If you are in the IB program you know how difficult it can really be to survive and keep your sanity. For those of you that don't know what IB is, it may be one of the most difficult programs for high school students to get through. It's the "gifted" of high school, but has very strict and rigorous curriculum. The focus of the learning in IB is to follow what the IB Headquarters says needs to be learned. Lessons are often very bland, and difficult to understand, but if you follow these steps you should be able to get some enjoyment out of IB and go to any college you want to. These are my top recommendations for how I got through IB
1. Get to know your teachers.
By getting to know your teachers you help to really understand them and realize how to interpret their lessons. Nothing can be more difficult than listening to a teacher talk for a hour and not understand or take notes on any of it. Also by getting to know your teachers you help to build a sort of friendship with them. This helps out in the long run because most of the teachers you have (or at least that I've had) you will have for more than one year. If you have a good relationship with a teacher, chances are, if you turn in sloppy work you won't receive a failing grade but a much more lenient grade on your behalf.
2. Don't stress!
Stressing can be one of the WORST things you can do to yourself when in the IB Program, heck, in any schooling. If you are one who stresses, get over it now. I can almost garuntee that if you get stressed often in IB you will not be able to get through 4 years and your final IB exams. For me, the key to not stressing is to simply not care. Don't "not care" to the point that you begin to fail, but simply just give half a crap instead of a whole one; meaning don't worry so much about stuff like homework, tests, and especially IB examinations. When you reach the time to have to do that work, the less stressed you are the more likely you are to do well on it. Stress in the prep work, I have come to notice, simply just makes me on edge and lets me forget things I need to know much more easily. Therefore, DON'T STRESS!
3. Do your own work
While copying another student's work may be easy for you to do and it may get you an easy completion grade, if you don't do your own work you will not learn anything for when it comes to test time. I have much experience in this area, because I got caught in freshman year with another kid's work and had to go explain to the IB principal of our school why I had it. Now I didn't get into real serious trouble, but I still learned my lesson. Doing your own work, even if you don't understand what you're doing, still prepares you for class discussions and gets you somewhat of an understanding if the teachers tests you on the material later.
4. NEVER argue with a teacher
This is a tough one for me to talk about and to tell everyone not to do, because for whatever reason I enjoy arguing with teachers over things like grading of papers and when a teacher calls me out in class. Even though I do that a lot to my teachers, DO NOT do the same. When a teacher calls you out as a "bad example" of how to study or a "bad example" of a proper IB student, IGNORE THEM. Laugh it off and don't let it get under your skin. If you let it bother you the teacher will then leech off your anger and disdain towards them. Nothing more annoying than a teacher "messing with you" for over a year. If a teacher truly upsets you with a comment, let them know after class or once theyre done talking so you don't make a huge scene for the class. Teachers hate that.
5. Prepare for each test and IB examination you have.
This, by far, is the most important of the 5 ways I have stated on how to get through IB. It applies to any schooling at all, but most importantly to IB. Many assignments and tests that you get in IB CANNOT be thrown together at the last minute. Many assignments during the course of your IB career will count towards whether or not you get your IB dimploma or not. If you choose to let yourself wait until Sunday night to prepare for a Biology test, do your Spanish vocab, and write your Extended Essay rough draft you will not have a fun Sunday. The above list is almost impossible to complete in one night and if you ever find yourself in a situation like this there is one key step to take prioritizing. Whenever you have a big IB assessment due the next day, focus mostly on that instead of basic work like Spanish exercises or Math homework. Those are small grades that may bring you to a B for the grading period, but at least you will be well prepped for your IB assessment the next day, which will ultimately help you pass IB with flying colors.
Hopefully if you follow these steps (and possibly put your own spin on them) you should be able to find IB managable rather than impossible. Also make sure you get at least 7 hours sleep each night so you are decently rested for the next day's work.
Thanks for reading
