Sleep deprivation. Herd mentality. Premature gray hairs. Sound familiar? It’s only the binding agreement of stepping forward into the whirlwind that is the International Baccalaureate Program, from those who have experienced it first-hand.
Urban Dictionary defines IBitis as “A deadly disease that’s known to cause insanity, insomnia, and often death. Symptoms include dark bags under your eyes, excessive yawning, hair loss, fatigue, loss of appetite and shaking.” Not to be confused with senioritis, this disease infects all IB students around the world.” It is a harsh perspective of IB, but this isn’t really the reality.
As I presume the school year has already wringed IB Juniors’ souls, here is an IB cheat sheet–from an IB senior who’s gone through her 50%–to prepare you for your two-year academic odyssey.
Engage in Forums
There are a myriad of social networking platforms all across the web devoted to fulfilling IB students’ needs. That is the neat thing about IB: students all over the world are in the same boat, (or battleship, if you will) as you are. These platforms give IB students the opportunity to communicate with each other about assessments, EEs, IAs, CAS, TOK, SLs, HLs, CS, and all of the other mind-boggling acronyms. Here are only a few:
r/IBO
r/IBO is a SubReddit page inundated with inundated IB students and teachers across the globe. The page allows students to ask and answer each other’s questions about anything and everything IB without judgment, or commemorate scoring a 6 on their HL Math IA. And a little bit of relatable comic relief that reminds you that maybe you should quit procrastinating and get to work on your Extended Essay.
IB Survival
If you are not fond of the structure of SubReddits, IB Survival is a definite go-to alternative for all-things IB. Like r/IBO, IB Survival offers numerous resources for IB students to ensure mutual success, but in a more organized fashion. This is especially helpful to override the Reddit block on LMSD laptops, as it is merely used for academic purposes, of course.
gg/IBO
For more discussion-based rather than forum-based formats, the IBO Discord Server offers a wide range of channels for your IB needs. If you want to spread some juicy gossip, share an accomplishment, need emotional help, or have a tough time with your physics lab, the IB Discord Server is a helpful tool for chatting with other IB alumni globally.
School Study Groups
Face to face. Two words to make Gen Z shudder. When it comes to IB, however, it will rescue you in the long-run. Fortunately, the IB program permits students to form real connections rather than remain than be mere acquaintances, or even academic adversaries. Even if that’s not the case, you will still find yourself squeezing into some unlikely IB clique, and ultimately, you will be surrounded by peers who can help you. Daily conversations in IB often entail boasting about the abundance of assessments or sleep deficiency.It is best to avoid forming any enemies in IB, as it can later prove disadvantageous.
Keep Building Your CAS Portfolio
CAS, (short for Creativity, Activity, Service), is just IB’s way of saying “get off your butt and do something besides IB work.” 150 hours may sound like a heck of a lot to fulfill in order to obtain your IB Diploma, especially if that also means sacrificing your IB study hours for CAS, but it is not as hard as it seems. Almost anything you do in and out of school can count for CAS hours. As long as it contains a learning component, is supervised, and is not for profit towards your Harvard fund. Anything from school clubs, community service, music lessons, and Phys Ed classes can count towards your CAS. Getting your CAS Project out of the way will also be a jiffy. One of the easiest ways to fulfill a CAS project is joining a planning committee, such as for International Night. That way, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of innovating your own idea, having to get it approved, fundraising, and so-forth while there’s already so much on your plate.
Attend the Field Trips
Having the IB Program at Harriton is a privilege, and the field trips are privileges within themselves. That means go on as many field trips IB has to offer! Mr. O’Brien isn’t doing it to sabotage your study time. IB field trips, such as the IB Junior Retreat, are a great way to unwind, refresh, and further build meaningful relationships with your peers (and, wink wink, earn free CAS hours!)
If You Are Multilingual, Take Advantage!
This tip may be more helpful to prospective IB students than current ones, but multilingual students in self-taught will get a taste of this concept. For those who are not familiar with IB, multilingual students are able to teach themselves a language (outside of school) in order to fulfill the IB credit; therefore, if you speak any other languages than English, you will have so many frees you will make your peers envy you. Additionally, you will get to spend some extra time with TOB!
Manage Your Time
This might sound like a “duh” tip, but trust me, once you have IB on your shoulders, it’s not. If you are the type of student who gets all your work done on Monday so you don’t have to worry about it on every other day ending in Y, congrats! IB doesn’t care. Whatever your style of assignment completion is, you might need to slightly modify it, whether that means doing your work in short increments, reserving around 15 minutes a day for Extended Essay revisions, treating school like a full-time job, or catching up on your naps in-between. Indubitably, you need to value mental health to succeed in IB. Taking short walks, talking to your friends, and rest are crucial in order to maintain sanity but also academic success, and if you are the type of student that procrastinates or squanders their time on TikTok, you will likely catch a case of IBitis. Once you’re behind on one assignment, then it’ll be the next, and the next, and once EEs, IAs, CAS, CSes, PPs, HLs, SLs, and TOK exhibitions start whipping around the corner, you aren’t cooked. You’re burnt–coming from an IB student who wasn’t even familiar with this slang until it became me
Compile Every Study Resource There is
There are many resources verified by IB alumni and professionals. Websites such as RevisionVillage offer mock assessments that may resemble your upcoming assessment, so nothing will come to a surprise. Knowt is also a very helpful study tool. Not only is it a completely free alternative to Quizlet, but it offers various IB-oriented study-resources.
Besides online resources, whatever your teachers offer, use them.
Ignore Mob Mentality
Face it. Once you’re in IB, you are going to suffer from it at least once. It is the only symptom of IBitis you can’t avoid, no matter how often you sanitize your brain cells. And you know there will be that one student on April 1st who will get a kick out of starting a rumor that there will be a pop quiz in HL Math. It’s all fun and games until no one will want to help you on an actual one.
Another thing is negative advice, even if it’s coming from a so-called wise IB Senior who claims they have endured all of IB’s ordeals, the most common advice being “Don’t EVER. And I mean EVER take HL Math,” while typically it’s more of a demand. While many say it is the most hardest course Harriton has to offer, equating it with a wild grizzly, there is no shame in giving it a go. You wanted to do IB, and you wanted a challenge. So take it, and don’t let other students or teachers tell you otherwise. IB is not a Lord of the Flies simulation, no matter how many students decide to drop. Your academic goals are more important.
Don’t Make IB Your Entire Personality
Another “duh.” But competition is embedded in IB culture. Yes, we get it. You’re in IB. You’re smart. That does not mean you have to go around showing off your IB battle wounds, boasting over your 7 in Chemistry, or sobbing over a B on an exam. At least in my book, a B in IB is an A+, but determine what standard is best for you. It can be hard, but definitely not impossible, to achieve an A in an IB class depending on the class and your academic strengths, but that does not mean that your academic career is over. Non-IBers, peers, colleges, and family often already value that you went above and beyond to even partake in such a program. The only thing keeping you from not earning the IB Diplom\a is your attitude, so ignore any Harvard idealists, 1580 SAT achievers, and polymathic, People’s Choice Award Winning, Cancer cure-finding alumni that come your way. Prioritize your own needs, wants, and goals. Whether this means doubling up on sciences, taking that extra credit question, or fantasizing about that golden 7 on your HL Essay. Remember Harriton’s IB program is an outstanding privilege.
Stay Sanitized
After you all are done teaching through coyote-filled woods, waking up to boisterous morning Tubas, and showcasing your beatboxing skills in that camp cafeteria, it’s time to lock in. As long as you’ve read the handbook, nothing is going to deteriorate your academic prowess. A few little birdies told me about the approximately 70 IB Juniors this year, and I couldn’t be more impressed. It only proves the devotion you have. With that, I have to say, good luck, stay strong, and keep those brain cells sanitized. It is going to be a fun-filled, wild academic ride.
