• Ms. Connor is one of the greatest resources you will get the privilege of working with in high school. Talk to her, appreciate her, respect her, and ask her questions. She can help you with literally anything; recognize that, and respect her.

 

• Choose your elective because you're interested in it. Period. Not because it's easy or because you like/hate the teacher, but because it sounds the most interesting to you. You'll have a much better time in the class.

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• Put your genuine time and effort into the IB papers. You don't have to do a ton of formal writing in IB, but you will in college, so you better get the practice now.

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• Work with your classmates and collaborate with them, but do not rely on them for everything academic. It's not worth it.

 

• You are not better than any non-IB student. You have never been, and you never will be. Make a point of remembering that every single day that you share a classroom with students that are not diploma candidates.

 

• Bond with your cohort before you have the chance to hate one another. Tensions and stress will inevitably get high and you will all end up angry at one another for some reason or another at some point. Be friends first - it will make your lives easier.

 

• Talk to your teachers. Ask them for help. Acknowledge them as human beings, and not just as lecturers and worksheet-givers and graders. They are people. They are human. They are incredibly reasonable and care about your academic performance and wellbeing. Communication is key.

 

• If a teacher offers a study session or a conference to discuss the work you're doing, take the opportunity and go to whatever it is. You don't get all that many of them, so take advantage of the opportunities when you can.

 

• Getting your CAS hours is so ridiculously easy. You do it all the time, and you don't even think about it. So long as you can reflect on it, categorize it, and convince them that you learned something, claim it as a CAS hour.

 

• Don't let IB consume your life. Stay involved with extracurriculars. Keep your non-IB friends close. Spend time doing things you love. It sounds ridiculous, but it is so easy to let all of that go and feel like your entire world is IB. Be mindful, and don't let it happen.

 

• Though, with the last tip, remember to find a balance. Sometimes, you have to say no to going out on Friday night, and stay home to do your homework. Be responsible. Acknowledge when you need to take a break, remember to time-manage, and do your homework.

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• Use in-class work days. Seriously. Or your teachers will stop giving you them.

 

• Respect the freedom and trust your teachers give you. IB classes offer a lot of independence and freedom for students; don't abuse this.

 

• Almost every issue you will ever have in IB has been had by someone before. Ask the older cohort, ask your cohort, ask your teacher, ask your coordinator; the likelihood is that somebody can tell you how your issue was handled in the past.

 

• Don't get hung up on the diploma. If you're college-bound, your acceptance will be on the basis that you were a candidate for the diploma, not whether or not you actually got it. Focus on working hard and learning a lot in IB, and don't put too much stock into whether or not you score high enough to get the diploma. That isn't to say that you shouldn't try, but you shouldn't be joining IB just because you want the shiny diploma, because there is always a chance you won't get it. Learning and growing from this experience is more important.

 

• Many of your IB assessments will let you pick topics on your own. Pick things you enjoy. Pick things you enjoy. Pick things you enjoy. The work is so much easier and more enjoyable when you're actually interested in the topics.

• Do all of your readings. You might be capable of skating by without them in class, but you will benefit much greater by doing them. Do the readings.

 

• Take responsibility for your education. Everything in the IB is available online. Read your own syllabi, do test prep on your own. If you feel like a teacher isn't preparing you sufficiently for the exams, then take charge and prepare yourself for it.

 

• Do your homework. Study for tests. The usual.

 

• IB will be your family if you let them.

 

• Remember that every up and down you experience in IB will prepare you for the future. So enjoy the ride, work through your struggles, and grow from the person you start IB as. You can be a better, smarter person when you come out of this experience - but it's up to you. Work hard, have fun, and best of luck to you all!

 

By Beth Devlin~

(Except the second to last one) Lochlan S. Palmrose~