time. You may hate him for it as i did, but it definitely helps. When you get assignments, it’s best just to do them as soon as possible. For example, Ms. Frisbie will give you several assignments in advance throughout the year. You can wait to get them done, or you can just get them out of the way. This applies to all classes.

Playing two time consuming sports (baseball practice is 4 hours every day after school), i became very good at managing the time i was given to finish my assignments. I took Physics, which is definitely the easier of the two sciences from a workload point of view. Yet, i have a friend who plays both sports with me and took Bio. He also made it. To ease the tension of IB, i will tell you that my grades my Junior year were actually higher than any of my previous high school terms. Good Luck!

Ryan Klimas

 

Dear future junior,

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

Make sure to save time for extracurricular activities, sports, and Netflix. You will be happier. However, do not spend ALL your time doing ECs, sports, and Netflix. Binge watch Dexter on weekends. Do your homework on weekdays. But don’t think that IB, especially junior year, has to be some nightmare filled only with misery and assignments. Plan your schedule wisely. I have a fairly easy schedule for a junior, mostly because of physics. My advice as far as your science is to only pick bio if you are passionate about it. People who don’t enjoy bio but picked it to pass the tests have mostly regretted their decision; it’s just way too much work in an area they don’t enjoy.

Tyler Scott

 

Juniors,

The year ahead of you is your hardest yet. I want to sugarcoat it, but that’d be cheating you. If your sophomore year was anything like mine, you’ve been lulled into a sense of safety and complacency in regards to your work and your grades. I know because I was. I was completely ready for another rather easy year, and I almost fell on my face because of it.

Well, okay. It’s not that awful, but you need to keep appraised of everything. Don’t procrastinate. Really, don’t. Your sleep deprived self will hate you but you’ll be incredibly happy when you get home from 11 pm from a performance and you don’t have to do any homework. Study for your tests and use AP review books to do so. If you do that, you build your knowledge for the big test while knocking out the little ones. Win-win. CAS really isn’t that bad, but you should be diligent about starting it early and getting the information you need. Trust me, some of the class of 2016 might not get their IB diplomas because of it. If you haven’t already, find an extracurricular or two that you like, and get active with them. They’re great sources of CAS hours and look great on a college application.

Take some time for friends, too. Odds are you’ll be working for most of your life, so take advantage of these relatively simple times and have some fun. Don’t cause yourself to regret the decisions you make now — that applies to the inverse, as well – don’t take so much time for yourself that you fail out of the program. And overall, listen to your teachers, parents, and upperclassmen. They’ve been in your shoes, and they know the game plan. Not following their advice would be akin to ignoring warning signs in a minefield. Also, listen to Ms. Frisbie. The amount of effort she puts into her teaching is absurd, and you need go appreciate it.

I wish you all the best of luck.

Kyler Volakos

 

 

 

Congrats on surviving your second year of Pre-IB/first year of IB! I know it takes a lot work to reach this point, so you should give yourself a pat on the back (or high-five yourself if you are incapable of distorting your arm to do that type of thing). I know that life hasn’t been the easiest lately since you have chosen to accept the challenge that is IB. But here is a little advice to hopefully make things just a little bit easier.

SCHOOL

* Always bring your calculator with you. You never know when solving a math problem will save the world from ending. Or you realize 5 minutes before pre-calc that you miscalculated something and no one else was smart enough to bring theirs.

* Take AP stats. Stats jokes are the best. Until people use it to make fun of you.

* Make a Quizlet account and a Quizlet class for your grade, assuming you don’t already have one so you can share study materials. Quizlet is as essential to survival as Oxygen.

* Join any clubs or sports that you wanted to try and didn’t have time for freshman year. Sophomore year is the year to try everything you want because you have time now.

* That being said, still make sure you are time-efficient with your homework. Just because you have less homework doesn’t mean you have no homework. Don’t procrastinate (or at least procrastinate less).

* Get leadership positions in clubs. It is a great way to know people from all three schools and college applications like that type of thing.

SOCIAL LIFE

* Make friends with people of all grades. Seniors and juniors are super helpful. Especially at 1 AM when you procrastinated on something and all your other friends are asleep. Freshmen are fun to make fun of, especially when they are panicking over Biology and APES tests. You’re done with that stuff now and you have earned the right to laugh at them.

* Go out with friends often, because when you look back at high school, studying should only be like 1/4 of your memories. These are the people who have/will stand by your side through this insane program, so get to know them beyond their academic capabilities/classroom reputations.

RANDOM

* Get your license as soon as possible. Especially if you live 40 minutes from school like me. It makes life unbelievably easier. And it is easier to go places that are not school, which is always fun.

* When you bring a lunch, bring a lot of food. Because people will always take your food. Often without your permission. Bring enough food so that you don’t end up starving until you get home. Food is happiness and don’t let people take your happiness away from you.

* Thank your parents for supporting you. They have to deal with your melt downs, your frustrations, driving you around, feeding you, and everything in between. They are your literal Day 1s. In fact, they have been caring for you since before Day 1. Appreciate that.

I don’t want to take up your time any longer, since you are most likely procrastinating if you even found this page, so if you need anything, do not hesitate to find me in person, even if we have not previously met. I am always happy to help in any way I can.

And remember, you are the 1.5IQR above Q3.

Valory Vailoces

 

Let’s cut to the chase. Sophomore year should be the overall easiest of all your high school years. If you stay on top of deadlines and don’t be stupid, you should be able to achieve your goals. Despite it being the “calm before the storm”, there are things that you should and shouldn’t do. I believe that these suggestions will help you in your coming endeavor.

During this year, I suggest that you participate in every extracurricular you can get your hands on and potentially even try a sport. This is important if you’re planning on moving onto University and in capitalizing on the “high school experience.” Second, use your god-given planner to organize. Don’t give me any of that “disorganized organization” nonsense and actually know what you’re going to do, when you’re going to do it. Third, check your grades every single day. This allows you to see what grades you’re missing and how much you have to shoot for and surpass to meet your ideal level. Lastly, attempt to look put together. I understand that late nights or laziness can attribute to shabbiness. However, looking groomed allows you to put the best impressions on teachers and other students. It sounds simple, yes. That does not make it any less necessary.

There are many things that you shouldn’t do in sophomore year. Besides procrastination and disorganization, I can tell you what not to do in certain classes. If planning to take Physics, don’t sleep in Mr. Webb’s class. For good grades in Spanish, stay ahead of the game and the material. It makes things so much easier. To get good grades in Psychology, do all your cards as soon as the chapter begins. Finally, never ever skip an extra credit opportunity in any class. You will need it at least once.

In this program, you should always try to achieve the most possible. However, you have only a few years with these people and this school. So, make them count. Remember, you set your own limitations. Good luck! Trust me, you’ll need it. *End Scene*

Nandan Patel

 

Dear Upcoming Sophomore,

I understand that you have come this far in your IB adventure/journey so first and foremost let me just say Congratulations! However, this is only the beginning to completing your long and difficult journey and I’m only a little closer to finishing than you are. As you know by now, there are mandatory courses that you must take in the program as well as a few courses you are allowed to choose. Depending on what your hobbies and interests are, you can choose electives that are based on education, music, art or others from Summerlin or Bartow. You must always remember to choose wisely and to always budget your time; meaning, choose an elective that interests you, not some boring one like AP European History because it sounds challenging, you most likely will not like it and will not do well, and make sure to budget your time in terms of homework and studying for all seven of your classes.

Writing this at the end of my sophomore year I can say that as a freshman, I would always do my homework first before I studied and then study for my tests; in classes like Biology I always did things Kennon would give us full credit on anyway before I studied for the test which made me tired when it came time to study and it was always late at night. Another word of advice when it comes to studying, is that if you say to yourself, “Eh, it’s late, I’ll study the rest of this in the morning,” you most likely won’t, so my advice is to skim over whatever material you have left and then go over it again in whatever time you allow yourself in the morning. An important part of the IB curriculum in my opinion are our AP courses. One way not to feel crammed at the end of the year when you’re studying for the AP exam is to actually follow the AP practice books with what you’re learning in class; yes, I know this is easier said than done but it will definitely help you understand the topic being taught to you better and frankly, and sorry to Mr. Wright for saying this, but the practice AP exam books explains the course material for AP World History better than he does. Of course, listen to him in class, but always review your knowledge once you’re back home.

For those of you taking Pre-calculus next year, remember to stay on Ms. Frisbie’s good side. If you hear her yelling at her smart board, it happens quite often and it’s totally normal, also watch out for mistakes on her part, and on your tests, REMEMEBER TO ALWAYS ROUND TO THREE SIG FIGS! Moving on to English, you’ll have Mr. Guice, also known as Juicy G. Coming from Harb, I know that she doesn’t put a lot of emphasis on writing good essays but Guice does. Although one may not think that writing essays is important and is an innate skill, it’s really not. You must learn how to write an amazing essay because it’s necessary for so many other things than just getting an A in English class. Also, you’ll be doing a lot of sentence diagramming which sucks and of which I still don’t understand what to do, you’ll also be doing grammar activities that you probably should pay attention to. Also, please don’t give Guice a hard time like we did, poor guy was stressed to the max, give him a break, the man has KIDNEY STONES for crying out loud! In English you’ll also read the books The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , which wasn’t that good in my opinion, The Count of Monte Cristo, which was fantastic, Julius Caesar, which teaches you to never trust your closest court officials and finally, you’ll read Things Fall Apart, there will be a lot of yam eating in this one.

Coming to the subject of foreign language, for those of you who have Spanish, buena suerte, is all I can say. Señora Portillo isn’t the best of teachers so you may have to teach yourself quite a bit, she’ll help you for sure but just make sure you know what’s going on and that you’re ready for her six-part tests. When speaking of AP Statistics, I strongly suggest splitting the course with TOK, Naki will be sure to review key concepts when you return to his class, this way you won’t be forced to remember everything all at once and probably will be a little less stressful. Science during sophomore year isn’t hard if you don’t plan on taking these sciences as your actual IB Science. Be sure to actually pay attention in Physics although that may be hard to do and always do your work in Chemistry, no matter how much time it takes. AP Psychology is easy if you read the textbooks, ask Mrs. Reynolds to explain more and give less worksheets, be sure to do your flashcards for reach chapter along with the reading!! Don’t wait to do them at the end, I CANT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!

In conclusion, remember to be prepared for the journey ahead. Your calculator is your friend, don’t kill yours like I did with mine by accidentally putting it in mayonnaise. Take practice SAT’s and PSAT’s while you have time, use these as diagnostic tools for junior year when it actually counts. Sophomore year is basically the year when you realize that things are about to get a lot more serious and that those of you who don’t study usually have to start, otherwise, see you at George Jenkins. Yeah, I know its harsh but I’m at a point in my journey at which I must start getting more serious and organized myself; discipline is not bad, it’s a moral that becomes very useful. Your goals should be your motivation. When something seems too hard, imagine yourself in a couple of years, pray, drink a cup of tea, take a hot shower or anything that helps you relax. As long as you know you’re focused, remain on the path that leads to success and oh yeah, while you’re at it, a few dual enrollment courses wouldn’t hurt either. Talk to Ms. Martinez about that, although she may mispronounce your name, she actually does know who you are and is an amazing person to talk to if you ever need anyone. Also, I’ll be here for you as well. Remember the upperclassmen are here to help you so don’t be afraid or intimidated to ask one of us! Although we don’t have everything figured out for ourselves, we’ll try to help in any way we can!

Believe in yourself and don’t forget to make time for family and friends and any other activities you’re involved in. Join clubs, be productive, don’t complain too much and leave your mark on this program. Every single one of you is special, whether it may be good or bad (LOL), it doesn’t matter, I accept you the way you are and expect you guys to do great things that make me proud!

With love and sincerity,

Mahima Silas (basically your favorite junior friend)

P.S. Make sure Guice drinks his water!

 

To all the incoming Pre-Calculus IB sophomores,

First of all, I want to congratulate you all for making pass your first year of torture, I MEAN, the Pre-requisite International Baccalaureate Program. As you all transition into the sophomore year of high school, I would like to give you all some advice to help you all prepare, execute, and succeed in the second year of Pre-IB. When I was in your shoes, a majority of the IB students that were already or are sophomores told me that the sophomore year is easier than freshman year. Now that I’ve completed the sophomore year, I can say that sophomore year is slightly easier than freshman year mainly because everyone was getting used to the work in freshman year. Definitely take advantage of sophomore year because this is the year that will probably be the easiest out of all four years in high school. I’ve taken three dual enrollment classes and I encourage you guys to take some dual enrollment classes not just because of the grade point average boost, but these classes are offered for free and they give you college credits.

Other than dual enrollment, there are some resources that I’ve used throughout my sophomore year that have certainly been very effective with my success in my sophomore year.

1. Organization: I can’t tell you how much being organized has helped me. I know that there are those that are reading this and are never organized but just be organized however you think is best and you’ll do just fine.
2. Quizlet: Like OMG. This application available on the apple store, google play, or the website quizlet.com has definitely helped me with last minute cramming in information for tests and quizzes. The flashcards and animation just amaze me with the ability to retain information quickly. I think this program has raised my grade by some percentage points, which to you, can be the difference between an A or B.
3. Google Drive and Documents: If you don’t have a google account, go make one at Google.com because you’ll get a free 15GB of virtual hard drive space to store your documents through google documents. Once you have a google drive account, download the google drive sync and get the google drive and google documents app on your mobile devices. If you can’t access a document from one device, you can just pick up your phone and do it from there. This has certainly helped me with finishing homework quickly.
4. A Vehicle: For those that ride a bus in the morning, I’m sure you guys hate having to get up so early to catch the bus. For those that don’t ride the bus but have your parents take you to school, I’m sure your parents are grumpy to wake up so early just to take you to school. I promise you, driving yourself to school is the best thing ever for high school students. From my personal experience, I leave the house whenever I want and I come home much faster, which means I have more time to do my homework, giving me some more sleep time, as us IB students desperately need. If you don’t have a driver’s permit, either I’m sorry that you were born in the late school months or you’re just procrastinating because you’re in IB, but go get a permit as soon as you can!
5. Friends: Honestly, if you don’t have friends by now, I’m sorry for you. Friends are, to me, the fundamental part of passing IB relationally, and socially. Friends are what can help you problems that you can’t figure out, but don’t cheat. There’s a difference between helping and cheating. In school, I’m a really social person and I love talking to friends in IB. It’s what motivates me to wake up in the morning just to come to school. IB isn’t just all about work, but part of it involves having a social life. My social life helps me keep up my grades because instead of being flooded with work, I’m out hanging with my friends and relaxing. This keeps me from going insane and not stressing out basically.
6. Teachers: They always say that there are two parts to a classroom: the students, and the teachers. Of course teachers are what helps you pass, but the sophomore teachers are unique. Not only can they present you the information clearly and with expertise, but they are straight up awesome. They want to have a fun atmosphere while maintaining their vigorous curriculum. They each possess their own sense of humor, which is what really stands out in IB teachers. If I didn’t have these amazing teachers, there was no way I could pass this sophomore year of IB.

I’m going to give you all a preview, or review, of the sophomore classes and teacher that I took here at IB.

1. First is Mr. Daniel and his Computer Repair II class. This class is only to be taken if you’ve had his Computer Repair I class. This class focuses more on the software and troubleshooting portion of computers. Mr. Daniel is a really cool teacher and he likes to have humor in his class while maintaining a serious atmosphere. I’ve definitely had fun in his class and I can’t wait for next year in programming.
2. Physics: Mr. Webb is probably the best physics teacher that ever stepped foot in Polk County. He has an amazing sense of humor and knows so much about physics. It’s great how he teaches his class and he’s definitely a teacher that will get you to pass the IB and AP exam if you are actually interested in physics. His personality is a major reason as to why I’m taking physics for my junior and senior year.
3. For those that have taken French 1, French 3 goes more into vocabulary, but mainly will include many more tenses. The tenses are relatively easy, even though it might seem overwhelming at first but Mr. Lenker goes over each tense well and spends a good amount of time on each tense. Just be prepared for Mr. Lenker to talk to you all in French for a majority of the school year.
4. You all have had Naki and I’m sure a majority of student absolutely think Naki is amazing. In my opinion, he’s an amazing math teacher and if you guys are taking statistics, Naki is the teacher to teach you guys statistics. He goes through the whole textbook, and still has weeks for review, a curriculum that very few statistics teachers can do in a year. Those weeks to review is the reason why I did so well on the AP exam. The ability to get a feel for what’s going to be on the exam will help you SO much. Naki is really superior when it comes to teaching statistics.
5. For those who don’t know whom Mr. Wright is, he is a great teacher, not only because of the amount of history he knows (which is insane), but he travels and experiences/interacts with the culture personally. Apparently, no one can beat him in Trivia Crack, which is very believable, and he is a really funny teacher that is pretty chill. You’ll enjoy his class for sure.
6. Don’t even get me started on Ms. Frisbie. I don’t know how she does this, well I kind of do actually, but she can answer pretty much any question in any topic that you ask her. When it comes to mathematics, it’s ridiculous as to how well she teaches and knows the information. Her methodology for preparing us for the IB exam is incredibly effective and she is very dedicated to being a teacher. Half of why I love her class is through her sense of humor. It gets me, and usually the whole class, every single time. I’ve never had gotten bored of her class, maybe sleepy, but not bored even though it looked like I was in her class. I cannot wait for Calculus next year.
7. I can probably say that the most chill person in IB is Mr. Guice. You’ll have him for English II and Theory of Knowledge. I love his sarcasm and he does have a lot of material and work for you throughout the WHOLE (meaning from the first day to the last) year. He knows his comprehension well and knows what he is talking about, like every IB teacher does. He’s actually a great friend if you really know him well.

This was actually a lot to read, and I hoped that this writing will help you succeed in your sophomore year, like it certainly has helped me succeed. IB isn’t all about work, but building relationships between you, your peers, and your teachers so that the work doesn’t seem so hard for you when you pick up your pen or pencil. Try not to cry too hard when you go to bed and make sure not to procrastinate like every IB student does. Remember, if at first you don’t succeed, give up. Isn’t that how that works…? I don’t know, I’ve felt like sophomore year definitely made me “unusual” (those taking statistics will eventually know what I’m talking about).

Manning Chuor

 

Dear rising sophomores,

Welcome to what others say will be the simplest year in the Pre-IB and IB program. This year is going to be full of tests, laughter, studying, reading, tests, and friendship. The rumors are true regarding the simplicity of the year but beware, do not let your guards down for even a second! Procrastination will continue to follow you the way a lion stalks its prey and the second you look away, you’ll be behind. With the tests and studying also come new and strengthened friendships. This year is going to be anything but a drag.

You have probably heard students in grades ahead of you talk about how easy this year is and what they say is true, but it is also very easy to fall behind! While you’ll get less homework and less written work, the reading and studying will increase significantly. Reading the textbook is crucial to classes like AP World History and AP Statistics. Doing the required reading will strengthen your grasp on what you’re learning and will overall help you succeed in the class.

Classes and work are a pretty important part of the school year, but the bonds you begin to share with friends were personally my favorite parts. After an entire year of small talk and working together, you finally start to see the real characters in your friends. It is quite interesting because some people pull out extremely negative sides to their personality while others share their most bizarre sides. An important part of this shift is to stay open-minded and welcoming of change. If you thought your friends had changed drastically going into high school, you’re going to be in for a ride! The key to being carefree and kind is simply open-mindedness.

All in all, don’t procrastinate but do be open-minded. Procrastination will slowly build up and eventually make you fall more behind than you ever intended to get. Try not to overthink your work but do not underestimate it either. This year friendships will also fall, form, and strengthen making this the second step into high school.

Mahatma Gandhi once said “Look at the sparrows; they do not know what they will do in the next moment. Let us literally live from moment to moment.” I encourage you all to live in every moment and make the most of this year.

Wishing you all the best of luck,

Reha Patel

 

Dear Incoming Sophomore,

Hopefully, this year will be a breeze. Students in other classes have told me that sophomore year is the easiest year of high school in the IB program, and I’m inclined to believe them. This year, I have had little or no homework to do every night. Some of the best advice I can give you is to do your homework during any downtime in class and, if you’re up for it, even during your lunch period. No, you don’t have to constantly work every minute of the day to finish before the final bell rings, but it really is nice to come home and be able to relax right away. That being said, if you have an extra 15 minutes of spare time at the end of class because you finished an assignment early, use those few minutes to start your homework. Trust me – those fifteen minutes of work in class are fifteen minutes you won’t have to work at home when you could be doing something you enjoy (like sleeping). Think about it – if you end up with four fifteen-minute blocks of free time in class, plus you use the time during lunch and the news to do homework, you have around two hours to work and will almost certainly be done by the time you go home. That’s two extra hours of sleep, kids.

Even though you do want to do your homework efficiently and turn it in on time (come on, it’s an easy grade and will help you boost your GPA – don’t skip it if you don’t need to), STOP STRESSING SO MUCH. Really, most IB kids are WAY too stressed. I promise, your mental and physical health are so much more important than getting a good grade. If you feel like you just can’t do your homework one night because you had a bad day and want to go to sleep early, preserve your mental health and skip the homework. As long as you don’t do it too often, your grades will survive and you’ll be a lot happier than you would be if you forced yourself to work. Also, remember that you can’t change things once they’ve happened. Say you have 80-some psychology notecards due seventh period and you completely forgot about them until the morning of the due date (yes, I’ve done this). Instead of freaking out and throwing yourself into a full-blown panic attack, take a few deep breaths and attempt to do as many as you can in the periods before you have psychology, accept that you will lose the points, or talk to the teacher about getting permission to turn them in a day or two late (even if doing this does mean losing a few points). Panicking won’t help you at all in most situations, so try hard to avoid it if at all possible. Remember that what happens today probably won’t matter a bit in five or ten years – so why worry about it? Find a balance between keeping your grades up so you can graduate and get into a good college and not stressing too much. Now is the best time to experiment with different methods of achieving the balance that will best fit your needs – doing it now will save you a lot of worry later and benefit you for the rest of your life.

Basically, make sure you enjoy your life. If what will make you happiest is pushing yourself really hard now in order to be extremely successful later in life, do so. If you need to forfeit a few points from your grades so that your health will thrive and this will make you happy, I commend you. If you need to drop out of IB because you will be happier at a different school with less pressure involved, have fun! Whatever life choices you make, remember that your happiness is the ultimate goal. Never forfeit your happiness for the sake of something or someone else – would you rather die a stressed-out billionaire, or a happy middle-class citizen? Live a long life, or die doing something you love? Save up for an early retirement, or work a bit longer and use your money to fund your hobbies? None of these things are necessarily mutually exclusive, but the concept behind these questions is one worth thinking about.

Sincerely,

Morgan Snyder

 

Dear incoming sophomores,

Look, here’s the thing, IB is one of those places where you have to roll with the punches. Take it day by day, and stay in the present. You may be preparing for the rest of your life, but you’re also living it. Grades are important, and volunteering, but make sure you know why you are doing these things. Do you want to help people, or do you just want numbers on a piece of paper? You’ll find studying is much easier when you invest yourself in your classes, truly. You are in school to learn. You may have joined IB to join another, “more important” school down the line, but that doesn’t make your time a statistic. Why does that C upset you? Is it because of your GPA or because you are worried about your understanding of the material?

Classes like AP World, and even pre-Calc to some extent, are about themes more than individual facts. Why is your teacher telling you these things? How does this relate to what I just learned? Be active in the classroom, you’ll find yourself with higher grades and a better relationship with your teachers.

Also, try not to judge your classmates too harshly. Believe it or not, everyone around you has the same complicated, confused mind as you. Everyone. No one is superior or inferior to anyone else. Certain individuals may be doing better academically than you, good for them, ask for pointers. Others may be not doing as well, see if they need help. Do not treat IB as a race, but as a team sport. Anyone can help, and believe me, everyone needs it.

Levi Butler

 

To whom it may concern,

I can’t say that I’ve wholly enjoyed my experience so far, and I doubt that is going to change any time in the foreseeable future. I’ve come dangerously close to failing Spanish, I had my ID card and lanyard destroyed by the good Dr. Vetter, and I’ve spent many a night sitting in my darkened room with nothing but a book, a bowl of ice cream, and the glare of my monitor to keep me company. This experience made for some great poetry for Guice, but for a rather miserable overall high school experience. For the longest time I contemplated dropping out, I was this close to doing it too, but something stopped me. That something is what I wish to impart upon you, the reader, today.

This is going to sound pretty corny, so the weak of heart may wish to avert their eyes now. The “something” that stopped me from dropping out was in fact a “someone”. I was fairly depressed during the middle of the year. Life had simply seemed to lose its charm. I was tired all the time, that made me irritable, and that made me withdrawn. It was a pretty vicious cycle. However, and I don’t know exactly or when this started, I started texting with someone pretty much every day. I finally had someone to talk to, someone I could relate with. I was happier, I got more sleep, became my old self again, and decided to stay in IB.

Some of you may be saying “Great story Bryce, but what’s the point?” To which I would reply “Shut up reader, I need to pad this essay out to 3 paragraphs”. My point is this, “No man is an island”, there is no way that anyone could possibly complete IB without the help of their fellow students. And without the help of that person, I would probably be in the middle of some collegiate class twiddling my thumbs whilst the teacher explained to the rest of the class what the circumference of a circle is. I doubt that the person is ever going to read this essay. I doubt more than about five people (not including you, Frisbie <3) will ever read this essay. But in case they are, thanks. I really mean it.

Good luck, you’ll need it.

Bryce Hewett

 

Congrats on making it into IB! It’s really not as hard as people say. The key to everything involving IB is Time Management – No matter what you do not procrastinate. Procrastination is the Heroin of IB Students; it slows you down, makes you lose concentration, and an overdose will kill you (mentally and metaphorically speaking). Also, be prepared for staying up late at night, doing homework or studying for a test/quiz because the workload is hefty you might even need to pull an all-nighter, depending on your situation, but try not to let the stress get to you, take a short break every once in a while so it doesn’t seem too overwhelming.

Next, choose your classes wisely. Don’t choose a class just because it seems easy, choose something that you want to do or will benefit you, and for foreign language, make sure the language you choose is one that you want to learn. As for electives, I would highly recommend Art for those who wish to learn because it is a great class with a wonderful teacher who really helps you to improve your skills. Except if you have an obsession with for example, cats, she will ban you from drawing it if it gets ‘too out of hand,’ which doesn’t make sense because my love for cats is perfectly in hand and not entirely abnormal. Ask anyone! I should be allowed to draw cats. Back on point, if your only argument for not joining even though you want to learn is “I suck at drawing lol,” (that’s a really terrible excuse) then go join Art because that is its main purpose: for you to LEARN HOW to make art and/or IMPROVE, NOT for people who are good at art. Don’t worry if you can’t draw stick figures because we’re not allowed to draw them, anyways. Lastly, for junior year, if you have no idea what science you want or what profession you want to pursue in the future, then choose AP Biology. Even though it involves a lot of work, if you keep up with it, you’re almost guaranteed to pass. Although, if math is your strong point, then I would go into AP Physics, but I wouldn’t recommend AP Chemistry unless you’re deeply interested in it.

Finally, try not to miss any days and don’t irritate the teachers. Now here is a little bit of cliché and not so cliché encouragement: Always try your best! Work hard! Do not kill chickens on campus! Always wear your I.D.! Do not bother the crows or sewer cats – they will cut out your liver and eat your eyes! Do not play cards in Mr. Guice’s class at the end of the year – he will take all the decks, shuffle them together and make it rain! If you do wish to eat lunch among the sewer cats, make sure you split your meal between them and use the proper frequency of meows along with the correct eye and head signals! Always make sure you have all your community service and CAS hours (you’ll find out about it later) I think that’s everything! I hope you enjoy IB!

Misha McLendon

(The Crazy Cat Lady)

 

Dear Future Sophomore,

You’re almost done with the Pre-International Baccalaureate program and should enjoy this last year! I was told going into sophomore year that sophomore year was going to be easy but as I found out the hard way, this is not entirely true. Sophomore year, when compared to the other years in the IB program, is easier but not necessarily easy. Sure, you won’t have Mrs. Kennon anymore or some people just have an easier time but do not go into this year thinking it’ll all be a breeze! To make it easier on yourself, just be prepared to work because while you are not yet in your junior or senior year, struggling under the load of what is the official International Baccalaureate program here at Bartow, it will require at least a little effort.

Your last year in the Pre-IB program will be one filled with work-demanding classes. Mrs. Kennon is really one-of-a-kind and since you won’t have her this year, don’t expect that amount of work in your science courses. This year, you’ll have Chemistry and Physics instead which, in my opinion, are a lot easier. In Physics, the best way to get by is to actually just pay attention in class and not slack off, no matter how easy it seems to just nap and try to catch up later. In chemistry, just make sure you learn what you write down on all the worksheets, even if there are a lot. English is a lot of fun mostly because you’ll have Mr. Guice and he is pretty awesome. In this class however, do not just look up the Spark Notes version! Spark Notes is good for when you don’t quite understand a section of whatever you are reading but make sure you do at least try to read and make connections between the two. What really helped me succeed in English was that I color-marked my books as I read through. I found this to be much easier than color-marking afterwards. Another class in which it is imperative that you actually do the work in is AP World. Mr. Wright is another teacher whose class may seem easy to slack off in but make sure you actually read and take notes. This will save your life when AP testing comes around! Last of all is one of my favorite classes; precalc! Others might tell you that this class is sometimes incredibly difficult but the homework is actually not that much. Mrs. Frisbie prefers quality over quantity when it comes to assigning homework and really has a knack for choosing problems that show important concepts you need to know. Sure, all the answers are in the back of the book but 1) sometimes B.O.B. is wrong and 2) it’s better to not understand a question on the homework and ask questions than to just make it look like you understand and later missing that same question on a test.

The final and probably best way to help yourself succeed sophomore year is to not procrastinate! Those are probably words you’ve heard over and over but they are also words that IB students in particular are notorious for forgetting at times. Having a life outside of academics is actually a really great thing but make sure you get your assignments completed before doing other stuff. Lastly, have fun this year! High school only happens once (hopefully) and despite being in a very intense and rigorous program, you can at least try to enjoy the moments while they last. Oh and next year is also when the real pain and suffering begins so again, enjoy what you have while you still have it!

Sincerely,

Maria Loaiza

 

Hello All,

I’ve been in the IB program for officially two years as of tomorrow (6/5/2015) and I would like to say that I enjoy it very much. There is a lot of work but the friends you make turn into your family and honestly that’s all you will need.

I feel as though IB has helped me a lot ever since I joined two years ago and hope that you feel the same way. I came from Lawton Chiles Middle School and was surprised at how easily I adjusted to the IB life when I arrived during freshman year. One big note, as long as you’re on your teachers’ good side, you’ll be fine. I’m not saying they’ll grade your projects and assignments differently, that’s totally not the case. But having your teachers as your friends will definitely make it easier for you to adjust. All the teachers here are amazing people and strive to help you in any way possible. This may not seem the case when they pile on the homework, but trust me when I say, they just want you to succeed.

Along with school, I also participate in band, Jazz band, Marching band, FBLA, Tennis, NHS, and Spanish club. Among these things, I HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE. I have friends. I know it’s unheard of, but it is true. Well, at least I hope it is. Anyway, I think the most time consuming activity I participate in is band. Band can be fun at times but can also be annoying but I love it anyways. I suggest you find something you love and go at it.

The coolest person you will ever meet,

Aneesha Khatri

 

Hey incoming sophomores!

I’m sure you’ve heard the rumor that sophomore year is supposed to be the easiest year of IB. However, it’s not because the workload is lighter than freshman year. It’s because you’ve grown accustomed to the amount of homework and classwork you receive. Some people found this year to be a bit more difficult, as they had taken on more extracurricular activities and leadership positions. Either way, don’t worry! As long as you don’t slack off, this year will be a breeze.

Personally, I found one of the best aspects of sophomore year to be the teachers. Some may seem a bit intimidating at first (AKA Ms. Frisbie), but they turn out to be extremely useful resources and great personalities. One piece of advice would be to never be afraid to ask questions, especially if you don’t understand the material being taught. There is no such thing as a bad question because chances are that someone else doesn’t understand the content either. Also, be sure to pay as much attention in class as you possibly can. If you fall asleep, Ms. Frisbie will snore at you. You have been warned.

There are a few ideas to always keep in mind as you continue your IB journey.

1. Don’t ever believe in the stereotype that IB kids are nerdy and don’t have the word “social” in their vocabulary. You definitely can have a lot of spare time sophomore year if you do not procrastinate! Get your work done as soon as you can. That way you will have more time to spend with your family and friends.
2. GPA does not constitute who you are. Just because you aren’t number one in the class does not mean that you are not smart. GPA is an important factor to keep in mind, of course. But it is definitely not necessary to go dual enroll in four million classes that you have no interest in. Instead, if you decide to dual enroll at Polk State College, choose courses that you are genuinely interested in and want to know more about. Don’t let other people drag you down, especially when it comes to your GPA. You’re intelligent. You wouldn’t have made it to this point if you weren’t.
3. Relax! Everything is going to be okay. Yes, there may be a week or two that seem torturous, but these will be over soon enough. Talk your struggles out, whether it be to a friend, parent, or teacher. We all understand what you are going through. Additionally, always be sure to put your health, both physical and emotional, before anything else. It may seem like an AP World History test tomorrow is the biggest priority in life for a few hours, but that is no reason to skip dinner or pull an all-nighter to study. Take care of yourself first.
4. Start studying for AP exams early on, especially because you will be taking more than one AP test this year. This is crucial since cramming the night before you have an exam is NEVER a good idea. Try beginning to study at least by Spring Break. That way you will have enough time to cover all of the material you need to know for each of your classes without stressing yourself out.
5. Always remember that you have an entire class of individuals who will act as your rock through these next few years. Friendships are important to maintain, so be sure to keep them a priority.

Overall, sophomore year was a fantastic experience and yours will be too as long as you keep the big picture in mind. Take advantage of your resources and manage your time well. If you ever have a question or need to talk, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Have fun and good luck on the next leg of your IB experience!

Jennie Vyas

 

Sophomore year is going to be over before you know it. Along the way, you will encounter many challenges, and life may seem hopeless, but you will get through it. Although many people say tenth grade is the easiest year, I would have to disagree. Tenth grade had its struggles, but not all were academic related. Most of the struggles I faced dealt with my relations between my other classmates. Many people in my class do not like me; they think I’m “crazy.” Don’t worry; it’ll be okay. Even if there are people who don’t like you, there will be others that DO like you.

Academically, it is important that you stay up with your work. Many of your classes will seem easy, but that makes it more likely to slack off.  Always do your homework, because it makes the difference between a “B” and a “C.” You may not always want to do it, especially the busy work in Chemistry or the notes in Wright, but it IS vital to the class and your learning. I recommend not slacking off in AP World History, as many do. Wright is capable of teaching you the information you need to pass the exam, but only if you pay attention in class and take the notes. Make sure you always do your homework in Precalculus, but it truly aids in understanding the materials. She only assigns necessary problems.

You will make it through this year. Stick with IB; you’re in it for a reason. Enjoy every moment of next year if you can. Take lots of pictures at every hangout with your friends. There is more to life than IB. If you want something, put your mind to it and achieve it. Participate in as many extracurricular activities as you can. Join a sport and challenge yourself.

Enjoy your sophomore year.

Vicki Beleri

 

Dear future pre-calc student,

You are now entering pre-calc, class of the free. Well, maybe not “free,” but you still get the point. Plenty of people are unable to get this far so congrats on that.

A couple of hints for next year: always do your homework, those late passes come in handy. Also make sure you don’t upset your teachers. Life is easier with happier teachers. Lastly, smile and be happy yourself; it’s better to be happy.

All in all, you will love this class. You learn new things, and you’ll have the most dedicated teacher you’ll ever meet. Enjoy yourself. The year goes by quicker than you think.

Sincerely,

Tomas Carrillo

 

Dear incoming sophomores,

As you may have heard by now, sophomore year is not too bad and pretty chill. As anyone in IB would tell you, try not to procrastinate. I feel like there isn’t a single way to procrastinate on an assignment, but multiple ways, like you could end up finishing an assignment a few days before it is due, but you would wait until late at night to complete it. A possible way to solve this would be by changing your sleeping schedule so that you would be awake at the times when you are the most focused. Try going home and taking a nap for a couple of hours to recharge from the long day at school and then go to work.

Another way procrastination may occur is by stalling a project by completing easier assignments instead. This is probably the best type of procrastination to have since at least something is getting completed. If there is a project due in a week or so, then splitting up the project and doing a few steps day by day until the due date approaches.

Another type of procrastination people may suffer from is when one would wait until the last minute to finish their assignment, whether it be during the lunch before the class that the assignment is due, the class period before, or the five minutes before the bell rings when the assignment is due. A way of dealing with this may include splitting up the assignment before it is due.

Good luck in sophomore year!

Megha Mahapatra

 

Dear Friend,

After looking back on my experience in this school year, I can truly say that I am pleased with how the year turned out. This is because, not only did I stay on top of all the schoolwork, but I also found time to spend with amigos (which means “friends” in case you were wondering), as well as participate in extracurricular activities while managing to obtain a good amount of sleep each night. In my opinion, the key to having a successful year is simply by managing time and balancing everything out. I find it very important to excel at school while also being able to complete tasks that are found enjoyable.

Here’s a quick note: Just because you might have been struggling with balancing your schedule this year does not mean that you have to struggle next year. A new school year is like a new beginning. If you have a good start and keep it up, you will be okay in the end. With this, try to avoid procrastination. Although it may not seem like a big deal at first, it really is. Once you get in the habit of putting work off, it can get a while to get back on track. Procrastination is basically an illness. When you get infected and do not attempt to cure yourself, your situation gradually gets worse. Procrastinating can lead to watching your grades drop along with having long nights filled with you frantically trying to write a paper. Something else that comes hand in hand with this is napping in class which would only worsen the dilemma. You might think a quick snooze is not that harmful, but it is. While you are dreaming, the rest of the class is still learning which results in you falling behind on the class’ material. Now that a main part of the schoolwork section has been discussed, it is time to go over the social aspect.

Let’s be real, friends are great to have. For this reason, remember to spend time with people you find pleasure in seeing and help people out when necessary. However, this does not mean that you should focus too much on friendship and begin to let other parts of your life, like your education, go down the drain. In case you are not aware, having priorities is a thing. Anyway, if something goes wrong between you and someone else, I would advise you not to stress the problem. Many problems end up solving themselves out, you just have to give them enough time to do so. If things are meant to work out, they will. If that is not comforting enough, just know that there are high chances that in just a few short years, you might not even have to deal with them anymore. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Between all of this, enjoy yourself. Find time to play a game, watch a movie, and relax. Yes, I do find everything discussed to be of great importance, but after all, you are still a kid. Whether you want to admit it or not, you are a child. None of this is worth killing yourself over. You have a whole life ahead of you! With this, I do not mean to just drop all priorities and go run wild. You should always try your best but if something does not go your way, do not let that stop you. Do not give up, just keep trying and move on.

Sincerely,

Aneri Patadia

 

Dear incoming sophomores,

Good luck next year in tenth grade. My sophomore year has been really fun so far. Make sure you do all of your homework and study so you can get good grades. Also, remember to have a life. Some people get way too into academics that they don’t get to do anything in the weekend. Make sure you have enough time to have fun. Balance your life so you can do everything, even sleep.

If procrastination is a talent for you, you’re going to have a lot of time in your hands. 10th grade is like 9th grade but you get used to it. It isn’t as bad as you think it is but you will have to work hard. One thing I learned in 10th grade is that sleep is your best friend. You will love sleep, especially around history fair time. I slept for 21 straight hours because sleep deprivation hits really hard before big projects.

During 10th grade, make sure that you are in a lot of extra-curricular clubs because it looks really good on your resumé. 10th grade is the year that you

Sneh Patel

[Editor’s note: That’s where the essay ended. I think procrastination was an issue…]

 

Hey! Future sophomore going into precalc! Listen up, I’ve got a story for you about a girl who say she just a friend. Kidding. I have to prepare you for what I went through. So here we go.

A few pieces of advice. One: Ms. Frisbie is nice enough to go over all of your homework, not only the ones she is grading. Take advantage of this and learn from your mistakes, unlike me first semester. It will really help you on tests. Also, the best thing to do for precalc? Take stats. That way, the first semester is some review and a few new concepts, and the second semester is just vectors and stats. It really takes a lot of pressure off. Then you can focus more on the difficult concepts when you study for the midterm and final. Lastly, take the MathType stuff at the beginning of the year seriously. It will help you a lot with your exploration.

So, that’s my worldly advice, kid. Look over homework, take stats, and know the MathType stuff. You should be good. Seriously, though, you should have a good year.

Sincerely,

1. Biz Markie (J. B. Thornhill)
2. S. Rule #1: Don’t piss off the teacher.
3. P. S.: Oh, baby, you! You got what I need! And you say he just a friend…

 

Throughout my two years at IB, I’ve experienced a lot. I frequently was stressed about being behind in certain classes and with certain assignments. But all I’ve gone through has been extremely beneficial to me. Out of all the important things I’ve learned throughout the past years here, I’d say that the most prominent has been the ability to prioritize. This is one of the most important skills one will ever assimilate. Prioritizing tasks has allowed to me to make better decisions and be much more efficient.

Even though I am leaving the campus of the International Baccalaureate school, I’ve gathered tremendous experience that I’d love to share. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been pretty well-rounded in my academic career, being able to excel in both music and academics (but mostly music). I learn quickly and am able to persevere, so that helps too. But I’d highly recommend spending time deciding what to do and when to do it in terms of school work. Many people have learned what it means to be organized and stuff, and I can vouch for the fact that it’s not a trivial, clichéd characteristic: it’s downright mandatory.

I’d now like to give some advice for certain teachers you’ll have this year (if you’re a sophomore now). For Guice, feel free to talk with him like you’ve grown up with him. The more you do, the more he’ll like you, giving you better grades and accepting more late work in the process. Also, don’t skimp on the reading for his class. This can also be used for Wright’s class: much of the time, the lessons are sub-par, and it’s crucial that the student reads the assigned text and is able to understand it. Wright is a nice guy, but understand that he’s fair and (sometimes) unforgiving. Mostly, though, he’s never like that. For Frisbie’s class, just do the work. Edmodo is an extremely valuable asset and appreciate every note that she creates for you. She’s a wonderful teacher and you can learn a lot from her. Just don’t piss her off. Also, don’t say a word when her slate breaks. For Portillo, just leave. Never come back. You already know that lol. That’s about it for the teachers you’ll have next year. Good luck!

Kyle Rogers