The first group of these was written by juniors, to advise new juniors, and the second group by sophomores, to advise new sophomores. They are otherwise in no particular order.
Dear incoming junior,
I know you’ve just finished your sophomore year and that it was considerably easier than freshman year but don’t let that attitude carry on into your junior year. Your junior year will be unlike anything you have experienced before and it can get really hard at times. It is important to remember to just keep going and getting that work done. At some points during the year you are going to wonder why you’re doing all this and if it’s even worth it. Just remember to try and keep going because eventually it will get better. After all, there’s a reason you joined this program.
As far as specific classes there is some advice I can offer but the program is changing so I don’t know how long this advice will be useful.
Pre-calculus: This class is going to be one of your consistent classes. By that I mean you always know what work to expect and how much work to expect. Ms. Frisbie won’t throw many surprises at you that aren’t already on the assignment sheet. Use this to your advantage to try and get work for this class done ahead of time if you have the extra time. The best advice I can offer is to stay actively participating in lectures. For me the easiest way to do this was to sit in the front, take notes, and attempt to answer her questions. By paying attention, doing the homework, and asking questions on homework you will find it easy to succeed in this class.
APUSH/IB History: I can’t offer you much advice on this one because we took APUSH but you will be taking IB history but I can offer you advice about Mrs. Scully. Mrs. Scully is great history teacher but to make sure you understand her lecture you need to do the readings. By doing the reading and paying attention during lecture, this class ends up being pretty easy to follow.
AP Spanish: This class will be tough at first because you might feel like you don’t understand Mrs. Calvo when she speaks in Spanish. Don’t worry, it may take a little bit to get used to but eventually you will get it and by trying your best to speak in Spanish during her class you will find that your Spanish improves significantly. You may feel like you were confused throughout the entirety of Spanish 3 but I promise when Mrs. Calvo explains it to you again it will make sense.
AP/IB English: This class has become notorious among our class for being a bit demanding in its workload. Mrs. Harb had some difficulties this year as it was her first teaching this class but I’m sure she will have a better understanding next year. The best advice I can give you is to elaborate as much as you possibly can in your journal essays and as the year goes on you will figure out exactly what she wants in your essays. Sometimes the directions you receive seem a bit unclear but having a good class group chat will help you to figure out exactly what details each class got to piece together what you need to do.
Theory of Knowledge: This class will seem strange to you. At first you’re not really sure what to do with it but by participating in the discussions and asking Guice questions you’ll figure it out.
AP Chemistry: This class is significantly harder than the chemistry class you took last year. The content can get difficult but Mrs. Loweke knows what she’s doing and if you ask her for help she will usually be there to provide it. This class gets difficult due to the way AP phrases their questions but through all the practice tests you do you eventually understand. Don’t worry Loweke will make sure you’re prepared.
At the end of the day there’s only so much advice I can give you. The most important thing I’ve found about junior year is to make sure you have a good group of friends. You will support each other through this year and they will truly understand what you’re going through. You will need them to make it through this year.
Good Luck,
Elise Beltran
Dear junior,
First of all, good job on making it to this year! I’m very glad that you decided to stay with the IB program and not pursue collegiate like some of your previous classmates. Since I haven’t seen many people give advice on this, I really suggest you guys to set aside some time each week (even if it’s just 30 minutes) to study for the SAT and ACT. The SAT costs up to $60, that’s 60 cheeseburgers! By studying you are ensuring that you get your money’s worth, and if you get your desired score with only 1-2 tests, you’ll reduce the amount of test-related stress you have. Also, register for the tests in advance, maybe even a couple of months in advance. Because unlike the SAT, the ACT doesn’t have an online prep program readily available. (If you register for the ACT with a waiver, I believe you get 6 months of the program for free.) So the earlier you register for the tests, the more prepared you will be, and you can avoid any late fees.
Moving onto procrastination, we all are advised to not do it, but how? The best way that I’ve found to prevent procrastination is to delete some social media apps. Towards the beginning of junior year I deleted snapchat, I didn’t find any interest in the app and I was spending way too much time on the explore section. Personally, I didn’t use snapchat much to talk with my friends, so I decided to delete it and it has helped me tremendously with my procrastination. I was also spending way too much time on the explore page of instagram, so I deleted that as well. I also unfollowed a lot of meme accounts, because they’ll always spam my timeline with unnecessary posts. Once in a while I will access instagram using my computer or chrome on my phone so I can keep myself connected with my friends’ lives, but that is mostly on the weekends. I don’t find twitter’s trending page that distracting, so I kept twitter on my phone, but I did not follow any unnecessary accounts. Although it may seem that I am depriving myself of social media, I personally feel that this is the perfect balance, I can stop procrastinating and I can keep up with the memes.
As for the courses you’re about to take, don’t be intimidated at all. There are going to be rough patches but the class of 2019 all made it through alive, and you will too. Don’t let Mrs. Harb discourage you on your writing, if you don’t understand how she graded your essay, go talk to her about it. Definitely do all your readings for Scully, you’ll pull out less hairs during her tests if you do. For AP chem, do as much practice problems as you can before each unit test, if you don’t know how to do it, ask a friend or Mrs. Loweke! Also, if you do happen to find answers on the internet, simply copying them down is not going to do you any favors during the test. They are a good way to check your work, but you’ll only get good grades on your tests if you truly understand the material. The same idea applies with BoB (back of the book) answers in Frisbie’s class. After taking the AP Spanish test I can say that Calvo prepares everyone really well, make sure to use quizlets a ton and study for each quiz, even if you think you know the material. As for ToK, it is a fun class, Mr. Guice is extremely lenient, but don’t take advantage of that, still pay attention to deadlines and rubrics.
Good luck!
Alina Chen
Dear upcoming student,
You have probably realized by now that the IB course is no joke, it demands hard work and dedication. In this text I will give you some advice about IB (Junior year mainly), and how to get through it. IB can sometimes overwork you, not give you time to be with friends or simply to do just nothing, but when Junior year rolls around you will be faced with a challenge. In this challenge, in order to succeed, you will have to be determined, prepared and be careful.
You will have to be determined. Sometimes a single class can have the power to kill your drive for all other classes. However, you can’t let your weak points get the best of you. Whether you suck at English or Math, don’t let those classes bring you down. I personally am not a huge fan of math and don’t do so hot at it, but I don’t let that impact my determination in other classes to succeed, and I power through. You have to be determined at IB, and Junior year especially. It’s like a rollercoaster where the G Force is trying to end you but you have to have the will to stay conscious.
You will have to be prepared. Never in IB can you be loose about what you have going on next. It’s one thing to be one step ahead of your peers but first you have to be one step ahead of yourself. Always plan ahead for tests and assignments (especially big ones). Get the work done early so at the last moment it doesn’t come and deprive you of your sleep. Your friends may say “Oh everyone does the work last minute, it’s just the IB way you know”. Don’t fall for that, it’s foolish and stupid. Always my friend, have your plan ready for what’s next.
Last but not least, and most IMPORTANTLY, be careful. Take care of yourself, you know what’s worth more than that A in a class? Your mental and physical health. It’s OKAY if you can’t get that A, and don’t be depressed about either, and don’t lose yourself. Don’t stress eat yourself and then complain about weight gain, don’t lose sleep because you’re trying to get every bit of information in about that test, give yourself a break. I’ve heard so many kids have breakdowns at home and cry and then brush it all off and get ready to do it all over again. That’s not healthy whatsoever. Do YOUR best, don’t try and equal others, it’s not a game and nobody has anyone’s high score to beat but their own.
That’s about it from me friend, I gave you advice on what i think is most key to success at Junior year, and IB altogether. Do your best, and relax once in a while. Sometimes you may “Work so hard” and “[forget] how to vacation” (Post Malone), but just chill out and stay focused. In summary, stay determined and prepared, and take care of yourself!
Best of Luck,
Parju Gajjar
Thinking back on this school year, the most useful advice I can give is to complete CAS experiences early so that you don’t have to rush to complete four by the end of your junior year. Try to participate in any CAS projects that other students have created, this is the easiest way of getting experiences. CAS is an IB requirement for the diploma program so make sure to get them done. The English IOP and IOC are also part of the diploma program and can be the most intimidating part of your junior year. You will have to study for the IOC the most since you can’t use any notes during the recording so make sure to pay attention as you read the selected texts. I would recommend recording yourself talk about each selection beforehand so that you aren’t doing the commentary for the first time on the day of your IOC. The IOP is easier than the IOC because you are able to select the topic of the presentation and have notes to guide you. Pick a topic that you’ll enjoy talking about but don’t make it so broad that you can’t fully explain it in within the 15 minutes that you have.
One of the most involved parts of the diploma program requirements is the Extended Essay. You will have to plan and outline what you are going to do for your essay in your junior year which can be easy, but make sure to choose a topic that you find interesting enough to research extensively and will actually be able to find information about. Even if you want to do your essay on something specific, make sure that you will be able to get information from reliable sources rather than obscure web pages. Also, start writing your RRS (Researcher’s Reflection Space) at the very beginning of the EE process. The moment you decide on a topic, write a reflection on why you chose the topic and anything else you noticed. By writing your reflections on the actual day that you do things for your Extended Essay, it will make your RRS much more coherent to your supervisor and make it easier to write the EE/RPPF.
If you take AP Computer Science, you can watch multiple module videos at a time through the Edhesive YouTube channel to learn the material in bulk and then complete entire sections all at once. It is important to watch the videos because not only do you have to learn the conceptual material, but you also have to remember how to write the code. If you take Physics, I recommend watching Khan Academy videos whenever you have trouble completing an assignment as they will often work out similar problems in the video. Whether you are taking German or not, I also recommend actually using a Steno book to write down vocabulary words that you don’t know along with their translation. The teacher encourages you to use it but it doesn’t help if you don’t put in the effort to actually write down the words and study them. If you do, this will make translating sentences much easier since you’ll have a larger vocabulary pool to go off of.
Sebastian Barria
Junior year was hard. Like, really hard. I thought that my senior friends were exaggerating when they said junior year was hard, but it turned out that it was worse than they described it. On the other hand, much of the difficulty I experienced was self-inflicted, a mix of having many extracurriculars and procrastinating. My experience was not everyone’s, and many juniors had it easier, so don’t get scared and drop out just yet. If you are like me, however, and need more time than there are hours in the day, I’ll share some advice that I (try) to use to perform well in academics and extracurriculars.
Get a planner. Or a calendar. With as many dates and deadlines a proactive student has, it is important to keep track of these dates to prevent accidentally forgetting an assignment and taking an unnecessary L. That being said, sometimes you will take an L, and you won’t have much of a choice because there were other things that were of higher priority at the time. Coming out with a good grade at the end of the quarter and semester is the product of sorting your priorities, and carefully selecting the inevitable Ls while highly performing in a higher-valued assignment. For example, if you have an essay that’s due tomorrow, and a biology three-page worksheet due tomorrow, and a math assignment due tomorrow, take the L in math. There are late passes, and it would be better to write an amazing essay, complete a biology worksheet accurately, and submit a math assignment a few days late than to try and do a mediocre version of all three. Your priority list can make or break your grades, so be wise about arranging it, and you will succeed.
Motivation is something that a lot of people “wish they had”. They wish that their teachers taught better, that the subjects were easier to understand, that they had some magical voice in their heads telling them to get to work, etc etc. Let me tell you now that motivation does not just come naturally. You won’t wake up one day wanting to learn everything about how photosynthesis works. Motivation is a choice. One method of keeping yourself motivated is to keep yourself accountable. When I needed to get a lot of things done, I would write a list of the things I had to do and write approximate times I planned to finish; however, I would also over budget my time (for example, if an assignment would take 30 minutes, I would budget an hour for it). What would happen was that I would finish “early”, and interestingly enough, it made me want to move on to the next assignment because I wanted to somehow beat the clock. As you can see, this was a feeling of reward and pride for accomplishment, and this feeling is a great motivator. Here’s something else to try: let’s say you are going to talk about the Civil War in history next class. Watch even just a five-minute video on the Civil War the night before class. You will come into class having some general knowledge about the topic, and you feel great when the teacher says something you already know. These are some ways to create your own motivation. Overall, being successful junior year, and in IB in general, isn’t about working hard all the time, but rather about working smart.
Amielle Ingalla
From freshman to junior year I have always heard the people stating that efficient time management is key in surviving IB, but no one really explains how to develop this ability, so this what I will attempt to explain. Ultimately, time management comes down to being able to break bad habits create healthy ones. Now a habit, good or bad, can be broken down into three parts, the cue, the routine, and the reward. One example of a habit is whenever you get home you go and eat a snack. The cue would be arriving at your house. After you reach this cue, you go through your routine, going and getting a snack, and in this case the reward would be that you are now full. Together they make a habit, and in order for this habit to stick this process needs to be carried out for 21 consecutive days. By knowing what makes up a habit, we can easily create and break habits.
Creating a habit does not take that much work, as you just find anything in your daily life that could act as a cue (waking up, getting home from school, eating dinner), and then follow it with a routine (working out, going for a jog, drawing a picture). The reward would then be based on whatever routine you choose to follow. Now breaking a habit seems like a lot more daunting task, but there are ways in which you can make this process easier. First you must identify what habit you want to break, and in doing so you need to find what the cue is as this is what prompts you to do the “bad” action. After finding the cue, there are two courses of action, you can either remove the cue from your daily life so you are never prompted to carry out the routine, or you can use the cue to prompt a new routine. The latter of the two will definitely be more difficult as the cue will most likely prompt your bad habit first, so to do this I would recommend finding someone to keep you accountable such as a parent, teacher, or friend. Accountability will motivate having another person support you through something definitely helps. Now it comes down to maintaining this habit for 21 days in order for it to become a habit that you no longer need to convince yourself to do.
So how does breaking or creating habits relate to school? Well, many students such as myself, struggle with procrastination, which is a bad habit. With this in mind we can then identify what prompts us to procrastinate and then work from there. Now the difficulty with procrastination is that when we try to fix it, we tend to procrastinate on that, leading to a seeming less infinite loop of constant procrastination. To assist in ending this loop we need to change our outlook on procrastination. After reading some articles online I put together four major points that helps me resist gravitating towards procrastination. Firstly, confidence comes after you start, not before. This means that we cannot wait until we feel confident to start a project as it will only come once we actually start on it, as we will then understand it is not as bad as it seems. Another point is that your dilemmas seem tangled together only until you solve one of them. As humans we tend to group all our problems into one, which leads to us feeling threatened to begin unraveling these problems. By going one at a time, we find that separately these problems are not as big as they seem as we tend to overestimate them. Also, finishing is everything, so when developing a habit, you should always go until you finish something, whether big or small, as finishing something proves to you that it can be done. Lastly, the idea of doing something feels dangerous and stalling feels safe, when in fact the opposite is true. We resort to pushing things off as it feels comfortable to us, but this leads to us rushing to complete everything under pressure in the end, when if everything was done in advance there would have been no stress building up in the first place. If you can understand and effectively create healthy habits and cut down on procrastination, I think you will then see the biggest improve on your life and well-being.
Justin Walsh
I have found that junior year doesn’t have to be as hard as some people make it out to be. Organization and planning can go a long way to decrease the stress. Don’t get me wrong, it will still be stressful at times, but being fully aware of your various responsibilities and obligations will allow you to manage your workload the best.
First, find the best way you personally to stay organized. Some people use a planner or calendar; I like to use a sort of checklist. Having important information like due dates in one place is very convenient and reassuring when you have a lot on your plate. The other big thing I suggest is prioritizing. In order to manage many things at once, it is important that you determine what tasks must be completed first, and what kind of timeline is appropriate for others. In this way you are not planning out exactly when you will do something (that’s often unrealistic), but instead providing yourself with an expectation (or goal) of when something must be done.
For the sophomores taking Precalculus, my advice is to you is to do as much as you can with your sophomore year. When I look back on my sophomore year, I would call it quite boring. I wish I had utilized the free time I had to do productive things. Even if it’s just joining one club or volunteering a couple times a month, the earlier you get involved the better. You will not have as much to worry about as you get into your junior and senior year.
Noah Kurrack
If there’s one main piece of advice I can give you it’s “don’t stress too much.” When I was a freshman and sophomore, junior year was always made out to be so horrible and daunting, so I was naturally anxious coming into it. But honestly, as an upcoming senior, I now understand that everything is very manageable. I will admit that the subject material itself is harder than that of the previous years and there are a lot more tests and quizzes to study for, so this could impact your grades a bit, but junior year is really just another year, and I would only consider it hard because of ToK and all the deadlines and assignments that that requires in addition to the new IB tests and IAs that you will have to complete. But those are just papers or orals, and you have been improving your writing and speaking skills since 9th grade (I hope), so, again, even though this sounds like a lot, everything is completely manageable, as evidenced by the hundreds of students who graduated with an IB diploma. Mostly everyone is going to tell you “don’t procrastinate,” and this is good advice. If you plan your time well and get things done ahead of the deadline or at least space your work out so that you don’t have to do an essay, study for a test, and prepare for 2 presentations in one night, you’re going to have a lot less stress the night before due dates. Of course, if you do end up procrastinating, adhere to my previous advice—DON’T STRESS TOO MUCH! When/if you find yourself in a situation where you think procrastination has led you to be too far gone, think again. One time, I was stupid and left an entire business IA to write the day before it was due, and I had a tennis match that lasted till 8pm, but I wasn’t worried at all. I’ll admit I was pretty disappointed in myself because I knew that I probably wasn’t going to sleep more than 3 hours that night, but I knew that there was no point in stressing. So, when I got home, I took a quick nap till around 10 and then started my IA. I think I got it done by 4 or 5 am (lol) and I even took an hour break to make/eat a quesadilla. Don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT recommending that you procrastinate. However, if you find yourself in a situation like mine where you have several hours of important-to-getting-your-diploma work to complete in one night, you can 100% do it. Just note that you will most likely lack sleep as a result of procrastination.
Now I’m going to move beyond IB and advise you to do more than just academics. Yes, this is the be social/do extracurriculars talk, and it’s an important talk, because I’m assuming that you guys want to go to college. Colleges these days are looking for so much more than a kid who has a 4.7 GPA and got a 1560 on the SAT. Yes, these are good aspects that you should still strive for, BUT it’s not going to get you into an amazing university. Universities want that “well-rounded” student, who can manage academics, sports, clubs, music, volunteering, leadership, or something other than school grades/standardized testing scores alone. No, you don’t have to do every single one of the activities that I just listed but at least two of them would be great. There are dozens of clubs that you could join for whatever your interests are, and some that could even get you better involved in your community. One of the most important aspects that colleges look for is probably leadership. I know what you’re thinking- “girl you want me to get good grades, play sports, join clubs, volunteer, AND be a leader?!??” My simple answer is yes, but (as I’ve said several times already) DON’T STRESS. This is all attainable and within your reach! Plus, IB already forces you do community service, so that one is good, and the CAS project that you develop will most likely involve some leadership. You should also be aware of what you’re able to do. Not everyone can juggle 7 extracurriculars, school, and life and that’s NORMAL and okay. Just try to find something that makes you stand out, specifically I recommend through leadership—running for an official position in a club, creating a club, coordinating a fundraiser/event, etc. You can do it.
The last thing I will talk to you about is social life/mental health. You really should try to make friends in this place (IB) because they are probably the only reason why I like school and am generally happy. IB friends are crucial not only for the love and comfort they give to help maintain your emotional wellbeing, but also when it comes to reminding you of all the projects and assignments due tomorrow. So, make sure you have some people that you can at least cry with when you get your first B or F on a test.
Also, when/if you do make grades that you aren’t used to, don’t feel too bummed about it. IB is a hard program and the subjects we learn are getting increasingly complex. So, if you are struggling with a grade or you just don’t feel like you’re in a good place, TALK TO SOMEONE. We are all growing up and realizing that we sometimes must depend on other people, and that is all right. There are so many people in IB that will help you if you need it. Not many people realize it, but if you explain your situation or need extra tutoring or explanation for something, the teachers are very understanding and compromising. There are also our counselors, parents, friends, and some nice upperclassmen that you can go to if you need help with something, so please don’t be afraid to do so. I think I’m done now because I’ve hit 1000 words. Good luck, and if you read this entire thing, I have 10000000000004% respect for you.
Carina Copley
To whom it may concern,
As you are aware, your sophomore year is over. Congratulations on your accomplishment. You have also finished algebra 2 and felt comfortable enough in your mathematical skills to choose the calculus route for math instead of math studies. You may feel prepared for the coming year but I am here to give you a few tips on how to handle your new life in pre-calculus and in your next year.
I will give you one of the most important pieces of advice you will need for Mrs. Frisbie’s class: respect the card-system. When I speak of the “card-system”, I refer to her use of a deck of index cards with your name written on it that is used to choose the unlucky student to answer her questions. Anything is fair game for a question – even as simple as distinguishing a thermometer from a ruler. This is in complete contrast to the laid-back class of Mr. Nakamura. There is nothing worse than not being prepared when you are chosen. Because this is relatively new to you, you will not be prepared. The first time you encounter this situation, you will stutter “ums” constantly and fail to even attempt to answer the question out of fear of embarrassment. You will search for help in Mrs. Frisbie’s emotionless face and only then will you understand her disappointment. To better yourself in this game of chance, you must understand the cards. There will always be three cards with your name on it, similar to all the other students who may be in your class period. The probability of your name being chosen compared to others is not independent because there is no replacement of the cards (until all the cards have been chosen, which is when the deck is recreated). Therefore, it is in your best interest to count how many times you’ve been called. After being called 3 times, its smooth sailing for the rest of the class or until the deck is recreated. In a rare case, you may be lucky and sit the closest to her desk in the front of the room. On the desk sits the cards being used. You may, on occasion, peek at the next card that will be called. In this case, you have every moment to prepare for what may be asked if you know you are going to be called on.
In discussion on the general topic of advice for the upcoming year, it is important to be balanced between your academics and activities. Because this is IB, you will inevitably feel the sense that you must prove to others in your class that you are highly intellectual and will choose to take 20 online AP and Polk State College courses. I would heavily advise against this. If you already are doing this, stop. I understand that you are education focused and wish to take as many classes as you can but it is important to participate in extracurricular activities and volunteering in your free time. It would be in your best interest to participate in these things as they will give you more opportunities in the future. It’s fine to take other courses outside of school but I recommended focusing on courses that you feel will be helpful to you in your life. Ultimately, it is not necessary to be working late hours in the night on work do for all your classes. Save that for post-secondary education. I have chosen not to include advice to stop procrastinating because every other student is going to tell you that but your dogmatic views on how to manage time won’t change your own procrastination.
In the end, I implore you to enjoy your year. It may not be the last but it will leave a lasting impression on you (unless you’re a static character, then you don’t need to read this at all). Heed my advice but don’t be afraid to make your own mistakes, especially when they can be the inspiration for the advice letter you will have to write when you finish pre-calculus (much like my experiences with the card-system that was inspiration for my second paragraph).
William Maine
Dear incoming juniors,
Congratulations for making it to junior year! It is an honest accomplishment. You’re still here because you want to challenge yourself, and a challenge is exactly what you’ll get. The things you’ve heard people say about this year are not exaggerated. It will be tough. But, there are a few things to keep in mind that will help you be successful in your first year of IB.
First things first, remember that you are not alone. One of the most important resources you have will be your friends. If you’re having trouble, whether it be a homework assignment or something you’re learning in class, do not be afraid to ask questions. Sometimes the way a teacher is teaching isn’t the way you learn, and that is okay. Do not stress and keep everything to yourself, it isn’t worth it. That said, this does not mean you should cheat. Junior year will get to you, but cheating is not the answer. I stress this because teachers are not clueless, they’ll find out that you cheated and punish you accordingly; which is not something you would want colleges to see.
Another thing, and you’ve probably heard this a million times by now: do not procrastinate. You may be rolling your eyes right now but take it from someone who just got through the year. I placed so much unneeded stress on myself because I procrastinated. A lot of my grades aren’t as high as I wished they would be because I waited until the night before to study everything. Do not do this. Every once in a while, after a huge load of work and continuous assignments, you’ll catch a break. It may be one day or a few. My advice during these times are to catch up with everything; whether it be a project that is due in a week or CAS. It is better to use that breather to help yourself for later and avoid regret—something I had tons of.
Anyways, good luck to you. If you’ve made it this far, I’m sure you’ll continue to do great and push yourself. I’m not at a position yet to say “IB was worth it”, but I can say that the bonds I created with my class were. Therefore, my last piece of advice is to savor this time. In less than 2 years, you’ll be gone. Off to college with a few of your friends or maybe even none of them. So, make sure you create relationships that will last. Have fun.
Jasmine Primus
Hello incoming sophomores,
Congratulations, you have now completed your first year of IB! You’ve made it through the STNTs, and your first AP exam. *clap clap* Now welcome to sophomore year. Sophomore year was definitely a lot laxer for me than it was freshman year.
Starting off with the classes and teachers. In English, you will have Mr. Guice. He’s a really great teacher and you will learn a great deal about grammar this year. His class is pretty lax but he still expects you do your work. However, a word of caution: he often sets due dates weeks or months ahead of time, so make sure to divide your time properly to complete the work he assigns. Next is Mrs. Sommers, who you will have for APUSH. Make sure to do your readings in this class. When studying for the APUSH exam, don’t wait until the last 2 weeks to start studying, you will regret it. It is all up to you to study for the exam, as she had no time to review for it this year. I took Spanish as my language, and if you had Senora Portillo last year, you will have her again this year. It may help to get a grammar book to supplement the grammar, which I personally had a hard time with. There are a lot of new tenses and it was hard keeping them all together. I recommend Complete Spanish Grammar by Gilda Nissenberg. You will also have Mrs. Loweke for Chemistry this year. I had the most trouble with some of the math and reaction equation writing, but if you do practice problems, you’ll eventually grasp the hang of it. I also had Mr. Wright for AP EURO. Mr. Wright is like a walking history book. He is very knowledgeable about history and it is really fun to hear his traveling stories and look at the many pictures he took. Lastly, you will of course have Ms. Frisbie for Pre-Calc. You will not have a lot of homework in this class and she will give you chances for extra credit. You will also have chances to look for mistakes and earn candy, which is really fun, because it’s not every day you get to point out a teacher’s mistakes and get rewarded for it.
Lastly, the extracurriculars. I was in HOSA, NHS, and Art Club this year. I regretted not participating in more clubs this year and not utilizing my time wisely when I could have done so much more, so I recommend joining the clubs you want to be in or taking the classes you wanted to take. Don’t be afraid to branch out and try new things; you will only be in high school for 3 more years.
Sophomore year really flew by for me, and I hope that you really take the time to live and have fun while you can. Spend time with your friends, make cherished memories, do things you’ve never done. Also, be nice and associate with your fellow peers. They are the ones who are going through the same things you are and the ones that are there to help you when you are up at 1AM doing homework that you procrastinated on. All in all, lighten up, smile, don’t take yourself too seriously, and enjoy the IB and high school experience while you can.
Sincerely,
Wanbin Chen
Hi,
Regardless of whether it was your personal choice to attend IB, or whether your parents are forcing you, you’re here—so just accept it. Everyone tells you not to procrastinate, so don’t. I think of it like this: it would be much more rewarding to watch an episode of my favorite show knowing that I’ve finished my homework than to watch an episode of the show without being able to sufficiently focus on the plot because in the back of my head I’m thinking about the 90 pages I have to read for English by tomorrow morning and that STNT for APES I’ve been dreading since the day I exited the womb. Manage your time well. If you do and somehow still find yourself staying up until the AM hours, after-school naps are blessings when taken in moderation.
Okay, next thing. Be yourself. This will help you find your “truest” friend group. Having connections helps a lot because it means you’ll always have people to bond with in the face of this seemingly perpetual and omnipresent struggle that you are beginning to know as IB.
Don’t drown yourself in twenty extracurriculars and seven sports and thirteen extra online AP classes. Find something you like or are ~p a s s i o n a t e~ about, be consistent, and be super involved with that thing. In terms of what colleges want to see, it’s better to be in on one or two clubs in which you were extremely involved rather than twelve in which you did absolutely nothing other than show up to meetings. Most of the colleges I’ve visited and toured say that grades and standardized test scores are what they look at last in a candidate’s application, so keep that in mind when you’re trying to decide between taking an extra class or joining a few clubs. That’s NOT to say that grades are unimportant—they just aren’t the best or most reliable representations of you as a person, and colleges know that.
Another important thing, and to me, probably the most important thing, is to know how much you can take. Get sleep—quality sleep. Eat. Take breaks. Go outside. Don’t neglect your mental health. If you’re seriously going through it, get help—it’s not embarrassing. Your happiness and physical/mental well-being are so much more important than a diploma. If you’re not happy, then what are you doing… ya know? Don’t sweat the petty stuff and don’t pet the sweaty stuff. Good luck and try your best.
Alexandra Clements
Dear Incoming Sophomores my advice to you is that you relax and enjoy it while you can. In AP US history make sure you read the book and seek extra help if needed.
Listen to all of your teachers and if you’re struggling in a class, just talk with them about it and potential ways to help you struggle less.
Lastly, for those of you who play sports, or participate in some after school activity that consumes majority of your time, when it’s the season for this activity be sure to concentrate even harder in school as well as be efficient with your time management. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do great.
Zalen Gibbons
This year I came into tenth grade knowing it would be harder than the previous year. It turned out to be the total opposite because of experiences from last year. The two hardest courses for me were APUSH and Spanish 3. In order to do good in Spanish, you should put all your effort into the tests and quizzes since the assignments don’t have enough weight to boost your grade. In APUSH, you should always do your reading and take detailed notes in order to pass the class and the AP test.
In my other classes like precalc, chem, psych, stats, and English, you should put effort into homework since they can support your grade when tests come. If you are not able to complete them, then you should put all your effort into the upcoming test in that class. In classes like pre-calculus, it is very beneficial to have homework passes, but you shouldn’t always rely on them because you only get two; however, in stats, I had no homework passes, which meant I couldn’t stay away from assignments when they were given.
One major drawback for me was procrastination, which was more of my problem. Procrastination caused me to forget doing some assignments at home and doing them at school. Because of that, I had put less effort, which led to a lower grade. As a result, I had to work harder to bring my grade higher, which was possible, but not easy.
Mit Patel
Dear sophomore,
My main advice, of course, is to not procrastinate. There will be “less” work than freshman year, but really it only seems that way because you are used to having homework every night. Towards the end, the work load will start to pile up and you’ll see that many classes end up having the same deadlines, so watch out for that. Also, do not rely on the late passes you are given, you may think you can skip am assignment and just use a pass, but then you put it off until it’s too late. If you are taking precalc, PAY ATTENTION, because she goes fast and you don’t want to look foolish when she calls your name and you have no clue what is going on. You will enjoy her class, though, she is funny and sarcastic, but don’t interrupt her, ever. She also shows you many different ways to look at things to make it easier to understand, so as long as you do your part, there shouldn’t be a problem.
–Past sophomore (AnnMarie Harmer)
Dear incoming sophomore,
Your second year in IB is here and you need to be prepared.
You need to stay on top of your homework, and do not push things off to play video games or hang out with friends. Keep your work organized, and always save your work multiple places on computers.
In class, it may get boring, but you need to stay awake or you will miss something that will eventually be on a test. Also, Ms. Frisbie will snore at you, so no sleeping in pre calc.
The main thing is just working hard and doing your best. I was involved in extracurricular activities as well, and it helped alleviate some stress. I recommend getting involved in an out-of-school activity to help unwind.
Sincerely,
Hunter Campbell
Dear IB underclassmen
One of the most important things to have at IB is a good supportive group of friends. A solid group of people that I share common interest with is what helped me the most throughout my freshmen and sophomore year. I would recommend that you befriend people that you trust and are understanding. It may be hard to have friends that do not go to IB because they may not understand all the work you do but it is possible.
At IB it is important to not procrastinate and have a plan on how you are going to complete your school work. I suggest doing homework the day it is assigned. Since we have block schedule, if one day you do not have time to do homework because of extracurriculars you will be okay since you already did the homework due that night. I should stick to this plan and practice what I preach.
Pre-calculus is a really good class to take in my opinion. If you pay attention and take notes the class is not very difficult. If you ever have a question do not be afraid to ask it. On every assignment you do in Frisbie’s class she will write comments on your work on things you did wrong and sometimes you may not want to take the time to read them but it is very important. Each comment helps you increase your ability to be a better mathematician.
Isabel Carrillo
Sophomore year isn’t very hard, you just need to stay on task. As long as you follow along in class and actively participate you should be fine. If you have good study habits keep them up, but if you know that you don’t possess these then I encourage you to pursue them. For example, if you are one of the people that get along fine without reading the textbook try reading it. You’ll be amazed at how much better you will do.
Do not let school take over your life. Make sure that you have a life outside of school, or at least have some free time. While you might think all that cramming the night before a test will help, chances are it won’t really matter. It all goes back to active participation in class. If you are engaging in what you are learning, you won’t even have to try to memorize things, as you will find that you already have. Of course, it is also wise to study to make sure that you have the material down, but do not let this occupy most of your time. A healthy balance of school and social life is the key to getting good grades.
Finally, remember that you come to school to learn. I believe that this takes precedence over the grades you receive. Yes, grades are important and largely determine your entry into college; however, I believe that school is meant to instill in you a love of learning. As long as you truly know that you learned something, and that you tried your best, then you can consider your high school career a success regardless of the grades you received.
Max Kieffer
The two years of IB I’ve braved through so far have been very challenging, to say the least. The tests, the so-called ‘quizzes’, and the indigestible homework created stress — a well-known antagonist against the happiness of teenagers. In all seriousness, IB can be very demanding for any high school student; nevertheless, I have been able to overtake the constricting workload by understanding, adapting to, and adjusting my environment. Each teacher is different, and you can manage stress by getting to learn the environment they create.
Out of all the sophomore year classes, Mr. Guice’s English II class is the most flexible environment. On the first day of class, Mr. Guice introduced himself and verbally acknowledged the fact that he may be a stranger. Personally, I knew him in my freshman year by participating in A-Team, so I cannot speak about him being a stranger to me; however, most of my classmates understood what the English environment would be like just through the first day. Despite being a stranger, Mr. Guice presented a free-flowing environment for his students to feel comfortable in. Students knew that his class would be relaxed, and he still assigned books to read, essays to compile, and grammar work to attempt. You might think the heavy workload would’ve burdened the English environment, however, the environment turned out to be positively influential on the students’ successes. Not all teachers are as flexible as Mr. Guice, but you can still manage through them by adapting to their individual requests.
Mrs. Loweke, our IB Chemistry teacher, presents some mind-bending concepts, but she is very straightforward in her class expectations. Her rules are understandable for a science teacher, and they give the class focus on the topic(s) for the day. I personally find her class to be the most productive because I’ve been able to adapt well to it. I began the year understanding that the homework is essential for reinforcing the tedious math and the key concepts. I needed to make connections between the math and the concepts to do well. As time passed, I grew more capable of doing the work, and now I usually have time to aid my struggling friends in class. Adaptation allows for you to feel secure and comfortable to produce the maximum work quality.
Finally, you can attempt to adjust a teacher’s environment. Most teachers aren’t as flexible as Mr. Guice, so adjusting the environment can be difficult. I’ve found this mechanism to be useful in small, momentary situations. I usually adjust my environment in Ms. Romaine’s AP Psychology class for the projects that I do. Most projects seem very straightforward in her class, but I propose creative solutions that take a different approach to answering a question. I find letting my creative side out to be a helpful tool in coping with the stress of school. For Mr. Guice’s class I had let out my creativity in my demonstrative speech by writing a song. I eventually presented my song to the class, but the writing process for my song was really the important part because it allowed me to feel stress-free. I write songs in my free time to allow my creativity to flow and the environment I made for myself was comforting.
The classroom environment you are in can really influence how you behave and how well you do educationally. Some classes can seem so stressful that the weight is unbearable, and you doubt the meaningfulness of your IB life thus far. Managing this stress is a key component of succeeding somewhat-contently in IB and changing a negative influence of one’s environment to a positive influence could do just that. I hope you take this advice into consideration and I wish you good luck on any endeavors you wish to pursue in IB and beyond.
Lance Rances
Hello,
Entering the second year of the Pre-IB program is a pretty enjoyable experience that can be a time used for many things, so making the right choices with your extra time in sophomore year is very important. Aside from taking an actual IB course in Precalculus, most classes you will take are either of routine difficulty or even easier than freshman year. While most of sophomore year is probably easier than freshman year, teachers can assign a fat amount of homework on any given night and remind you what you signed up for. Always being on top of your work, even when the load seems lighter than normal, can help you keep up the habits built in freshman year and also help you polish up your learning skills before entering actual IB.
Precalculus is a very interesting course that can be challenging but keeps you on your toes and helps maintain a steady need to spend time on studying. If you have any opportunity, I would suggest taking AP Statistics from Naki in the same year as Precalculus. The first semester is not affected but with the knowledge learned from stats in the first semester, completing precalculus has been much easier since statistics, probability, and distributions are all covered in the beginning of stats and at the end of precalculus. As long as you stay on top of your work, precalculus should be a good opportunity for learning that presents a challenge during a more lax sophomore year.
While having fun doesn’t seem like an important part of IB, from what I can tell, everyone goes and hangs out with friends at least sometimes, even seniors. If you don’t have any fun during IB, then you are almost certainly going to give up. Altogether, just staying healthy and on your toes will lead to a successful sophomore year.
Best Wishes,
Graham Oliver
Although 10th grade is supposed to be easier than 9th grade, don’t let that fool you. You’re still in a Pre-IB program, and there will still be a lot of work. Yes, it is less work than last year, but still significantly more work than a normal high school. If you had sleepless nights because you procrastinated something you shouldn’t have, you might still those nights this year, but probably fewer. So don’t forget that you’re in one of the most difficult high school programs in the world, and keep putting in the amount of effort that got you through last year.
As you probably learned last year, procrastination is a very bad idea, and even though I still do it, I definitely shouldn’t. Procrastinating when you have spare time can only hurt you, because you might not have spare time when you need to finish the assignment. You probably figured this out last year, but this is still important now, and will be very important in 11th and 12th grade, when you’re in the full IB program.
If you ever have the option to, do extra credit assignments. Your grade might be fine when the extra credit is assigned, but it can quickly go down, and you’ll wish you had taken advantage of the opportunity when you had it. Many of the assignments are easy projects, and even though they aren’t required, you also shouldn’t procrastinate these. Most of the time, the little extra work is worth it for the free points, and at the end of the quarter, you’ll be glad you did it.
Christian Herman
In general, most IB students and teachers can agree that the sophomore year is the easiest of the four years; however, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t work as hard as you did freshman year. Many people think that since they don’t have as much work that they don’t have to plan their time as much but it’s still very important to do so. In Mr. Guice’s class for English you have to read a couple books without set deadlines every few chapters; there is only one deadline so you have to plan out your reading so you don’t have to read an entire book in one night.
Another piece of important advice you should follow is to communicate with your teachers as much as possible. Sophomore year is very different from freshman year in that the sophomore teachers aren’t as particular in your individual work and organization; so, it’s incredibly important that you ask questions whenever you feel slightly confused because if you don’t, you might regret it. The teachers are incredibly understanding and are willing to help you individually if you’re having problems.
Finally, you have to find what works for you when it comes to due dates. Each teacher is different in how they communicate due dates and if you don’t write it down or put it in your planner, then you may forget to do something important. Some people don’t write anything down and depend on their memories or other people and it works for them; others use a planner and color code assignments. Regardless of what works for you, it’s important to find a system that allows you to succeed.
Emily Crowley
I think that in regards to pre calc, you should review the topics you learned in Algebra 2 before you get to class in August. Reviewing those topics will give you a good base, so you know what you are talking about when you get to class, at least a little bit. Also, you can find some good videos on youtube about topics that you will learn in pre calc, so I suggest that you watch a few introductory videos before school starts.
If you are going to be a sophomore next year, you should start some new clubs this year, because you will have more free time in sophomore year than in junior year. Taking a class online is also a great idea, just make sure you don’t overload yourself with work. If you happen to be good at tennis, you should consider joining the tennis team because there will be many open spots next year.
Classes in sophomore year aren’t too bad in general, but you need to make sure you do your work early. In English for example, you will be assigned projects with deadlines weeks later. Do not wait till the Sunday before it is due to start. Do not be surprised if a teacher assigns homework the weekend before a big project is due, because you have had plenty of time to do it. Doing assignments, the day they are due also helps a lot. As long as you do your work and do not procrastinate, sophomore year will be fine.
Sebastian Martinez
Sophomore year is one that I will never forget, I got closer with friends I made freshmen year and made new friends as well. Overall it was one of the best years of my educational life. The transition from freshman to sophomore was a fairly easy one as the freshmen teachers are very good at preparing you for the next year. I am sure you are very capable of handling sophomore year if you survived freshmen year.
One thing that I would recommend is to not get lazy. From my experience, sophomore year was much easier than freshmen year so I tended to get lazy with my work. At first it worked but as the year progressed, I began to struggle and my grades dropped a little. Make sure to stay proactive with your work so you do not fall behind.
This next part goes right along with the laziness. DO NOT CHEAT. I cannot stress this enough. If you do end up getting lazy, take the zero or partial credit for not finishing rather than stealing someone else’s work. Overall, just take pride in what you do and you will be just fine.
Jesse Hicks
My first piece of advice would be to not underestimate sophomore year as many of my fellow classmates have, myself including, because of what upperclassmen told us. Many of you freshman will have to deal with APUSH, a new class previously given in junior year instead of sophomore.
My second piece of advice would be to just keep staying motivated and working hard, especially for precalculus if you are taking it. The class will keep you on your feet and you will get a lot better at math than you previously were.
My last piece of advice for sophomore year is to be active in clubs and sports. As much as it is important to focus academically and be driven, go join some clubs and have some fun to relieve the stress and worries of IB.
Andrew Nolan
Dear incoming sophomores,
Sophomore year will most likely be your easiest and lightest work load year. This can lead to a lot of procrastination because you want to have the free time since you have “no homework” when you should be reading that book that was assigned a month ago. A lot of drama between peers can occur as well from the lack of work and getting bored. You will lose and gain many friends but it is for the best to get the bad people out of your life.
You are going to have to take at least two AP classes. In these classes it is vital to pay attention to all the lessons. This will help on the AP Exam that you will have to take at the end of the year. Make sure you review starting at the very least a month before the Exam. It will help immensely with getting the best possible grade. DO NOT CRAM!!! Cramming the night before the test could be detrimental to your score because you will only think about what you studied.
With the foreign language classes you should study hard for the tests because going into junior year will be difficult if you just bs your way through the class all year. And DO NOT CHEAT!!!! For any pre-ib class it is the same way because during the transition from pre-ib to ib things will change and there will be more work to do so bsing it or cheating will not help you. Overall you should pay attention and study hard to get the best grades you can get and do well on tests.
Brianna Stone
Three Tips for Future Pre-Calculus Students:
Probably the most important tip is to not procrastinate. If you do not procrastinate then you will probably think that there is not much homework in this class. Ms. Frisbie is very reasonable with all of her assignments, so with her larger ones, like the worksheets, she gives you plenty of time to complete them. The homework assigned everyday takes about 15- 30 minutes depending on what it is. If you can, complete the homework the day she assigns it so that if you have any questions you can ask the next day. Waiting to do everything at the last minute will make the assignments seem much harder and make you stressed out. This is a very important tip for any of your classes.
Another tip that seems pretty obvious is to do your homework and study. The homework that she assigns isn’t just busywork, she picks out an amount that will help us understand and know the math better. The review problems that she goes over the class before the test and posts on Edmodo are basically what the test is on. Doing the homework and the review problems let me understand what she was teaching because it gave me more chances to ask questions if I didn’t understand.
Read what she writes on your paper. The things that she writes on your paper are very important. She writes even the simple errors that you make so that you know that you are making them and can change them. Many of the errors are things like incorrect mathematical notation and it may not matter much now, but on the IB test those minor errors may cause you to lose a lot of marks. She goes through our work thoroughly so that we can learn from our mistakes and succeed on the IB and AP exam.
Good Luck!
Olivia Milam
This year has been more stressful than I anticipated, considering it was supposed to be the easiest year in IB. To anyone entering their sophomore year with the same belief, I would like to remind you that sophomore year still isn’t easy, just easier. I believe I had a problem this year because I took on so many extracurriculars so I didn’t have as much time to focus on my school work. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, overloading on extracurriculars will quickly drop your grades; however, sophomore year is a good time to try new things since your schedule is slightly more lenient. I suggest joining a meaningful club that is associated with your preferred future profession. For me this was Youth In Government. I actually joined last year but I became quite involved throughout the course of this year, obtaining three different leadership positions. This took up quite a bit of my time, but it also was a way for me to gain experience and have fun.
Before the year even begins, I highly recommend that you do your summer homework early and thoroughly. This will set you up for a successful year. Don’t come to class expecting the teacher to tell you everything you need to know. You will learn it better and improve retention if you review the chapter before you come to class. This will also allow you to prepare questions beforehand so you can spot any problems you may have while you are still in class. You should also take thorough notes for every subject. I recommend taking notes from any source you have to ensure you have a proper understanding of the subject at hand. These notes will come in handy when studying. Speaking of which, you should also not wait until the night before to begin studying. This note needs to be taken to heart for quizzes, tests, and AP exams. Create a study schedule, starting at the day you are informed of the test day. Divide the material up over the days you have to study and try to leave a day or two to review. When you plan out your study sessions you should account for known homework and projects you have during that time.
A great study tool I have utilized over my past couple of years in IB is Quizlet. Quizlet is a great study tool, especially for classes that are vocabulary based. When you create your quizlet, you can include key terms, theories, people, and questions associated with the chapter. To then study with the Quizlet you can use the learn feature, the program can generate a test for you, or you can just print it and have a friend or family member quiz you repeatedly. Another important thing to remember is that organization is key! Buying a binder and some dividers at the beginning of the year is not enough. You need to keep and maintain that binder with your notes and assignments. This will really help when you are studying for tests to have all of your materials in one place. Having a study buddy/group can also help you study. This is a great idea to ensure both you and your classmates keep up with your classwork. Don’t pick your best friend who is going to distract you during your study sessions. Pick a smart and responsible classmate that you know will keep you on track. By utilizing all of these tips and tricks, you will be better prepared and ensure that your next year in IB is as successful as possible!
Shanaya Jaitly
Dear Future Pre-Calc student,
I hope that you do well and I’m order to ensure your success here are some tips.
For those who are sophomores you are required to take APUSH. With Sommer as your teacher I advise you to work on your own. The class overall is not bad but it would best to work on your own. It will be your responsibility to do readings and using the Princeton Review book will be helpful. The most important thing is working on your writing skills. The writing portion of the test is very important.
DON’T PROCRASTINATE. At least try to be organized. Make sure to keep a schedule and make reminders to help yourself keep on top of things.
Overall the main thing is to stay positive. You will make it through and rely on your friends, your friends are your support system.
Juliette Vasquez
Take it from me, Pre-Calculus is not as bad as most people say. Paying attention is a vital part of surviving. If you are a common class sleeper, be ready to be abruptly woken up from your sleep.
Procrastination in this class is forgiving for the most part because you are given 2 late passes every quarter. But you’d be surprised to see how quickly those passes run out. Plus, if you don’t use them, you get those sweet extra points on your grade.
Try to manage your time in the IB world, because if you don’t then it will haunt you later. In my experience, if i let something off for the last second, you will have multiple assignments due the next day. This is a higher level course, but does not mean you should have fun. 4 years is a long way to go, but closer than you think.
Harrison Macri
To all incoming IB Freshmen…
Hi. I don’t know what exactly encouraged you to join IB, but if you are here, then you’ll have to work hard. IB isn’t for softies, or people who are lazy.
Sadly, I was both of those my freshman IB year. It took heart, dedication, and diligence. Eventually, I got used to being two steps ahead of my assignments. There are a lot of things I learned from my two years of pre-IB.
One thing I learned is that someone in this place of school should do the assignments on the assigned day, not the day before it is due. Secondly, you must study diligently, so that you do not get behind. And lastly, whatever you do, do it without cheating. Unlike what you may think, IB is not cheating. Do. Not. Cheat. And. Do. Not. Procrastinate! Just so you know, though, I probably did turn this in late, so please, don’t be like me!
Dale Aull