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Confessions of an IB Graduate

I’ve been complaining about being in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) since I started it. It was two years of functioning on the least possible hours of sleep, last minute everything, and a whole lot of pessimism. But now that I’ve finished the IB and have had the chance to spend three weeks binge watching everything in my Netflix ‘recommended’ box, I’ve had a self reflection of some sorts; IB really was more than all the tears, despite what my past self led me to believe. Because of this, I’ve compiled a list of lessons I’ve learned from secondary school/high school/I don’t know why we have so many names for the same level of education.

1. Who cares if you’re a try-hard.

I was that kid who overloaded herself with extra-curriculars. Competitive track and field? Check. Public speaking? Check. Martial arts? Check. Music? Check. TEDx organiser? Check. Model UN? Check. (Honestly, the list goes on too long. I’m tired even writing this. How did I do all of that?) I was also very passionate about the subjects I took in school. I LOVE history. I read extra because I was genuinely interested in the class, and my hand shot up every time I was allowed to ask a question. Because of all of this, I was called an overachiever and a try-hard.

Being called an ‘overachiever’ is not necessarily negative. By definition, it basically means to perform better than expected. However, I’ve learned that people have the tendency to use adjectives like this to put down strong, passionate individuals who are driven to achieve their goals. Yeah, it’s a bit disheartening when you’re put down for doing something you love. At the end of the day, all of those things people say won’t matter. Not only will your resume look incredible, but you’ll also be fulfilled by all the experiences you’ve gained. You won’t have any regrets about trying something you were interested in even if it doesn’t work out, because you took the effort to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Through these activities, you’ll also meet a ton of people who share the same interests you do. When I look back on the time I organized a TEDxYouth event at my school, I remember how my best friend (who co-organized the event with me) and I went from table to table at lunch with a rehearsed skit to get people to buy tickets. Who cares if Abigail from third period thinks you’re extra? You are extra, and that will get you a lot further in life than hating on other people for being motivated.

2. Be confident in all of your choices.

People always best way to live your life is with unapologetic confidence. We look at Rihanna wearing bright purple highlighters and think yes, I want to be that, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t implement that mindset into everything we do. You are most definitely going to make terrible decisions in high school. There will be a time when you should absolutely not eat three servings of chicken nuggets at once, but that doesn’t mean you won’t do it. Should you watch another episode of FRIENDS after 3 hours straight of Netflix? Probably not. You will most definitely make good decisions too. You’ll realize that skipping Economics to sit with your sad friend in the bathroom and be there for her is important.

No matter what, have confidence in your own choices. You will not only own them, but also learn from them with a better mindset. You’ll care less about judgemental eyes around you, and more about what you felt after making that decision. One time, I went to school in leggings and my dad’s oversized sweater because I was tired. Everyone said I looked terrible but it was the most comfortable day of my life so who’s really winning?

3. Procrastination is inevitable. Be smart about it.

One second you’re starting a new book in English, and the next second you have two presentations, a 4000 word paper, three essays, and a test in a week. You’ll probably have that much to do because you left everything to the last minute, and you left everything to the last minute because the thought of doing your work overwhelms you. That’s okay.

It is perfectly fine to step away from your work once in a while, even with deadlines fast approaching. You can’t do your best work if you’re too overwhelmed. Take time to put it in a metaphorical box and stuff that box under your bed. Let yourself take a breather and destress before getting back to the hectic world that is school. But, if you’re going to do that, make sure you have a game plan for when you get back. 

I learned really quickly in the IB that there is a lot to do, and the only way to get them done is one at a time. Start with the most important thing, and work your way down in order of priority. Trying to do everything at once simply won’t be possible because your body can only physically do so many things at once. Get assignments done first (especially if they’re graded), and study later. Doing an assignment will help you revise content anyway, and your mind will not be at rest if your to-do list is full of 1,000 word papers. My solution was to take a day (if I had that time luxury) to put everything aside, and come back to it with a list of what to do. If you’re going to procrastinate, at least give future you a little bit of time, and strategy.

4. Ask for help.

You don’t know everything, even if you think you know yourself better than anyone else. There was a point where I had a lot going on personally, and I kept piling more work on myself because I thought it would make things better. It led to bad mental health situations, and that just made my circumstance worse. Reach out to anyone: a friend, a sibling, a parent, a teacher, a cousin, a counselor. Sometimes all you really need is to tell someone you aren’t handling things perfectly. Someone out there will be able to help you, and that will make you feel a whole lot better.

5. Start your college applications ASAYPC: as soon as you possibly can.

The college application process is a nightmare. You will spend countless hours on top of your school workload to craft the perfect applications to the colleges of your dreams. You will become sick of the SATs and ACTs. You will march over to your counselor’s office multiple times a week. You will worry about your essays and if they capture the essence of what a college wants. The only way to make this process better is to start early.

Find out what YOU want in a college. People say where you do your undergraduate degree doesn’t matter, but that’s a lie. You certainly don’t need a school with a big name, but you do need to find a school that fits what you want to achieve from a college education. I applied to schools like NYU because of prestige, but I realized a while after that it wasn’t what I wanted in a school. It’s an amazing school, but I wanted a traditional campus setting and smaller class size. Little things like that will make a huge difference when it comes to choosing where you’ll end up. Do you want a state school or private school? A liberal arts college? A city or a quieter area? How does location affect your opportunities? Everyone is different, and colleges will be able to tell if you’re a fit for their school. Take the time to learn about different schools before investing your time in long applications.

Take your standardized tests early so you have time to retake them if you’re unhappy with your score. If you are happy with your score right away, taking the tests early will let you check a box off your list, and that leaves room for a lot more.

Write your essays as soon as prompts come out so you have time to edit your work.

Have everyone read your essays. Even authors have editors. Sometimes you’ll miss out on errors, and other times your first draft won’t capture your personality the way you want it to. Having a fresh pair of eyes will help.

Do your research. Look into both the Common Application and Coalition Application. The Coalition Application allows you to delete official documents and recommendations, which the Common Application doesn’t allow. It will help a lot should any mistakes be made, and you won’t have to individually contact colleges if you accidentally put the wrong documents on your application. 

6. Grades aren’t everything.

Don’t push yourself to the point of self destruction over a grade. What matters is that you’re working hard and trying your best. So what if you get a B or a C? If you’re worried about how it will look on an application, don’t. There’s a lot more to the review process than solely looking at grades, especially if you’re taking rigorous courses (taking IB/AP/Honors courses and getting a lower grade is better than taking easy courses where you aren’t challenging yourself at all and getting a 97%). Of course, try your best to make As, but keep in mind that you are more than your stats.

7. Have fun.

Do something stupid. Don’t miss spirit week. Go to the lame dances and sneak out for an after party with your galpals. Text that person you want to text. When high school ends, you won’t see 90% of these people anyway, so enjoy the moments while it lasts. You’re going to need something to reminisce on, and I can guarantee you it will not be your Biology IA. I literally don’t even remember what mine was.

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At the end of the day, there’s nothing more important than learning about yourself and being true to what you want. I’ll be moving halfway across the world this summer, away from my family and friends, to study in Washington D.C. I’m incredibly thankful to have been accepted into my dream school, Georgetown University, but I know that there is absolutely no way I would’ve come close if it weren’t for all the experiences I’ve had in school. I now own being called a dramatic try hard because despite all the stressful nights and tired days, I had fun trying new things and growing into my own skin. I am proud of my accomplishments, and the fact that I try hard. Past me has nothing on present me, and future me is going to hopefully be even better. I guess IB was ok after all...ish.

Congratulations, class of 2018!