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.
My advice for IB at BHS can be summarized in three words: don’t get discouraged. It is very easy to give up especially near the end of the year when you are almost completely burnt out. However, you must continue to do your best work until the end of the year. The reason for this is that falling behind in your work, even if you are behind by just a week, is extremely hard. If you get behind, all your work will start to stack up on you, so you must continue to work hard throughout the year no matter how hard it may be. In the end, your grades will reflect your hard work more than anything else.
This advice can be applied to other aspects of BHS life such as after school activities such as sports. Playing a sport can wear on you and be frustrating when you are doing IB at the same time. Sometimes it will feel like you don’t have enough time to finish all your work, but you must find a way. It may take doing studying and doing homework on the weekends. It sucks, but finding a way to balance school, sports, and your own personal time is important. You have to find whatever works for you.
Finally, the last piece of I want to give is to find a way to have fun with your time in IB. If you are not having a good time, you aren’t going to be motivated enough to pay attention in class and you won’t get anything out of being here. The best way to stay motivated and continue to work hard is to find fun in what you are doing. If you can find fun in school, you will have a much smoother and better year. Improving your mental health causes reverberations throughout your entire life.
Eli Englund
Dear incoming junior,
The best advice that I could give you to allow for the greatest amount of success for junior year is to complete all assignments at least a day or two before they are due. While it may seem that you have enough time to procrastinate on an assignment that is not due for another month, it is impossible to predict what other teachers or life may hit you with. At one moment, you may believe that you have enough time to relax and complete nothing school related, but in the very next second you may get hit with a truck load of assignments and due dates and it will become impossible to keep up with the everlasting flow of work. Especially as you get closer to the completion dates for internal assessments and the extended essay. You are going to want to have nothing other than small petty assignments due for teachers rather than long packets that cause you to have all-nighters every passing week. Even though it may be a hassle, it is best to create a checklist of your own to keep you on track. The school does give out agendas, but it would be best to create the checklist on your phone or personal notebook that you know you will constantly be checking. Another way to stay on track would be to complete small assignments or parts of larger assignments everyday so that you are not hit suddenly with work. I suggest going completely the assignments as soon as you return home from school so that you have the rest of your evening to decompress. If you would prefer to decompress first, try to limit it to about an hour so that you are taking time away time for sleeping with packet-length assignments.
Another thing that I suggest for increase the likelihood of success is to ask questions about anything and everything. If you are confused on something, do not wait until the last minute when you can’t ask questions anymore. Primarily when it comes time to choosing your IB classes and TOK split. Even if the teacher for that class give you the basic run-down of how it will go, continuously ask questions about the course and even for a syllabus of what you are expected to do and know. By doing this, it will save you from choosing a class that is harder than you anticipated and may jeopardize your chances at the diploma. Trying to go the extra mile and deliberately picking courses and assignments that are difficult for you will not always increase your score or give you the extra points that you are wishing for. Yes, it is possible to choose the hardest thing and present yourself as the best when you successfully complete; but sometimes it is better to play it safe and do a basic thing that you know you are a master at and can perfectly excel in. I also suggest that for you TOK split you chose the class Research. While it sounds like another class filled with assignments, it is actually a study hall where you can finish and start any assignments that are difficult for you to do at home. It is the best choice of class to have when IAs, extended essays, and IB test creep around the corner.
Lastly, for the class pre-Calculus specifically, you should look for websites such as Khan Academy and Study.com to help you understand any material better. After every lesson, even if you believe that you are an expert at the subject, you should review the notes you took along with the lessons from the websites listed above to ensure that you truly understand the material. Multiple times I have found that even when I think that I know what I am doing and the material seems easy to complete, I realize that the next class that I misinterpreted the questions and what I needed to do overall. Use any websites, study guides, or notes that the teacher provides for you. It may seem dumb to complete the same type of problem over and over again, but it is very likely that you will see that question again and will be able to do the problem without any issues.
I know that you will do amazing you upcoming year.
Sincerely,
Nhayah Bruno
Hello future juniors, Ms. Frisbie has asked me to write some advice to you for different aspects of life at BHSIB. I am going to start by clarifying that I think of myself as a pretty average student. While I have been in far better places, and far worse, I believe my junior year has been a midpoint for academic, social, and mental wellness/success. With that, I can’t say whether or not by heeding my advice you will be a straight A student or not, but I would say that you will be better.
I will start academically, which if I were in your position I would have skipped, but please don’t. This isn’t a guide to straight-A’s, these are just some tips for the average student like me. I know you are going to hear this again and again, but don’t procrastinate. What I have found works best for me is small, short deadlines. For my World Religions IA, the way Ms. Chevallier structured the assignment was really helpful: The different criteria had different due days, and they were usually only 300-400 words each (5 total). This helped make the assignment far less massive and daunting. Another thing: Remain on good terms with your teachers, especially the HL ones or any that you will have over multiple years. Unfortunately, I don’t have much advice about the new biology teacher, we are in the same spot there. Lastly, it’s okay to miss a day of school!! I know so many people who don’t skip when they are sick because they have too much to do. Don’t be that person.
Okay, this social part is going to sound contradictory, but it makes sense to me. You don’t want to care what other people think of you, but at the same time it is important to have friends and be generally likeable among your grade. They are your support system. I don’t know if this is just a matter of parenting, but if someone I’m on good terms with needs something, I would not hesitate to give it to them or help them get it! To help with this, I have a few simple words: don’t be annoying. Get yourself some honest friends. Especially don’t be annoying about grades or GPA or anything like that, don’t try to flex on your classmates, it’s not cool, no one thinks you are cool, and no one likes it. It’s okay to be weird — everyone is in their own way. Don’t feel pressured into doing things. Don’t always be negative, but don’t always be positive. Sometimes, it’s a struggle, even if it isn’t one for you. Understand that.
I think most of this last paragraph is going to revolve around a lot of other random factors. I want to preemptively apologize if this is classist of myself, but I found it really great to learn to drive. It really makes a lot of things more convenient like hanging out with friends or needing to do a last minute supply rush for a school project. Another random thought: (maybe this is something you already do, but my parents never forced it on me) make your bed every morning! I have found it sets like a daily precedent for organization and cleanliness. Drink your water. Make a skincare routine. Wear something other than sweatpants and a hoodie every day (that one applies especially to me this year). I think in general, just try to improve. You don’t need to be a perfect person, no one is, and if you dumped everything that I said onto yourself in one day, you will drown. Just take little steps to improving, every week, every month, every quarter, every semester, every year. Ask yourself what you can do to be better. And do that.
Alex Doeringer-Smith
I am currently a Junior at Bartow IB, and the intended audience for this advice essay are sophomores (incoming juniors who will be taking IB-precalculus during their junior year). My first advice is concerning the specific advice for each of the STEM classes that a junior would take, which usually include IB-precalculus, AP biology or chemistry, AP statistics, and other STEM electives. If you are not naturally gifted in mathematics, I would recommend you to spend extra time on studying the conceptual knowledge of mathematics instead of memorization knowledge, as you will later encounter the IB and AP math exams, which are crucial to your career. If you are naturally gifted, chill for the rest of the year. For advice concerning AP chemistry (not taking AP biology), study the conceptual nature of it and practice the examination based on the AP curriculum. Junior science classes are not classes that can be passed with a “chill” manner in your junior year.
My second advice is concerning the specific advice for each of the non-STEM classes. I would recommend taking IB-world religions in your junior year, as it is a relatively easy one-year class and allows more class options in your senior year. This class is a perfect opportunity for you to eliminate IB examination in your senior year. Further, for AP U.S. history (or AP world history), try to finish the “amsco” packets on the day they are given as you will at least spend two hours on the assignment (based on experience). IB Spanish (or German), AP literature (IB literature), and theory of knowledge are classes that I consider to be moderate in difficulty. Do what you are told to do and you will pass.
My third advice is concerning advice outside the IB curriculum. Extracurriculars, clubs, and volunteer services are crucial to your success; despite performing well in the IB curriculum, the lack of any of these qualities will devastate your career. Therefore, I would recommend an incoming junior to spend a reasonable amount of time in these activities. These activities can also be enjoyed, and I treat them as a break from the IB curriculum. Finally, always attempt to create “free-time” for yourself; do not overwhelm yourself with the curriculum, as it will only lead to further stress and decreased performance (IB is not hard). With my advice, I hope that you (junior) will perform well in both the upcoming pre-calculus class and other junior classes. I hate the TOK exhibition and the EE.
Tzak Lau
Advice I’d give to any incoming student to pre-calc is to think hard about the classes that you are taking. You get very few choices, and some choices lead to less or more in the future regarding the courses you take. Taking a class like World Religions will open up a course your Senior year, whereas IB Music Theory will last both years, and you’ll have absolutely no choice in your senior year classes as they will be completely pre-determined, leaving some students to seek FLVS or dual enrollment to take the classes they would like to take.
Furthermore, if you haven’t already, memorize the books you read, the important scenes, the themes, everything about them by heart. When I took the AP exam for literature and composition, I had very very few books I could talk in depth about because only a single book we read had related to the prompt we were given. At least as a theme, and not a single scene. I would of done much better if I had read “Things Fall Apart” my sophomore year.
Another piece of advice, is that IB changes their curriculum every 7 years, that timer is now up for English and reading classes, so books are being swapped in and out that haven’t been read before, and right now some teachers are struggling to give a summer assignment of reading because there just isn’t a book that is new to give. For Juniors too, there is CAS which will be a pain for the entire year trying to complete. Always make sure to have photos and quickly put them in managebac of your CAS experiences and projects, do not put off the evidence, as I’ve realized I lost evidence for one of my Cas experiences, and now I will probably have to do another one that I can actually prove I did.
Finally, the sophomore – junior summer is where you end up with around 40 students like our class. So keep in touch with your friends if you don’t want to lose them.
Elliott Chamberland
Dear future 10th grader,
This year is not going to be easy, and it isn’t designed to be. IB is designed to challenge you and help you grow as a person and intellectually. Hopefully you have gained some skills from your freshman year such as time management and learned how you study and retain knowledge best because this year your tests become a little more difficult and more weighted in your grade for the class, such as chemistry. You will grow a lot this year and will think about yourself in your freshman year and think “Wow I can’t believe I used to write like that” and “I can’t believe I used to think this was hard”. You will grow a lot in writing as Mr. Guice gives you a lot more freedom in what you’re writing about and in your projects. At the beginning of my 10th grade year I was stressed out a lot, not because there was a lot of work but because my style of writing to answer questions, such as for AP World History, wasn’t up to par and so it was harder for me to get my work done efficiently, but as the year went on in my third and fourth quarter I was breezing through because I knew how to get my work done right and efficiently. The only two classes I struggled with were Precalc and Chemistry which is because I am a bad test taker and both the classes are heavier weighted in the tests. I improved greatly in Precalc in my semester exam scores and I am very proud of that because I pushed myself to do better.
Another thing I would advise is to do something outside of school that also has a schedule because if you only do schoolwork afterschool and then go back to school you’re going to get stressed and you’re going to miss out on other aspects of life. Family time is also important, which I know is hard because you’re always going and going and have homework to do all the time but just sitting with your family at dinner for 20 minutes and conversing with people, getting your mind off the work, is good for you and your family will appreciate you making time for them. You also need to spend time with your friends but don’t get caught up in this time and extend it all weekend to where you don’t get your studies done, this is called balancing which is an IB learner profile that you will need to acquire in order to get the most out of your time in IB and as a highschooler.
Lastly, make sure you have friends in IB and outside of IB. You need a support system in IB so you know that you’re not the only one going through the mental stress you may feel, and also a support system in IB so that if your struggling with a lesson or unit you have a group of people to go to for help, don’t be ashamed to ask for help, you’re not dumb because you need help you are human. You also need friends outside of IB, for me it’s the softball team, so that you can have a conversation without talking about homework to give you brain a break. Having a good support system to help you is very key to making it in IB while still being able to be a teenager with a life. It’s not Highschool Musical but you will grow and benefit greatly from this program greatly.
Katelynn Oxley
Dear Student,
IB can be stressful and overwhelming at first. You may be like me, feeling confident in the beginning, but falling at the end. You feel as if you can do anything, but the moment you get your first C or D on a test, you start to spiral down into a rabbit hole that you think you can’t climb out of. My advice is to study what you have learned every day. If you were like me, then you may have not needed to study because most things came naturally to you; however, in IB, things are different because you notice the difficulty increase. You can overcome this if you study every day, even if it’s just for five minutes, so that you can gain a better understanding of what you are learning.
You will probably be overwhelmed by the number of assignments that you have to do. Your assignments and due dates will keep piling up, one after another. I advise you to not procrastinate. Procrastinating will only hurt you, and keeps you from showing your teachers, and your classmates, your true potential. Doing your assignments as soon as you get them will not only help your grade but will also allow you to spend more time doing what you enjoy outside of school. Keeping an organizational tool, such as a planner, will help you finish assignments on time if you are able to space out your timings evenly.
Time management will be very important as you progress through the years. You must learn to dedicate some time to studying, some time to homework, and some time to extracurricular activities, if you choose to take part in any. You may want to take part in many clubs, such as A-Team, HOSA, FBLA, Interact, Key club, World Language Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and more; however, this is not an advisable choice because you will feel stressed when you have to attend club meeting every day, make time for homework, and clubs outside of school. Make sure to only take on what you think you can, and no more. This is a part of keeping your life balanced; don’t let yourself be overtaken by school because your life outside of school is also important.
You can do this!
Sincerely,
Khushi Patel
Dear incoming Sophomores,
CONGRATS on accomplishing your first year of pre-ib. I know it was a tough time transitioning from middle school to high school. I know it couldn’t have been easy trying to learn a new language, write the annotations for Rossi, get your math homework done the day it’s assigned, and above that writing it all in your planner. Anyways that is all behind you now, because you could do great in freshman year and then do an absolute 360 in sophomore year. Also, whoever has said sophomore year is the easiest, they were DEAD wrong.
The following are pieces of advice I am personally giving to upcoming pre-calculus sophomore students:
- Do not procrastinate. Trust me I did and it led me to getting my first C in my entire academic career.
- Use your planner to your advantage. I am an organizational freak. In freshman year when we had to use it I was getting better grades and doing things the day it was assigned. But, as sophomore year rolled around I decided I was too busy and that is how due dates snuck up on me.
- Don’t be egotistical just because you’re in IB. You may think that you are the smartest person in IB, but chances are there’s someone smarter.
- Establish a sleep schedule. My bedtime every night unless I have procrastinated very hard is 10 pm. There is absolutely NO reason to pull an all nighter in sophomore year.
- Get good technology to use. I use my ipad and computer for almost everything. It is so helpful to have your technologies on you at all times.
This advice may not work for everybody, so don’t live by my advice. So until next time have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously.
PS. If you are a kid from the future stalking me like I stalked others on this page don’t clown me too hard 🙂
Your fellow IB student,
Taylor Raymond
I’ll save you some time and spare you a long boring spiel about time management, since by now you’ve already heard it a billion times. IB is meant to be difficult, and stressful, and tiring; However, despite the rigorous nature of IB, caring for your own emotional and mental wellbeing is EQUALLY as important as studying for big tests. Your teachers aren’t here to make your life miserable. Your IB teachers care more about your education and success than you even do. The MOST valuable skill at IB isn’t time management or good study habits (although those are very important), instead it’s being able to advocate for yourself. It’s being able to admit that you don’t understand a topic and you’re struggling, but then asking for help. Sometimes, “quitting” is the right option, because NOBODY can do everything perfectly all-the-time. Don’t pull all-nighters everyday just to finish one assignment. But that doesn’t mean you should give up, instead advocate for yourself; ask for help on a topic, or explain to your teacher that you’ve been struggling and see if they’ll help you in any other ways. Your teachers are a resource, not just academically, but personally. If you’ve had personal issues and you’ve been a bit too distracted, you can and should talk to your teachers. They understand that life happens, and that everybody has their own limits. But don’t abuse their kindness and leniency.
One thing that IB students get too caught-up in, is their “status”: their grades, GPA, class rank, awards. It’s hard not to, because IB is competitive by nature. It is okay to not be #1, and it’s too unreasonable to put that immense pressure on yourself. Don’t get lost in the GPA game. Don’t just be a homework robot, be a person. This is when you should be figuring out your interests, building friendships and relationships, and doing things that you enjoy. Find something that you actually enjoy and find what you’re passionate about. Having a hobby can help with figuring out your desired career, but it can also help relieve any pent-up stress from school. Join a club, try a sport, choose an elective/6th subject that you find interesting and fun, don’t pick your classes and clubs just because you can brag about it on college application. At the end of senior year, the one common thing that I’ve heard the seniors agree on is that they wished they had more fun and did things they enjoyed. While at IB we’ve all been told to do things we enjoy and make times for clubs, but we rarely listen and all end up regretting it later. (And a quick side-note: most colleges aren’t just looking for super-geniuses, they’re looking for students who excel in school and excel in life, and those who have a passion and have broadened their skills to aspects outside of school.)
For pre-calculus specifically: LOOK AT FRISBIE’S RESOURCES. Utilize her VERY DETAILED assignment schedules, her notes, and her time. Don’t get stuck on a concept for weeks and just hope you suddenly figure it out, because you probably won’t. Ask frisbie if you can come in afterschool, or during lunch to go over your questions. Also, don’t get hyper-focused on making your notes pretty, because you WILL get lost during class. I learned that myself, and had to give up taking notes during class, and instead started taking them after class (but everyone is different, so if you find taking notes during lessons helps you more then go for it, but don’t feel “obligated” to). ALWAYS DO HER PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS, AND KNOW HOW TO USE YOUR CALCULATOR AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. Don’t wait for test day to understand your calculator, because during your test, you’ll get stuck messing around with it and waste your time.
Julia Hocking
Dear upcoming sophomore,
Congrats on making it to 10th grade! You have already learned what it takes to succeed in this program and to do well in 10th grade you must build off these skills. Your classes will get slightly harder, but I’m sure you can stick with them if you have already passed your 9th grade classes. Now I’ll talk about what to expect in the classes that I took in 10th grade.
Chemistry is a great class, and it is taught by Ms. Loweke, who is a good teacher and is very understanding. However, some people are just not good at chemistry, which is completely fine, all you need to do is look over and practice the material done in class. If this doesn’t work maybe you need to go on Organic Chemistry Tutor on YouTube, who is very good at explaining chemistry. For English, this class is easier compared to Rossi’s class and is taught by Mr. Guice. He is also understanding, and he is lenient, but do not take advantage of his late work policies because it will result in too much work piling up over time. In Spanish, we will have different teachers, but if you pay attention in the class, it is a guaranteed A. For AP Modern World History, the teacher is Ms. Huggins, and she is a very energetic and good teacher. If you pay attention and do the work, it will be an A. For AP Psychology, the teacher is Ms. Romaine, and she will provide you with a lot of practice material so you can prepare for the AP Psych exam in May. For AP Statistics, the teacher is Mr. Nakamura (Naki) and he will teach stats very well. But if you do have some confusion with certain topics, he will be glad to help you, so please don’t be afraid to ask questions. Finally, for IB Precalculus, the teacher is Ms. Frisbie and she is very helpful and you must pay attention in class, because she will call on you and if you do not pay attention, it will be embarrassing for you.
Use the study skills and techniques that you used last year to succeed in the 10th grade. I’m sure you’ve heard from everyone to not procrastinate, but please don’t honestly, because eventually the work will pile up and will eventually be overwhelming, especially in English. Also, if you take extra classes, make sure you are very organized because if you can’t keep up, your GPA will go down. With this advice, I wish you the best of luck:)
Jeremiah Silas
Hello incoming sophomores, I know some of you might be worried about the things you’ve heard about sophomore year. Whether it be the tough tests in Chemistry or the tiring writing assignments in World history, sophomore year will bring some challenges. You will see some more of your classmates drop, but that is only normal on a tough, rugged path. Sophomore year is only one of the levels that you must pass to graduate with an IB diploma.
Let’s talk about the classes you’re taking this year. Every sophomore will take AP World History. We can just call it WAP. WAP has a ton of long writing parts that you probably will never find fun. Mrs. Huggins is a great teacher though and she promises that you all will make it through her class. Near the end of the year, there is an AP exam that contains two sections. The first section is 55 multiple choice questions with one minute for each question and then 3 short answer questions for 40 minutes. You will get a short 10-minute break after the first section where you can eat your snack. The second section, a document-based question and a long essay question, is 1 hour and 40 minutes. Don’t stress too much about the exam, just take good notes that are assigned to you and pay close attention during class.
The other class I must tell you about is Chem. You don’t have to worry too much about math since the class is easy as long as you do your homework and ask the teacher for help. Chem is a class where you will definitely need to study your notes and find a study partner who can hold you accountable. The tests are not just memorization, but rather understanding the concept. Some questions might be tricky, but you should be able to understand most of the questions. Lastly, I would like to say that there will be some hard times in IB, but just remember that if you stay hard working the time you’ve spent in IB will definitely be worth. Farewell, my comrades.
Samson Zheng
Some of the best guidance that I can give to you for your upcoming classes for the next school year is to be prepared for everything that can happen; for instance, make sure to have all your assignments turned in on time. When finishing assignments on time, so when new assignments that are given won’t have to be put off finishing the assignments that were assigned first. Also when doing assignments, if you are confused or have any particular questions, your teachers are willing to help you out and you can do this by emailing or asking them in person when you see them again. Although, make sure to do this at appropriate times and sometimes it might take time for them to see it so make sure to check your emails, and to regularly check your emails to not miss any important emails as well. When you get your assignments back, I would advise you to keep them to look over for any tests in the class or any overall exams for the subject you’re taking.
When taking any tests or exams for your upcoming classes, make sure to prepare yourselves for the content that might be located on the test; for example, you can study in increments to make sure you are able to retrieve the information when taking the tests. Also, if you have any AP classes make sure you go over units that were taught at the beginning of the year to be prepared for the exam you will take at the end of the school year. However, in any class you take, you can use practice tests or review programs to go over and test your knowledge of the subject so you can go back over the parts that you might have trouble following. To add, some teachers allow you to make up a test by taking a retest, specifically to the teacher, and I would advise you to take this offer if the test was a low grade since even a little bit of points can make a dramatic change to the grade.
During this next school year, make sure to take some time to relax and to not get burnt out from scheduling yourself to do everything in just a couple of days then spreading them out in a healthy manner. In addition, try to be involved in things that interest you but also make sure to get the appropriate amount of volunteer and cultural hours that you need. If you need anything at all during the year, ask a teacher to see if they can help because most but not all want to make sure that you are able to learn and that you are okay to the best of your ability. Lastly, during the next school year, make sure to have fun and make sure to be safe.
Shyanne Daniell
Dear future (sophomore) Precalculus students,
Welcome to 10th grade! You are in Precalculus because you have succeeded in performing well in your Algebra 2 class and are at least somewhat dedicated to math. Even though you have not fully entered the real IB program yet, Precalculus is an IB class. This class is part of a 2-year course that includes AP Calc AB next year, so be prepared to write your internal assessment. As scary as that sounds, your 10th grade classes are not as rigorous as they may seem. The main issue that most 10th graders deal with is time management. In sophomore year, you will receive multiple large assignments with plenty of time to complete. However, many sophomores (including me) struggle to manage their time.
My biggest suggestion is to keep an agenda or calendar, whether that be a physical agenda or notes on your phone. Whenever a teacher mentions something due or you see an assignment added to Schoology, jot it down in your agenda because time passes a lot faster than you think. If you can keep a constant schedule of writing down your homework, you’ll be set to never miss a due date. Another important factor of success at IB is being able to apply yourself to do the work. If possible, complete work the day it’s assigned. You’ll thank yourself later. Some of my suggestions regarding focus involves listening to music without lyrics and working in natural light. Oftentimes my phone becomes a temptation, so I will put my phone in the other room and use a speaker.
In all your classes, review whenever you have the time. Reviewing is a task that many IB students fail to complete efficiently. We often struggle to review effectively by reading our notes instead of trying other strategies. In most of your classes (your AP’s and Precalc) you have access to review problems and a book to relearn or practice topics. In classes where you have less material to study, find better ways to review than rereading notes. Sometimes, you can make your own review problems, and other times you can make flashcards. All in all, sophomore year is most likely going to be easier than freshman year if you can stay on track with your assignments and study well. All your sophomore teachers (that I know of) are amazing teachers that you can trust to prepare you well. Do yourself a favor and make IB a low-stress environment by staying on top of things. I know you all will do great next year, and I hope you are able to enjoy this program in the upcoming years.
Sincerely,
Caeden DeBoer
Dear future sophomores,
As one already knows, IB is rigorous. It can be very challenging at many times and can stress one out greatly with the loads of work on top of another. Although this is true, there are many pros to the program such as the teachers who are willing to help and are here for you. I advise you future students to stay on top of things. Maybe keep and use a daily agenda and mark every assignment and its due date. Try not to procrastinate as it is very common among all peers here in IB. I suggest having many friendly interactions with others you may not know yet as friends can be a great motivation to keep you going. With the courses you will take, know that they are possible to overcome as we future juniors have already.
Life here at IB as we know is hard and challenging so seek time to accomplish all close due dates first to not have any points deducted off assignments. Teachers can be very lenient and understanding but suggest don’t push it. Also, it is important to address that studying over separate amounts of times can be more beneficial than cramming everything one night before and staying up until 3 am. I’m not saying that sometimes it won’t be needed though but keeping the motivation to succeed will help greatly.
Lastly and most importantly, respect the teachers and try to stay focused as it will be important for your academics and the relationship with them. Although staying focused is not a factor in which I’m strong in, I still try to do my best, so I encourage that. Make sure to have fun and live a high school experience. Don’t cave in on pressure and make sure to get support from friends and relatives. Do your own thing, I’d say. Be the best you.
Sincerely,
Freddy Bautista
Freshman year is the easiest you will get at this school. I don’t mean to scare you off, but if you slacked off freshman year and still passed, you are in for a rude awakening. IB is not for those who want an easy time you can cruise through and instead for those who apply themselves and want to learn lots of information. Enjoying the breaks you get in between the floods of work and tests is ideal even if you know how to manage your time. Using your friend group for aid will help you improve your grades, but you also need to be careful of cheating.
The teachers do not want to fail you so you should work with them for help. Ms. Frisbie is a wonderful teacher to ask math help from as she will make you work it out yourself with aid. Mr. Guice is more understanding of late work but do not test your luck too much. Turning in late work shouldn’t be ideal and only if you truly cannot complete the assignment for actual reasons, not excuses. If your teacher gives you resources, make sure to use them. They wouldn’t have given them out unless they knew such would help.
IB later on isn’t as horrible as others make it seem. You just need to know how to use your resources, study, and manage your time. You should take care of your mental health and work with your peers and teachers to get things done. This school doesn’t want to fail you, but prepare you for college. The tests can get overwhelming fast, so prepare and study as soon as you get the material so you will do great. This may seem hard now but it will make things later on seem much easier. Just take deep breaths and don’t expect the best of the class, but the best of yourself.
Kathryn Bradford
If you are an incoming sophomore reading this, then hopefully you have found your way of getting assignments done and using your time well. If you’re unsure with what electives to choose this year or next, then I suggest those of you go into Statistics class as an elective if you haven’t; that is if are interested in other math courses. Being in statistics class also helps you understand one of the units you will learn later in the year in pre-calculus since you have already gone over the information in the beginning of the year in statistics; for example, probability and z-scores. If you go to statistics class and miss classes, then you should look over the lesson in the textbook after getting notes from a classmate. From experience, I found that looking in the textbook was more in depth and easier to understand compared to just looking at notes and trying to understand them. Statistics class is a good elective to choose since the college major you are interested in may require you to take the class.
Taking the AP exams will probably add to some stress and work for you. Luckily, I was able to study from time to time since the teachers were understanding and would assign due dates after the exams. If you plan to take two or more AP classes like me then I advise you to study for them in chronological order; in other words, study more of the material from the exam that will happen sooner unless you have two on the same day, then good luck. For the World History exam, Mrs. Huggins gave us advice to do five-minute studies on the units a couple of weeks before the exam, that way you will be able to refresh the past information you have forgotten. Moreover, you should work on writing LEQs and DBQs with the time limit because there was a problem where we struggled how to write one since we didn’t practice that often. There will also be review videos on YouTube for you to study and teachers will provide you with practice tests for you to review on the units.
Throughout the year, I advise you to think about what classes you want to take for junior year. For example, if you’re more interested in biology or chemistry and which one you believe you will do better in. Another tip is that you should review previous units at least once a month for your classes since you will have exams. Since you’re a sophomore now, you should also think about what you want to write for your IA. Make sure to think about the topic carefully and thoroughly because at the moment you may think it’ll be perfect and workout, however, you may realize during the process that you do not have enough to meet the requirements. Furthermore, think carefully on how you will gather your data since your topic may need you to gather data from 25+ people. As the year progresses, just think about the future and plan so that you can be stable with the satisfaction that you will be ready when the time comes.
Sophia Xiong
In an attempt to limit the number of things in this essay that you must have heard a hundred times already, I’ll start with a general list of pieces of advice that are commonly said but still important:
Manage your time, but that’s so much easier said than done. If you can figure out a system to keep track of everything it makes your life so much easier. However, people are human, and no matter how many times anyone tells you not to procrastinate, you still will. A more valuable skill I’ve begun to learn to use in the IB program is adapting to less-than-ideal situations. That’s something that is different for everyone, so I cannot tell you how to do that, but recognizing how much idle time you waste in a day (the last minutes of an easier class, car/bus rides, when you’re on your phone at home, etc.) does help.
Work on your weaknesses. In high school (especially here), you have a much better support system and mistakes have lesser consequences than they will in the future. For example, even if you completely fail Pre-IB Chemistry now, you’ll still learn things about areas you’re weak in and you can still talk to Ms. Loweke, though your GPA may go down. If you fail a chem class is college, you lose money, and your GPA may drop, and your professor will be a lot less accessible. So read things that pique your interest, take an elective that you want to know more about, join a sport or club. At the very least, you’ll realize that some things are simply not your thing.
Think ahead, and not just to next week or month, though that is important. Where do you want to be next year? By the time you’re a senior? Five years from now? Beyond that? It helps so much if you lay the foundations for what is going to happen as soon as possible (also much easier said than done, but it’s good to even think about what’s coming).
IB is generally much more difficult to get through alone than with people, so make forming reliable relationships a priority. You don’t have to be friends with everyone; that’s unrealistic. However, the right people that can make the grueling parts of IB less taxing. Also, making connections with people outside of your grade is so great, too.
Do as much volunteering as you can. Try to get at least 100-200 hours submitted by the end of this year.
Now quickfire advice for all the classes I’m taking this year:
Spanish w/ Valenti – Study vocab independently. Participate actively in class and it’ll be fun. Ms. Valenti is very patient and cool, like an older sister kind of teacher.
AP Psychology w/ Romaine – Keep up with reading. Memorization and just knowing a bunch of names and terms is a key part of the course.
AP World History w/ Huggins – Keep up with reading, but this class is not about memorizing dates. Understanding overarching themes and learning why things happened and how they relate to one another is imperative. Learn history, not a test syllabus. There’s a lot of writing that sucks most of the time, but overall, it’s a fun class. Huggins prepares you well and she is also patient, energetic teacher.
Pre-Calculus w/ Frisbie – The hype about Ms. Frisbie is totally warranted; she is one of the best teachers out there (I’m not just saying that because she’ll read this). If you show that you are putting in effort to learning the material (even if math isn’t your thing), she will give you every resource imaginable to help you improve. Memorize your trig values. Don’t pack up until you’re sure she is done with instructions. Ask questions even if you think they are stupid. You’ll be fine.
Pre-IB Chemistry w/ Loweke – Probably the most exciting class I’ve had this year, but my classmates and the fact that it was my 5th period had a lot to do with that. Ask questions if you don’t understand the topic well enough to teach it; everything builds on stuff that came before it. Memorize your polyatomics.
AP Statistics w/ Nakamura – Top elective that I recommend. It’s difficult at times, but Naki is so fun, and I honestly had a great time in the class. Ask questions if don’t understand the topic well enough to teach it; everything builds on stuff that came before it. Always do conditions.
Pre-IB English 2 – Consider analysis deeply. That’s a tall order, but don’t just think about a topic, get discouraged, and then turn in whatever comes to your mind first. Analysis is easier if you start with a singular thought for idea and expand it one idea at a time in different directions from there instead of just staring at a text with a bunch of ideas floating around in your head all at once.
And about those AP exams:
AP Psychology – If you know the terms and review for about 2 weeks before the day, the AP exam is extremely easy.
AP World History – I was the least prepared for this test out of all three of the APs I took this year. The material of the course is not difficult (relatively), but the APWH exam has the most analysis and application of knowledge and concepts and SO MUCH WRITING. Good luck.
AP Stats – Naki prepares you so well for the AP exam, so don’t stress. The best preparation for me was just doing a bunch of full practice tests (just google “ap stats full practice tests” and a bunch are available to print). Just make sure you understand why you are doing whatever you’re doing with the numbers and what the results indicate; you’ll probably have to explain that in the free-response questions.
At the end of the day, the IB program is just a bunch of resources at your disposal, and it’s up to you to decide how you want to use it, if you do at all. If you decide to continue in the IB program and work towards the diploma, fully commit. Don’t complain about how you’re here because your parents want you to, don’t spend every class asleep in the back or on your phone, don’t blow off assignments just because you don’t want to do them. Learn from your time here and engage in the IB experience, and you may even end up enjoying yourself and changing your life, who knows?
Good luck! Everything will be just fine.
Take care,
Kim-Linh Vo
Hi sophomores,
For those taking Pre-Calculus this year, all I can say is to be prepared and work hard, the rest Ms. Frisbie will take care of. She is definitely the most hardworking teacher I have ever had. She literally has a whole year-long schedule that she gives you at the beginning of the year, and comments on all of your work, whether that be homework, tests, or other assignments. If you just attend class, pay attention, ask questions when needed, and do your homework, you’re set! Pre-Calculus as a course is not that difficult, in my opinion. And to praise Ms. Frisbie one more time, the way she explains it makes it even less complicated. All in all, you’ve got this, no stress.
Sophomore year as a whole is pretty good too. The whole academic shock you go through in freshmen year has settled, and you get more comfortable with the IB program. I would say the most difficult part of sophomore year is Chemistry. However, Mrs. Loweke is a great teacher and is always there to help you understand any chemistry topics. English class is another class that is more work demanding. Mr. Guice assigns many books throughout the year that you need to annotate and do multiple assignments for. My biggest piece of advice for this class would be to not procrastinate. Mr. Guice doesn’t really have hard deadlines, which is a good and bad thing. Good because his assignments won’t cause too much stress, but bad because it becomes really easy to get behind. So, basically, it’s a nice perk, but don’t take advantage of it.
Now to compare freshmen and sophomore year, so that you understand what your heading into, I would say that in a way sophomore year is easier. In freshmen year, you are given a lot more busywork. You have less homework sophomore year, but the tests will be harder! You need to completely understand subjects to do well on tests. Other than academics, I don’t know how the years differ according to a social environment since last year I was on Zoom.
I hope this helped you understand what you’re getting into! My biggest piece of advice would be to take baby steps. It might seem like a lot now, but I promise it’s really not. Remember to cherish ALL the moments because the year will end faster than you think. Focus on not just academics, but your friends, family, hobbies, and other things that make you happy. And know that a grade does not define you AT ALL, as long as you do your best, you’re killing it! Good luck sophomores!
Heli Bosmia
Dear Sophomore Student,
Congratulations on making it through your 1st year at IB! I know it was hard and took everything to keep going, but you did it! In my freshman year, it was really hard to adjust to the environment, especially because I was online for most of the year. However, sophomore year was a blast. I actually got to socialize with my classmates and feel a sense of community that I didn’t get last year. As you enter your sophomore year, I suggest that you keep in touch with all of your classmates. Having people to relate with makes the IB experience SO much better. Plus, you can help each other with homework! 🙂
Of course, I have to remind you not to procrastinate. I struggled with this ALL year and, honestly, I’m still not that much better. I’d often stay up late doing my assignments the night before they’re due. It sucks and I’m sure you get the feeling. But one thing I really didn’t understand last year was the importance of sleep. Getting adequate sleep every night is SO important to your health, and I don’t think we’re taught that enough in school. Lack of sleep not only hurts your ability to focus and stay awake throughout the day, but it also has negative long-term effects, like stunted brain development. So, even if you have an assignment due the next day, do it in the morning or use a late pass and GET ENOUGH SLEEP.
Another aspect of our high school experience that is often overlooked is the importance of extracurriculars. You probably know about the required number of service hours needed by the end of 10th grade, but it’s a relatively small number. I highly suggest that you spend more time volunteering whenever you can. It both helps to boost your college applications and helps you become more involved in your community. You should also join any clubs that interest you; I suggest Key Club ;). However, make sure you don’t overdo it. It gets really hard to keep up if you join 5 different clubs, so try to stick to 1 or 2 and really focus on them.
So just to reiterate my tips: remember to sleep well, stay on task, socialize, and get involved. Don’t forget that you’re still in high school. It’s easy to get consumed by your academics, but you need to make time for yourself. Your own interests are just as important as school. Also, don’t beat yourself up about an upsetting grade. Rather, let it motivate you to work harder. And since you’ve already made it this far, you can for sure make it this year too; it flies by! Good luck!
Tanzeela Osmani
Dear incoming 10th graders,
You have survived your first year of IB and now know what it is like. When I entered 10th grade, numerous people told me that it would be an easy year since 9th grade got me used to the workload, but that was not the case. It was still a tough year, I would say it was even harder than 9th grade. The AP teachers that I had were very strict, and weren’t what I was used to from freshman year. This made it harder to receive A’s in their classes, which led to a lack of confidence and therefore my ability to work harder. Just know that from here and out, your classes will get harder, so do not slack off in your current classes or else you’ll be digging yourself a deep hole.
To stay on top of your work, I recommend that you do your work as soon as possible. Now, it is expected for procrastination to happen at least once, but do not let it affect you too much. Not only will doing your work as soon as possible take the stress off, but it will be easier to complete it as the knowledge is still fresh in your mind. I also advise you to use some type of planner or a to-do list on your phone, so that you will not forget the many assignments you will have to complete. I started off with a planner at the beginning of the year as I just came out of Devore’s class, but I found a to-do list app on my phone to be easier.
There will be many things that you will have to sacrifice throughout your time at IB, one of the biggest ones being sleep. Most people I know have enough time to complete their work and study when they get home, but personally I do not when it comes to my volleyball season. Some of you guys may play sports, and know how hard it is to balance everything. I still remember coming home from a game in 9th grade at 11 pm and having to do a long and tedious biology assignment when all I wanted to do was sleep. Luckily, my parents were there to motivate me to stay up, but that was only the first time. From then, I learned how to work my way around volleyball, and had to complete little tasks here and there wherever I was even if my teammates thought I was academically-obsessed.
I hope this advice will help your experience in sophomore year, and enjoy it as it will only get harder from here!
Sincerely,
Misha Abraham
Pre-calculus isn’t really hard but there is a lot to keep up with. Ms. Frisbie accepts assignments on paper only usually so you need a really good paper organization system. I have found that putting papers in random places and not turning them in is not a highly effective system. She gives a list of all the assignments for the nine weeks at the start or even before the start of the nine weeks. Sometimes things change a little bit, but putting those dates on a calendar is really helpful. She is really good about answering questions and even guessing when there’s a question you haven’t asked yet. But it’s better just to ask.
Calvin Holton
In my experience as a sophomore in IB, this year is easier than freshman year mostly because you have already had experience with doing a decent amount of work and by sophomore year you learn how to better handle the workload. However, if you feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have then you should contact a friend and see if they can help you lighten the workload by explaining how to do things in certain classes more efficiently. In my two years I stayed up later than 11 due to work once, so you do not have to stay up super late to be successful in IB. The best way to be successful is to figure out the level of work your teachers want because some teachers want more than others and you should spend your time accordingly, so you can efficiently do the work and be successful. The classes overall are not super hard, but you have to be willing to work and be efficient while working if you want to be really successful. Also, if you find yourself struggling with a topic in a class, talk to your friends about it and see if they can help you. This also makes it extremely important that you become friends with people you consider smarter than yourself because they can be the most valuable resource you have when you need help.
Also, you want to do a sport of some kind. Joining a club is good and can be a great way to explore your interests, but a lot of the clubs IB kids join are with other IB kids. However, most of the sports at BHS have a variety of students from all three schools. I’ve played football for the two years I’ve been in IB and the friendships I have made during that time are some of the strongest friendships I have. It is important to have friends outside of IB because those friendships make you a better person and keep you around different people which can make IB a little more manageable at times because you can talk to some people that don’t have to deal with what you’re dealing with allowing you to get your mind off of the problem. Joining a sport also allows you to represent your school and compete against other schools while learning valuable life lessons. If you want to join a sport, but are worried about time management then I would say join the sport because learning how to manage your time well is a very valuable skill and being in that sport will force you to do that. In football practices regularly get out at 6, so I’ve learned how to really manage my time and be efficient.
The hardest course you will probably take sophomore year is pre-calc. Ms. Frisbie is a great teacher and she really pushes you to learn, which means a decent amount of work and not super easy tests. The best way I’ve found to be successful in pre-calc was to study well for every test and make sure to do all of the homework because doing the homework actually really helps with the understanding and will make you way more successful. Also, take AP Stats if you can because the last 2-3 units in pre-calc are all pretty much done in way more depth in AP Stats, so your understanding is way better in pre-calc. I took AP Stats and it allowed me to cruise through the Statistics unit and be pretty successful in the probability and binomial units. AP Stats is also not a crazy hard AP Course, so it could easily be a course that could bump your GPA up a little bit.
Brett Tyree
Entering tenth grade can be stressful; however, for me at least, tenth grade was way calmer than ninth grade was. Ninth grade can be very difficult at times because of having to get adjusted to high school, meeting a bunch of new people, and having to deal with the increased workload that comes with IB. Tenth grade, though, ended up being a lot smoother because I had already mostly gotten adjusted to the way IB is in the year prior. Now, that does not mean that tenth grade did not have its difficulties, because it certainly did as the classes are harder and the teachers expect you to be more prepared. I think most incoming tenth graders will be surprised though at how prepared they actually are.
The biggest piece of advice I can give people the year behind me is to NOT procrastinate. The amount of work can get overwhelming sometimes, and it can be extremely tempting to just put off difficult, time-consuming work until closer to the due date. However, putting off work like this is a huge mistake and you will regret it almost every time. Not only do you have to attempt to rush your work at the last minute to get it done on time, but you also risk not finishing and having points taken off for being late. The stress that results from procrastinating is not worth the extra couple hours you get laying down doing nothing, trust me. So, the biggest piece of advice I have to give is to complete your assignments early, or to spread major assignments out and do a little bit each day.
Another big piece of advice I can give is to do extracurricular activities such as sports or other hobbies/clubs. I have often heard a lot of people in IB say that they were afraid to do extracurriculars because of how time-consuming the classes are, and I too was hesitant to join sports at the school because of this. I did end up playing sports, though, both my tenth and ninth grade years, and I am very glad I chose to do so. Joining a team gave me the opportunity to make many new friends, to try out something new that I ended up loving, and to have practice/games that gave me something to do outside of schoolwork. Also, playing sports did not affect my performance in school and keeping up with my assignments was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Therefore, I encourage students who are going to be in the same classes as me to not shy away from doing any extracurricular activities that they think they would enjoy because those activities can make your experience in school all around better.
Analea Lopez
Dear incoming 9th grader,
Congratulations on making it to IB! You should be proud of yourself for making it here. There are going to be many challenges that you’re going to have to face throughout your years in the IB program. There may be times when you feel unprepared for a test or stay up all night finishing an assignment. Just remember that you are capable and you’re here for a reason. Try not to give up so easily and push through. Don’t worry, you’ll get through it.
When you start off, you might have trouble adjusting to the rigor of IB. My advice would be to come up with some sort of schedule. The workload may seem overwhelming at first but if you manage your time efficiently, it might not be so bad. Once you establish some sort of routine things should get easier. I would also advise you to communicate with your teachers and fellow classmates. If you ever need help with an assignment don’t hesitate to ask a teacher or a classmate for assistance. If you get a bad grade on a test, don’t be discouraged. There will be opportunities to raise your grade. Make sure you always turn in your assignments. Even if you accidentally miss a due date you should still turn it in. Some teachers offer late passes, but not all. Even if you’re not getting full credit for an assignment, anything is better than a zero in the grade book. This can determine whether you get an A or a B in your class. It is important that you get enough sleep. Don’t pull all-nighters trying to study for a test. Try reviewing a little bit each day so you don’t have to cram everything at the last minute.
I think it’s important to remember to enjoy your time here at IB. You don’t always have to pile up on AP classes. Although GPA is important, feel free to take classes that you enjoy. GPA isn’t everything; extracurriculars look great on college applications too. You should join different clubs that interest you and try out for a sports team. School can be draining so make sure to take care of yourself. Relax and watch a movie once in a while or take a nap. Try not to stress so much. Keep in mind that you got this far, and you shouldn’t give up. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. I wish you the best of luck throughout your journey through the IB program!
Best wishes,
Hailey Thomas 🙂
Dear IB sophomore,
After my experiences in my own sophomore year at IB I can rightfully say there were many aspects of the past year that were unexpected. Personally, I believe the last year ran very smoothly despite some procrastination and distractions. A little bit about me: I am a lacrosse player and balancing school and sports can often be difficult. Interestingly, I do better during the season, but directly after the season I tend to crash and burn. My grades decline and recently I have had to work very hard to get my grades back up to A’s. I would recommend to any well achieving student that even though they may feel comfortable with their current grade in a class, if they slack off and procrastinate on some assignments that A can quickly turn to a low B. This happened to me many times throughout this school year specifically in English, AP Psychology, and recently Chemistry. All three of these classes I found very straightforward and would have a good head start at the beginning of the quarter, but after focusing on other classes, my grades would slowly drop.
On the topic of Mr. Guice’s class I feel that most students could use a lot of guidance. His class is very interesting because he comes off as very laid back and careless, but he is very good at his job and will give you a zero if you earn it. Often when it comes to due dates, he will let you turn things in late, but do not rely on a free late pass for every assignment. It is easy for Mr. Guice to become restless and if you take advantage of his laidback teaching style he will begin totake points off of assignments. Also, remember that your teachers are looking for content not perfection. When annotating books, Guice will look for specific things throughout the book that he noticed or discovered himself. That does not mean that you need to annotate every page. As long as you do not leave multiple chapters empty consecutively, you should be okay. Another teacher that only looks for content alone is Mrs. Huggins. None of her assignments including the writing require perfect grammar or literary skills as long as the correct topics and information is discussed.
Another topic I would like to discuss is note taking. I know this is probably repetitive after taking a year long course of Inquiry Skills; however, notes are important. Specifically, notes are important in chemistry, pre-calculus, and English. There may be times throughout the year that a topic may seem very easy and notetaking may not seem necessary. Do not let this be the case because you will have final exams and wish that you took the notes when you were learning the topic because you forgot the information you once knew so easily. I did not take any notes in my English class all year and I did not study the Literary Terms. When these topics were covered on tests I struggled because I did not study the information discussed during class. Make sure all information is retained to the best of your ability. Finally, I would just like to say have fun. I found a lot of fun opportunities with my lacrosse team outside of school. Yes there may be a large workload, but there is certainly time to spend with others and you should not find yourself picking homework over friends or family too often. Let high school be the time that one would normally experience and do not let IB raise your stress levels to the point of boiling over.
Porter Brown
Sophomore year was definitely an interesting year. Everyone has their own opinions about this school year, but I think it was just ok; however, you really need to study. I can’t stress enough how important it is to study for your tests because they will be much harder than freshman year. Not only will they be harder, but they will also be weighted more, especially chemistry. People will tell you that sophomore year was the easiest year but don’t underestimate the workload because I promise, it will catch up with you.
One thing that will really help you for this next year is to not be discouraged. I struggled with this all year because I was always comparing my grades and extracurriculars with everyone else, but that was my biggest mistake all year. Comparing yourselves with other people really doesn’t benefit you at all because you’re always going to want to do more, but it’s important not to overwhelm yourself. You need to do what’s best for yourself, so you don’t get burnt out trying to compete with your classmates. Do your work your own way and study at your own pace and you will do just fine. Even though it’s good to be competitive you don’t need to become obsessive, so just do what you need to do for school and worry about yourself.
One other thing that you need to do next year is study hard because even though your classes may be easy this year, it may not be the case next year. It’s really important to make a study schedule for yourself so you’re not cramming the day before your midterms. Even though I might have crammed a few times, it’s a bad idea, so try studying a minimum of three days before your exam. If you study better with people, then go on Facetime or just study alone because if you just walk into a test without studying then I feel sorry for your grade. Also, another thing that I experienced is to not just review your notes. In order to actually know your material, you must do practice problems to understand how to apply it. In precalculus especially, I really encourage you to do the review problems for each chapter because they will really help you understand how to apply different math concepts to all different kinds of problems. In general, sophomore year can be fun and easy if you apply yourself to your schoolwork and just worry about yourself and not what others are doing.
Heidi Nolan
There are many challenges that you are going to face in this class and IB as a whole. One of them is keeping up with the difficulty of classes. At times you will find the classes becoming very difficult and feeling like you can’t understand what is being taught. It is important to persevere and try to get help for things you might struggle with. It may seem easier to just get the answers from someone, but in the long run you need to be able to understand the material in each class to be able to succeed. You might feel like quitting, but think of how far you’ve made it. IB can get very challenging but it will be worth it when it comes to your academic career and helping it go further.
Another challenge is finding the motivation to keep up with the classes and school in general. You might start to feel lazy and start to lack motivation, but it is important to try to keep going and keep up with your classes. It gets hard to turn in assignments on time especially if you get assigned many at once. You’ll start to procrastinate, which can seem easy at first but then you’ll start staying up every night before an assignment is due and losing hours of sleep. It can be hard to not procrastinate but you should attempt to stop procrastinating because it will only make the classes more difficult. It can be easy to procrastinate, but in the long run it will be better to practice turning in assignments on time. Try creating a schedule for getting your assignments done and become better at time management. Plan ahead of time and keep track of your assignments because it is very easy to fall behind. Time management is key in IB.
A very important thing that is seriously overlooked is mental health, which can be a challenge. Keeping up with many assignments and worrying about grades leads to a great deal of stress. You start to feel overwhelmed, but it does get better. You’ll learn how to manage dates better and how to avoid an accumulation of assignments. It is also important to get enough rest and to try to not stay up too late, which is why planning out the things you have to do is crucial. Don’t worry about having the best grades or being better than most. Just focus on your own grades and on passing your classes. You’ll feel less stressful that way and it provides a better mentality that is helpful in persevering through these 4 years. You won’t have to stress about grades all the time if you try to focus on other activities or hobbies that can help with relieving stress. IB will always feel challenging, but it’s not impossible; really all you need is to just pay attention and stay on top of your work.
Vanessa Velazquez
I have three pieces of advice for anyone going into 10th grade:
First of all, the IB curriculum looks like it might get harder as you go on and that is true. One way and the best way to get good grades as things are getting harder is just to do your work on time. That is the key to getting good grades. It doesn’t matter if you turn it in at the last second it is due, if you did the work you have an understanding of what you did and you can then build on what you know and be ready for the test. If you do your homework on time you will get good grades. Homework is like mini sections of the final test of the unit, and every assignment you do gets you more ready. So basically, just turn in your homework on time.
The second piece of advice is to get involved in extracurricular activities. They help build your resume that you will turn in as part of the application for college and colleges love that you are exploring many things other than your class work. It will benefit you if you have the time like joining an after-school club or sports. These get you to have better connections with people and expand your range of people whom you have a friendship with. Overall, doing stuff outside of school, no matter how small, is always effective in getting you moving or passionate about something.
The third piece of advice is to drink enough water. As small as it may seem, if you don’t get enough water you won’t actually be able to function normally and have worse academic results. You may not realize you need more water so to oppose forgetting to drink water just drink whenever it is available. I typically bring water to important exams like the AP tests because it helps me focus and not get sleepy during the test. Although drinking water prevents me from falling asleep might not be because I am dehydrated but doing something while taking a test can help you to stay awake and drinking water is the most helpful one.
In conclusion, drink water to keep your mind healthy, do things outside of school to expand your skill range, and make sure to do all work assigned by teachers ON TIME. The three top pieces of advice for people stepping up a grade level in IB. (I am drinking water as I write this as a result of me making it a habit).
Mustafa Alaloosi
Well, well, well, what do we have here? A bunch of new sophomores for another year. I did not mean to rhyme there, but it makes for a pretty good introduction. Hello, the name is Ryan. This advice essay is not going be in any way formal, but as if I am talking to a friend. After all, IB is nothing without the social connections you make while you are here. To survive here you will need a support system. I have seen some of the strongest people I have ever met crack under the pressure here at IB. You need people to rely on and to lean on when things can get overwhelming and stressful. I know for a fact that without my amazing teachers and friends that I have made connections and friendships with this year that I would not be looking back on this year very fondly at all and would probably have dropped out as many are doing after sophomore year. Keep your friends close in this program, the ones that you find here can last a lifetime.
I know majority of people in IB are smart. Some may not act like it at times, but let’s be honest, you all got in for a reason. However, you might not be prepared for the tests that come with sophomore year. You will have to study for tests. Even for a short 10 to 15 minutes a day, any bit helps. Getting by without studying is rare at this level now. Lessons are way too in depth or big to remember everything. You must learn to adopt study habits and your study style. By study style I mean which way of studying helps you the most. Everybody is different and some people may need to study more often and longer than others. That is completely ok! Like I said before, you are smart, or you wouldn’t be here. Everyone learns things at different rates, it is best to put forth the effort to learn and understand the material than to think that studying makes you look dumb. By not studying test grades will hurt your grade drastically. Trust me, I know. I know that many look for straight A’s and perfect grades. If you want it, then you must work for it.
Finally, my last piece of advice. Do not. Fall. Behind. There are teachers that are very lenient on late work. Trust me when I say, do not take advantage of this. Only use this when you absolutely could not finish the assignment on time. To avoid this in fact, try to get ahead of the game. I know I sound like a guidance counselor or like every other person that gets you into this program but as a friend speaking to a friend, I mean it. Trying to get in late work at the last minute before a quarter end is a stressful situation that could have been avoided. Pushing things off does not help you with feeling accomplishment and results in more problems later, on top of the newly assigned work. My sophomore year would have gone by a lot smoother if I had listened to this tip when I joined IB. Do not make the same mistake I did. They know what they are talking about when they say to try and stay ahead. I wish you all the best, stay safe, stay strong, and most of all, stay you.
Ryan Andino
Dear incoming sophomores,
Congrats on making it through your first full year of IB! Hopefully you find sophomore year easier than your freshman year as your teachers have prepped you well and the classrooms are somewhat laid-back. Some tips for being successful in your second year are to be active in class and pay attention as you are likely to miss something if you don’t which could cause you to be confused on a topic and struggle on homework. All though I can’t speak for myself, don’t procrastinate as you will most likely fall behind in some of your classes and will force you to give up sleep, a luxury very much desired by IB students. Using these tips will allow you to be successful in your sophomore year and beyond if you are willing to put in the work and persevere.
In addition to being focused on academics, don’t forget to be yourself and have fun. If you don’t have fun while you are in IB, you will most likely not make it and end up dropping out as you will be focusing only on your academics and you will eventually burn-out; however, know your limits as too much fun can cause you to become lazy and fall behind on your coursework. Also, try to live in the moment as you will start to become overwhelmed by how much is left before you graduate, such as IA’s, CAS, and the EE. Just take it day by day and stay on top of your work, and I will promise that you will achieve some level of success.
In essence, try to focus on your academics and your time management skills as sophomore year is a time where you really develop skills needed throughout junior and senior year. Also, try to have fun throughout IB, its high school after all. Balance is very important in IB as it allows you to succeed academically without sacrificing your relationships or your mental health. Good luck to you incoming sophomores. I believe in you! (P.S. don’t interrupt Ms. Frisbie’s or you will be defenestrated.)
Best Wishes,
Antonio Arellano
Dear Student,
I’m sure you’ve come to realize that procrastination will be the death of you. Hopefully, you’ve gotten better at managing your time. It can probably get annoying to hear about managing your time all day, every day. However, if it weren’t so important, students and teachers would not have stressed it as much as it gets stressed. Likewise, if there is one thing I can promise, starting homework at a reasonable time rather than 7 pm after dinner will make your life so much better. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep is heavily underrated. There are so many benefits of sleep and I hate that it’s a flex to get “only 3 hours of sleep” and others such as that. It’s unhealthy and should not be glorified.
Along with sleep, understanding the items you learn is just as important. I know it’s tempting to speed through the homework so you can do the more fun stuff but taking the extra ten minutes to read through your notes and connecting key points will be better in the long run. One of my biggest regrets is neglecting to truly understand topics so I could scroll on my phone and whatnot. My thought process was “I know enough to pass the test” but this is heavily flawed. The lessons you learn will eventually come up again in heavier and more important tests. In my case, I ignored a lot of lessons in Pre-Calculus, English, and German. As a consequence, I’m currently stuck reteaching myself a lot of the topics we’ve been over quarters ago. Learning entire units on your own is not easy when you need the time to work on other big assignments. It’s also not fun teaching yourself entire units in your free time during the weekends or summer days. As such, just pay attention to the lesson and understand as it is being taught. It’s boring and lengthy at times, but it will save you so much time.
Another big mistake a student can make, in my opinion, is comparing yourself to others. It’s ok that you’re not as quick-witted or fast as the other students. Everyone learns at their own pace. Dragging yourself down will only make your learning slower. It’s better to embrace your talents and abilities as they are and not force yourself to be someone you’re not. Becoming a better you will take time, so don’t rush it.
Tuana Cenberoglu
To whom it may concern,
Congratulations on getting into the IB program. I’m sure you’re very proud of yourself for being so smart as to pass the test. You must also feel incredibly lucky to get accepted into IB out of everyone else as well. I’m going to level with you, though. You’re neither, and I’ll become very apparent during your 2-to-4 years in this program. I have only experienced the first 2 years, and I despised it. Luckily, I do not have to experience the later 2 years, as I’m leaving for Lakeland Collegiate High School.
As an IB student, I did not have a pleasant experience. If you plan to do anything extracurricular, feel free to throw those plans out the window. You will be bombarded with homework like a World War 1 soldier experiencing machine gun fire in the trenches. If you decided to get a music class like band and orchestra, I feel bad for you and your future sleep deprived self. The musicians of IB must toil under the pressure of practicing their instrument atop of the paperwork of academia. Even the traditionally ‘fun’ classes are challenging. I somehow managed to get 2 art classes for my electives, and it was stressful due to the amount of art I have to do. I only barely got my SI Project for AP 2D Art submitted, and it was only because I and the teacher learned last second that I only needed to submit 1⁄5 out of 15 of my sketches. If it weren’t for that, I would’ve experienced a guaranteed failure.
The thing you should look forward to are the faculty. While the subjects they teach are more difficult than trying to punch down a steel mill until it falls down, the teachers themselves are wonderful people. All the faculty are very helpful, like Ms. Marsh who’s the IB Guidance Counselor. A great example of this is Mr. Porter, who teaches German over at Summerlin. His class, at least for me, was very difficult. The only reason why I passed at all was because of a system where if you turn in a certain type of homework early, you get extra credit. That combined with dubious use of translation programs allowed me to scrape by, but my test scores clearly reflected that I barely knew what I was doing. Mr. Porter himself though is a fantastic individual. I like him a lot. He’s very fun to be around. He genuinely cares about the success of his students; even me. He even does some art, which I learned after I asked for his feedback for some of my art projects. All the paintings in his room were done by him. Ms. Terhaar is also very nice with a difficult class. She’s the teacher of AP 2D Art, and it was very rigorous and difficult to keep up with. Ms. Terhaar herself though regularly got us doughnuts and sweets. Even today on the 25th of May, Ms. Terhaar got the class some doughnuts.
In conclusion, IB lives up to its herculean reputation. It’s as difficult as it sounds, and it’s definitely not for me. The best parts for me were the teachers and extracurriculars like the dances, and the worst parts was the actual process of understanding. If you can power through the actual learning aspect, then I’m sure you’ll find the program delightful. I, on the other hand, cannot handle the difficulty. I’m very glad that I have options that hopefully fit me better.
Yours Truest,
Matthew A. King
For my first piece of advice, I motivate you to go to class even when you don’t feel like it. It is vital to utilize all the opportunities for useful knowledge. It is also extremely important to have fun while making good choices. Sensible choices make for a sensible student. Pertaining to sensible students, it is always a good idea to keep in mind your goals and values. Be true to what you value in life. Another important point that I’m sure everyone has heard a million times is do not procrastinate!!! Procrastination only makes the assignments stack up. This is a situation that should be avoided at all costs. Therefore, complete assignments when they are due.
This class is not as hard as some say, Ms. Frisbie is a cool teacher and it’s an all-around good math class. Her feedback is super helpful once you get used to her handwriting (don’t tell her I said that). One thing I’ll never forget about this class is the seemingly never-ending trig quizzes. I advise you and everyone else to memorize your trig values or else! This class will not only help you grow as a critical thinker but also as a creative thinker. By creating opportunities to join ideas that create new forms of expression, math opens space for a creative pursuit.
You only do as well as you believe you can. Have faith in yourself and enjoy the ride. Don’t let one (or a few) bad test scores get the best of you. Always strive for perfection and don’t underestimate your abilities. And as Ms. Frisbie always says… Don’t piss off your teacher!
Grace Odikpa
International Baccalaureate is a rigorous course that will challenge your mental endurance as you encounter trial after trial. Being a pre-IB sophomore who is about to start the real IB, I will give you some advice on how to overcome the struggles in pre-IB sophomore year. You must cherish every moment of excitement that comes from IB to not get overwhelmed with the tedious work. All of the IB activity days should never be wasted because those are the moments that give you rest and motivation. In order to truly deal with all that the IB program offers, I will give you academic and social advice that I had to learn through experience, which will hopefully make IB more bearable.
The pre-IB courses in sophomore year are difficult and exhausting, but my academic advice to you is to be immersed in the class. You should pay attention in class, do the notes and homework, join the group discussions and activities, ask questions no matter how boring the class may be, do your best to be fully engaged in the class during that one and a half hours. Actively engaging in the class, you are subconsciously learning the material practically and visually. I try my best to be attentive and immersed in all of my classes, and those moments in class give me learning opportunities to the point where I don’t study for certain exams and still get passing grades because I remember the experience which allows me to remember the material. Another way to be immersed in the class is to give time outside of school for course material. Use the methods that Mrs. Devore teaches you! Those methods such as Pomodoro method, planning, spaced studying, and others will be vital for organization and focusing on the material you learned in class outside of school.
The IB program has a diverse population of students with unique personalities; The people you meet in the IB program can either be your allies or drawbacks to success. My social advice is to focus on being true to yourself and friendly to others. My time in the IB program has shown me that IB students foster a mixture of intellectual comparison with personality; People who are smarter are more valuable. Just be yourself! Trying to compare grades with others constantly will make you stressed and unhappy, so focus on your own development in IB. Nevertheless, be friendly to everyone in IB. Students in IB develop a strong bond because we are fighting the same battle, being cooperative and friendly with other IB students can make your experience in the IB program a lot better.
John Okereafor
To whomever reads this essay, you have successfully completed your first year in IB. Congrats! I’m sure the first day you entered this program on the first day of school, you were probably a bit nervous. You didn’t know what you were expecting and what was expected of you from your teachers. But, you kept going and have already finished your first year. The first year is always hard and well in 10th grade it does get a bit better because you know some things about IB and its focus. The day I arrived on the first day of 10th grade we were off quarantine and things were getting better. I did struggle a bit on procrastination because I’d lay off my assignments until the end. By the way, this is an assignment and it’s due in a couple hours, so I’m sorry if it turns out bad. My most difficult thing in IB was starting on my assignments late, and it was a mess. I was stressed and tired by the end of each day, and I never got a good night’s sleep. So my first advice that I want to share with you, but also for myself is to stop procrastinating and just doing the assignments the day it was given. It will save so much time and you will have a lot of free time to do things you enjoy. I did stop procrastinating for some days and I was surprised to see how much of a relief that was.
An advice that I lived by through the two years of IB is the most important one and I think you might agree with, once you know your teachers, is to never ever piss off your teachers. Just try to stay on their good side. They are grading you and they do have control over your grades. Also, even if it doesn’t seem like it, I’m pretty sure they judge you. I may be wrong, but we can’t read minds. Another thing I learned was that don’t compare yourself with someone else because the outcome will not be beneficial. Someone might be much better or efficient in English perhaps, and for you, English is the most difficult thing you have to do. That does not mean they are smarter, and it also doesn’t mean that you are just dumb. No one is dumb, especially in IB. You got in the program, didn’t you? If you compare yourself with another, you will just overwhelm yourself and may start to consider leaving IB. Instead, reassure yourself that you will prepare for the next day better and start increasing your skills in that topic. The most I struggled with was World History and that was because I couldn’t grasp the concept completely, so I started doubting my skills and believed that I will definitely fail this class. However, I kept going and attempted to do exactly what my teacher said and I did not fail. Keep moving forward, even though the task is difficult shows determination and that is exactly what every teacher in IB wants to see in every student. One more advice is to just do the assignments as best as you can and turn it in on time. I swear that is the most important thing in keeping your grades up. The only reason an IB student would fail is because they have not done the assignments on time or turned it in. If you love Nike, then you should know to “Just Do It.”
This is just pre-IB courses that you will take in 10th grade and maybe IB pre-Calculus, and I have not experienced the actual IB curriculum until next year (or I guess this school year), so I can’t really explain the level of difficulty of IB until I finished 11th grade. All I know about 11th and 12th grade IB courses is that our expectations will rise and we will have to work a lot harder than 9th and 10th grade. One of the best things that I anticipate is the fact that mostly everyone will be a lot closer than before, and be considered as part of the IB family. I just remembered something that I should state: grades are important, but understanding and the amount of work you put in for each task is more important. That will help you be successful. I hope you the best of luck during your life in IB, or another school you may attend.
Rahee Patel
Dear Future Pre-Calculus Student,
Congrats on surviving the pre-IB program. It may have been hard adjusting to this new environment, but there are still even greater hurdles to overcome with the IB program. Although they may seem difficult to endure, I do not have a doubt that you will be able to persevere through the hardships.
Personally, the most important skill for being in this program is organization. Depending on your classes, your workload may be large or small; however, without proper preparation, even the smallest tasks may seem overwhelming. Being able to organize a strict work schedule would enable you to easily complete assignments on time regardless of how strenuous it is. I have poor organizational skills because I am lazy. Don’t be like me. Keep up with your work; don’t be a slave to your deadlines (especially when reading books in English). Also, pay attention in class. I know it may be hard to stay awake in some classes (AP Psych), but you gotta persevere through some of the teachers’ droning, monotonous voices.
Lastly, surround yourself with a good group of friends. Having a lack of social interaction at school makes it hard to be motivated to even go to school. With friends that have similar interests and aspirations, it can motivate you to improve yourself to be able to withstand this rigorous IB curriculum. The balance between school and personal life is an important factor for many IB students. Make sure to strive to be the best you can be at IB, but also enjoy the journey you’re about to embark on.
Jonathan Budlong
Greetings upcoming sophomores! You have made it past the first year of your IB journey and are up for another year of potential sleepless nights! However, there is a key word – potential. Life at IB may have already felt overwhelming for you at times with piles and piles of homework staring you in the face at 11:02 P.M. on a Wednesday night. Hopefully, these negative experiences have taught you valuable time management skills and developed an anti-procrastination mindset. If not, don’t panic because there is still time to change your whole approach to tackling the challenges this program offers.
The IB program is meant to cultivate young bright minds into reaching new boundaries and heights. If you thought you were smart enough to breeze through this program with ease, hopefully, your first year has knocked some sense into you. No matter how smart you are, the IB program will intellectually challenge you, some more than others. Not only is some of the coursework intellectually challenging, but the sense of competitiveness that IB brings is like no other school. Due to IB being such a small school with a bunch of smart kids, students are bound to strive to be better than their peers. Although this striving for excellence is beneficial for you, you must maintain a healthy relationship with your own well-being and goals, and remember that life is not a race. Balance must also be present during your time here at IB. From extracurriculars, academics, a social life, etc., you must not bog down into only one thing that you ignore other important aspects of life. For example, a student shouldn’t only focus on good grades while completely ignoring extracurriculars or being socially active. Your time here will be MUCH more enjoyable if you pursue extracurriculars and social activities. Don’t be a couch potato and miss out on the memories that you can create by being in these clubs and activities.
For the classes you will be taking next year, all of your teachers will be good at providing you with enough information to do well in the class. However, some classes will be more difficult than others and will require prioritization. For me, I am a more STEM person, so I found Chemistry, Pre-Calc, and Stats fairly simple. Therefore, I had to prioritize my time more towards English, World History, and Psychology. If you are wondering why Spanish wasn’t mentioned, let’s just say that it should be everyone’s easiest class since Ms. Valenti is very lenient. Even though she is very lenient, I would highly recommend practicing Spanish on your own outside of class assignments, since the Spanish IB test will come closer than you think. In my opinion, World History was the hardest class because of the amount of information that needed to be processed. For that class, take MEANINGFUL notes, review those notes on a consistent basis, and practice writing those LEQs and DBQs at home when you have time. This will only make the course and exam 10 times easier. For your other AP Classes, make sure you prioritize writing FRQs more than doing MCQs, since the FRQs are usually harder. In Chemistry, skimming over your notes may work, but to avoid struggling, practice review problems. This goes with every class. If you just practice reviewing problems, you will do fine in the class. In Pre-Calc, make sure you are paying attention because Ms. Frisbie calls on you to answer some questions and will be embarrassed if you don’t know what is going on. In English, make sure you don’t abuse the late assignment lenience from Mr. Guice, as assignments will only keep piling up.
In short, make sure you have fun, be involved, and do your work. It’s really that simple. High school goes by fast, so make as many memories as you can. When you get older, you probably won’t even remember what you got on your AP tests, but you will probably remember the fun and important experiences you had here. With that, I conclude my essay at 11:49 p.m. on a Wednesday night when this essay is due at 11:59 p.m. That may be hypocritical to what I mentioned earlier about procrastinating, but I never claimed I don’t procrastinate as well.
Pranav Gunjala
Dear Freshmen,
Congratulations on completing your first year at IB. Freshman year was probably a whole new experience for everyone. It was probably the first time you had lots of homework across all seven classes and had to actually devote lots of time to study for each individual class. Taking on the challenges of both entering high school and facing the rigor of the IB program is difficult and something many students cannot accomplish. All your years in the IB program will be difficult mainly junior year and senior year because that is when the true IB program begins; however, sophomore year is when you are gradually exposed to more work and more frequent tests. Sophomore year will help set you up for the real IB program, and sophomore year is a crucial part of your IB journey.
One of the most important things you can do transitioning into the sophomore year is to reflect upon your experience as a freshman. Reflect on your biggest challenges and your biggest mistakes. Learn how to fix the mistakes you had in your freshman year. One of my biggest mistakes in freshman year and sophomore year was procrastinating. Do not procrastinate in any class even if you do not like the subject. The work will continue to pile up and you will not know how to get it all done. Do not procrastinate in English because Mr. Guice does not really care about late work, but he will keep assigning more work, and eventually, it will become too much where you have to stay up multiple nights to get it all done.
Most importantly, IB should not be your whole life. In school make good friends and surround yourself with people that will make you better as a person. Help each other study, or ask questions about homework, but do not cheat. Outside of school do not devote all your time to studying and completing homework. Go outside, play sports, play video games, and participate in activities you enjoy. This will help you enjoy your life and help relieve the stress that comes with the IB program.
Ali Jaber
Dear Sophomore,
First off, my advice isn’t going to be as good as others’. So you should really read what someone else has to say.
I’ll start by talking about the 7 in-person classes I took this year. Every student is required to take English with Mr. Guice. This class is definitely where you’ll get the most work, but none of it’s too hard. Mostly you read and annotate a cool book, do some easy grammar stuff, and occasionally write an annoying essay. If you at least turn in your assignments, then you’re guaranteed a B. Every student also has to take Chemistry. I think the most important part of this class is to make sure you really understand the first few units, because you keep using and building on top of previously learned concepts. The final class everybody has to take as a sophomore is AP World History. I feel like this is the hardest class, mainly because there are always many different possible answers. If you read the book or pay attention in class, though, then you should understand most of what’s going on. Now for the languages, you’ve already picked between German and Spanish. I took German, and I can tell you that it doesn’t get any harder or anything. You just continue to build up your grammar and vocabulary. Each student also has to pick between Pre-Calc and the other math class that I don’t know the name of. You have the option to pick either course if you get a good enough grade in Algebra II. If you don’t think you’re good at math, you probably shouldn’t pick Pre-Calc (unless you want to take chemistry as a junior). The two other classes I took were my electives, AP Stats and AP Psychology. Taking Stats with Mr. Nakamura, Calvin, and Manrique was really fun. I’d recommend you take this class since much of what you learn here will be useful later in your life/in the IB Program. I also took Psych with Ms. Romaine. I felt like this class was pretty interesting as well and would recommend it if you like science. Also, for your electives you shouldn’t choose certain classes just because they’re AP. Same goes with online classes. Don’t take College Algebra or something dumb like that just because you think it will boost your GPA. Colleges don’t really care if you have a 4.628 GPA rather than a 4.578, and they don’t care if you were 15th in the class rather than 20th. Just take classes that actually interest you now, because later on in life you won’t have as much time to take these classes, and in college it will even cost money.
As for social advice, you should try to get a group of friends so you aren’t bored all the time here and also since they could help you out with anything you’re ever stuck on. Also you should join some clubs. There are tons of different choices for clubs at this school, and you should be able to find something that genuinely interests you. If you’re like me, though, you’ll probably just join a bunch of random clubs that you don’t care about since your friends are in them. But still there are some clubs that I’m in because I do enjoy them.
I’d like to end by talking about dropping out. Lots of kids hate the IB Program and want to drop out. If you seriously don’t want to be here, then don’t. I’d only recommend you stay if you are actually interested in learning and are willing to put in some work, not just because your parents want you to stay. A lot of kids end up staying until the end of Sophomore year and then go to Collegiate. That program and other high schools have their benefits and if you don’t want to be here, you should really consider going somewhere else that better fits you.
Nicholas Kieffer
As a student who just finished 10th grade, I can tell you the most important things to know before entering as a sophomore. Most importantly, do not procrastinate. This may be the most important rule that will save you from a ton of stress. Not procrastinating helps your assignments get turned in on time, ensuring high grades. With personal experience, I would procrastinate on my homework and assignments that had a good amount of time before it was due. It led to me being so stressed and it all stays on your mind. You should plan and work out times to complete your assignments. For example, splitting up the work into different days. This is key to having an easy sophomore year!
Also, make sure to keep a close friend circle. Although the work in IB is tough and challenging, the people around you make it enjoyable. I made the closest friend when I entered IB. During my sophomore year I talked to a lot more people than I did in freshman year and it was the best decision I have made. Making more friends allowed me to have fun in all my classes and it helped knowing that I could relate to many of my friends. They help you if a certain topic may trouble you and they are very supportive. Since there are few people in each IB class, the friends you make here are going to stick with you for a very long time.
Lastly, do not feel the need to compare yourself to your peers in IB. Everybody in IB is unique and special. You are your own person so don’t feel the need to compare yourself with anyone else. Your classmate may be good at a certain topic you aren’t so good at, but you have topics that you are strong in too. An important thing to know is to not get into the GPA race. Students may take classes for the sole purpose of increasing their GPA. Do not worry about those people and take classes that you enjoy and are interested in because if you don’t then you will not enjoy your classes.
I hope this advice has been helpful to you. Go into sophomore year comfortable and confident. You got this!
Giovanni Meza
Dear Freshmen,
Welcome to the IB Program. These 4 years will be some of the most challenging years of your young life. I am writing this to advise you of many important tips about IB at BHS in hopes of making this experience less harsh on you. You may come across struggles, but you can work through them if you work hard and persevere.
One major aspect of IB at BHS is to know your teachers and understand them. The teachers at IB are great, and they are all trying to help you learn well and do good on any exams (IB, AP, or any other). You will have Mrs. Loweke for Pre-IB Chem in sophomore year, and continue with her if you pursue the chem route. Mrs. Loweke may seem scary, but she is very nice and she does a lot so that her students can do well on her tests. For her tests, make sure you study the WHOLE unit, as she includes many questions that ask about every part of the unit’s notes. The amount of studying for each unit test allowed me to be able to remember all the information for the final at the end of the year. Another teacher that you should be very familiar with is Mr. Guice, as you will have him for Pre-IB English II in sophomore year, and continue to have him in junior and senior for Theory of Knowledge. Mr. Guice is very chill and laid-back, but don’t let that confuse you. Make sure that you take notes in his class and try to learn and understand the grammar rules that he teaches us. Mr. Guice also likes to assign many large assignments, such as essays and reading, that are due a couple of weeks later. Make sure you do not procrastinate on these assignments as they can cause you to do lots of work in a short period of time and you will get burned out. For math, you will have Mrs. Frisbie for the majority of your time at IB. Mrs. Frisbie is one of the best teachers at IB, and that is saying something. Mrs. Frisbie puts a HUGE amount of effort into teaching and making our experience as easy as possible. Make sure you take advantage of this and pay attention in this class and do the homework because it will help you understand the content better. If you are confused about something, make sure to tell Mrs. Frisbie, because she will go out of her way to explain it until it makes sense.
One major tip that I have about IB is to not procrastinate. I know everybody says this, and are most likely being hypocritical in doing so, but it is because it is a very important tip to follow. In saying this, I understand that you most likely will, but the important thing is to not let this procrastinating get out of hand. This can cause you to lose control of your assignments and start getting bad grades. Another useful tip is to try and get good sleep every day. At the beginning of this year, I used to fall asleep at 1 to 2 A.M. I realized how this was affecting how I did in school, so I tried to start sleeping at more reasonable times like 11:30 P.M. and 12:00 A.M. These changes helped me concentrate in class and feel more refreshed in the morning. A final tip is to try and keep your own physical and mental health above your grades in school, as they do not matter as much as you do.
Best of Luck,
Mohan Nakka
Hello incoming sophomore!
With just three days left of being a sophomore at this school, I think I’m somewhat qualified to give you advice about what you are about to encounter in the coming school year. My first piece of advice would be to not be too nervous or anxious. Coming into sophomore year I was surprised by how laid back some of the teachers were. Of course that does not mean putting off your work or anything, but just keep in mind that above all, most teachers just want the best for you. They are not praying for your downfall (I do not think they are at least). Ask for help when you need it, whether it be from friends, classmates, or teachers; you will find that you will only get the help you need when you ask for it.
As for specific classes, I went the A&A math route, but I did so knowing what I would encounter. Ms. Frisbie is an incredible math teacher, but if you find that you don’t enjoy math or having to work through complex concepts, I recommend that you go with the A&I route where you can learn applied math. My electives were AP psychology and statistics, and I’m happy I took both in the same year. There is some overlap when it comes to statistical concepts in both courses. Statistics can be difficult, but Naki is a great teacher, and he will walk you through everything you need to know for the AP exam and even just things you should know about statistics in the future. Psychology is an interesting class and I recommend that you keep up with the concepts and vocabulary as you move through the year. I can say that because I did not do that and I now know that it could have been helpful. English is a completely manageable class, that is if you keep up with long-term deadlines. Sometimes you feel like the class is not something you have to worry about, but then every few weeks or so you have major assignments due that can make or break your grade and that you neglected to think about for that entire peaceful period. I know this well, as I never learned to manage these long-term assignments, but I am telling you now that you should learn how. Guice is a great English teacher, but I’ve seen many people struggle with his class because they push off these assignments. Chemistry is another class people worry about. My best advice is to pay attention when you take notes, ask for help when you need it, and to fully prepare for tests. History and Spanish, my remaining classes, were manageable, just keep up with the work and information you are learning.
I know you hear this enough already, but time management is so important. Try your best not to procrastinate because the work will catch up with you later. I know this far too well. I also want to emphasize the importance of taking breaks when you truly need them. It is okay to back off from your work a bit and take time for yourself, but make the most of it and stay productive. I know how important we think our grades are, but keep in mind that one bad grade is not going to kill you and that you can always make up for that grade with a better grade on the next assignment. Prioritize your health, because yes, surprisingly, sleep does matter. Join extracurriculars when you can and take advantage of every opportunity for service and cultural hours. I hope this advice will be useful to you and that you enjoy this coming school year!
Melissa Thomas
Dear incoming precalculus student,
Prior to my sophomore year, many students told me it would be the easiest year of IB. However, with that thought in my mind, I went into tenth grade unprepared for the reality of sophomore year. Everyone’s experiences are different, but in my opinion I had struggled throughout the year to keep my grades up and turn in assignments on time. I had a very challenging time completing my school work not because it was too difficult but because I did not manage my time well. Throughout the year I had to balance my time with club volleyball that I had about 3 times a week outside of school, and then I would spend most weekends playing tournaments. The amount of time I spent playing volleyball took up the majority of my time that was not school hours leaving very little time for homework and studying.
In the beginning of the school year I struggled with time management because in my opinion my workload had doubled from freshman year as I made the choice to take three AP classes in addition to challenging pre-IB classes like precalculus. I would often spend my nights completing assignments or studying for tests, and although I thought I had figured out an effective sleep schedule in which I could still do work throughout the night it was only a temporary solution. My lack of sleep caught up with me and resulted in me missing many morning classes and falling behind. Although I somehow managed to find a way to make up all the work and maintain a decent grade in those classes, I do not recommend trading sleeping time during the night for schoolwork. It’s actually very unhealthy and ineffective.
However, even with my awful schedule and unfortunate circumstances, many of my teachers were understanding and were very helpful to me. At one point during the year I missed almost every single precalculus lesson for one whole unit. When it came time to take the test I was very unprepared and stressed out because I knew I would not perform well. Although some might believe teachers simply do not care that is not the case. When I spoke to Ms. Frisbie she was very understanding and took the time out of her schedule to explain the topics to me so that I could do well. She helped me numerous times and my advice to any precalculus student is to not be afraid to ask for help! There are other teachers who are also helpful but don’t hesitate to ask for help when you feel you need it.
Incoming precalculus students should understand that there are some aspects to the precalculus course that are challenging or confusing. But the best way to understand the material is to do the homework and practice problems. Don’t get behind on homework especially and try not to miss any classes because it is stressful to catch up and every class of precalculus is important. Try to learn from my mistakes and not procrastinate by following a strict schedule. Although sophomore year was challenging for me, it doesn’t have to be for you if you manage your time and put in your best efforts. Despite wanting great grades you should focus on your strengths and try your very hardest. Good grades are very impressive but learning the actual material is beneficial for you.
Lauren John
Dear future student,
IB is hard. There is no sugar coating that you will always have to work and put in effort if you want to see the grades you and your parents both want. However, the experience is something you would never get at any other school. The teachers are amazing and always try their hardest so you can learn the most. It’s just your responsibility to care and try to apply yourself as much as they do. It is very much possible to succeed as long as you follow certain things to stay on track.
In IB, managing your time is so crucial to success. For instance, if you are involved in any extracurricular activities; personally I play volleyball, there has to be set times for which your free time is designated for schoolwork. I won’t lie, I struggled managing my time, and I didn’t study as much as I should have. For things such as studying, which isn’t for a grade, it’s easy to put off and ignore. Everything ties together. For a test score that you’re proud of, you have to study. You can’t get away with not studying and thinking you’ll wing it here at IB.
The environment here is like no other place. There’s both positive and negative aspects to it but the most important thing is to focus on yourself. It’s easy to try and compare yourself to others in IB because everyone is so intelligent in their own subjects. It’s not like regular high school where you can look better because there’s many who just don’t care. This just will not work; however, you have to find the balance between fighting for your spot, and still not being too hard on yourself. No matter the levels of smartness other kids may have, it’s so important for you to recognize that you can be just as smart; otherwise you would not have been invited into this program. You genuinely can be so successful and happy here as long as you have the right mindset. I wish you nothing but the best and hope you are successful next year here at IB. Have fun!!
Hannah Kazmier
This year, things start getting more serious. You’re writing the Mini E.E, starting IA’s, and getting ready to start junior year. I certainly enjoyed this sophomore year way more than I did freshman year as I was able to explore more of my interests and involve myself more with the school. Compared to freshman year, the overwhelming loss of direction you once had starts to fade away as more teachers place the responsibility for a grade on the individual student and as you begin to acquaint yourself more with your surroundings.
Pre-calculus is a step up from Algebra 2, but Mrs. Frisbie is there to help, and tries her absolute best to make sure that every student understands what goes on in her classroom. This includes filling out a form where one can submit which homework problems they might have struggled on so that those problems can be gone over in class. Though this applies to all classes and will be mentioned later on, Pre-calculus is a course where misconceptions or doubts in ability can quickly snowball, so it is important to be focused and attentive during every lecture, making sure to ask questions when confused.
Though Mrs. Devore has likely talked about it, procrastination is still bad and one should try to avoid it at all costs, especially since classes like English or Pre-calculus with their assignment of work sometimes quite a bit before they are due provide even more of an opportunity to put things off. One of the most important things to focus on this sophomore year is to set a goal of having as few missing assignments as possible. As the responsibility for your grade starts to be your own, not all teachers will hold you accountable for missing work, and you should be on top of all of your assignments if you hope to succeed while not stressing at the end of the quarter, turning things in late and praying that the 89 in the gradebook turns into an A. Furthermore, staying on top of assignments discourages procrastination and allows for a better sleep schedule, which increases productivity.
This year you can choose to improve or continue doing your best. Try to stay focused, on top of your assignments, and being prepared, which might involve studying even if you feel that you do not need it.
Good luck on the next step of your IB journey,
Juan P. Landaeta
To future students,
There are numerous recommendations and tips that I have for you as an upcoming student in the IB diploma program. However, there are some main things that I would keep in mind for your time in this program whether that is 1, 2, 3, or 4 years hopefully all four years though. But after the completion of my sophomore year here I can say that nothing will come as expected and you will face many challenges. You will have to become more open-minded throughout your journey so you can be successful. You will also need to be able to think critically about the knowledge that will be bestowed on you so you can properly analyze what is presented to you. I would also like to tell you that if you view IB as a choice as opposed to a requirement that your parents gave you, you will enjoy your time more. However, even though your time in the program may seem impossible at times and challenging it is important to persevere. I say this because when I first stepped onto this campus, I felt overwhelmed by everything that was thrown at me, but I quickly learned to settle in. This leads me to my point of being able to establish a group of friends early on. This will help you a lot with many things including just having someone to talk to if you need that. If you have a group of friends that you can have fun with, your time will be more enjoyable because you will have something to look forward to besides your work for that day. I would also like to add that if you are able to keep a balance in what you do you will feel more at ease.
I would also like to recommend that you stay as far away from procrastination as possible. Everyone will tell you to not procrastinate and it may be hard at times but if you listen life will be easier. No, this does not come from something a teacher told me or something I read online, it is from personal experience. During my first semester at IB, I was just beginning to start football which did not allow time for procrastination, and I had to manage my time well. This may have led to some late nights, but I was still completing almost all my assignments on time. However, during my offseason both years I have found it harder to get things done on time. This is due to the fact that I thought that I had unlimited time to do things and kept pushing things back until I was overloaded and didn’t finish some things. So, I would recommend that you have a well-thought-out schedule so you can complete things on time. When I was not completing things on time it led to a hurry to do everything last minute which leaves everyone stressed including your teachers and parents. So, if you have a schedule that you can follow it allows for more free time so you can do things with friends. It also allows you to do your hobbies and other more relaxing stuff.
Lastly, the most important part of your IB career will be adapting to what comes your way. This may lead you to need new study strategies or new ways to write down the information so you can retain it the first time. During IB you will have 5 core classes and a 6th subject that will require lots of your time and the use of what I previously mentioned. However, I suggest that you get involved in multiple clubs during your early years. This will allow for an additional outlet to meet new people and acquire community service hours, which is a big part of IB. I would just say find a few things that fit you well and stick with them. With all of this in mind, I would just like to tell you that you can do this and without failure, you won’t reach success. It is just very important that you grow as a person and student during your stay in the crazy world we call IB.
Ben Parker
Dear incoming Precalculus IB student,
First off, congratulations you’ve made it this far. It may not seem like a lot if this is only your second year but it means you are capable of doing this program.
With that being said, my advice for this program is simple but crucial: don’t give up. This means come to school as much as possible, study, and remain hopeful. Coming to school is a major deal. During this year, my sophomore year, I missed more school than I ever have and it definitely showed. There were days where I had to completely teach myself an entire new lesson the day before a test. If I had just come to school then I would have been able to go over it with my teacher and obviously be able to understand better. But I would stay home because I simply did not want to go to school. That is not something that I recommend. If you begin to feel overwhelmed with the criteria and classwork I suggest talking to your parents or friends about it. Try asking how your friends are handling all of the work and try to put that to use. A schedule for after school time and weekends will be your absolute best friend in this program if you are disciplined enough to stick to it.
Speaking of schedules, you need to set a specific time to study. I know that many people who come from their freshman year have the idea that studying is not a necessity. I understand because freshman year was easier and did not require much studying for most classes. But I promise you the transition from freshman year classes to sophomore year classes is a lot different. For your major core classes: chemistry, English, and precalculus it is essential that you study. I would recommend studying at least 2 days before an upcoming test. Use whatever methods work for you but just study. If you decide to create a schedule for after school, give yourself at least an hour of a break once you get home and then complete your homework and make whatever time you have left over your studying time. Now that’s just for general studying, but if you have a test in like 3 days make studying a priority in that week’s schedule. I know that for me when I had a precalculus test coming up I started working on the review two days prior to the test. This was so that I could contact my friends and try to figure out problems that I did not understand. However, math is not my strong suit so I probably should have begun studying earlier. These are adjustments that you need to make for yourself. Being able to admit that you need to spend more time on one subject will help you so much with not only creating a schedule but also being able to pass your classes.
Finally, my last piece of advice is to remain hopeful. By this I mean have faith in yourself and believe that you are more than capable of doing an amazing job in this program. I know that comparing your grades or GPA to other students can be a good thing to keep you motivated but it should not discourage you. For example, I know from my own personal experience that I have constantly felt less than other kids in the program because of my test grades. However, I know now that I deserve to be in this program and that is why I was chosen to be. So, don’t let others make you doubt yourself or what you are capable of accomplishing. Furthermore, if the work feels like it is becoming too much and you start to lose motivation, find someone to talk to. The workload is a lot and it is stressful so you should not feel ashamed when asking for help. Help can come from a teacher that you trust or from friends. I know that for me it was both of those things, I had the support of a very amazing teacher and of my close friend group. They were all going through the same issues as me because most of the classes you take will be the same. So, never feel bad about reaching out for help or just support. Honestly, all I have left to say is do not allow the pressure of the program be what brings you down. You chose this program because you were entirely too smart to continue in classes that did not challenge you. So, accept the difficulties and learn from them. Accept the change and grow.
I hope you have an amazing time in this program. Do not forget to have fun!!
Daisy Tribble