Across the globe, many students choose to enroll in a two year program known as the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. Consisting of rigorous courses, service requirements and countless essays, students enrolled in the IB program have definitely gone through the academic wringer. As a result, there are a few signs that most IB kids share, such as:
1. You shudder at certain acronyms.
IA? EE? CAS? IOC? TOK? FOA? Oh my! IB was full of acronyms that you'll probably never be able to clear out of your head. Be prepared for a lifetime of cringes and shudders upon hearing those acronyms.
2. You've learned to pull all-nighters.
It's happened to the best of us. No matter how much time you allocated to getting your assignments done, there's always that one deadline that creeped up on you and forced you to stay up all night to get your work done. Music, coffee and a supportive group of IB classmates was always a great way to get though it.
3. You're still sleep deprived.
After pulling the aforementioned all-nighters studying for exams and working on your (acronym alert!) EE or IA's, you've probably forgotten what a full night's sleep feels like. Now that it's all over, reward yourself with a good eight hours (or more!) of hard-earned sleep.
4. You simultaneously regret and fondly remember the past two years.
After two years of mental strain and occasionally unrealistic expectations, (how is anyone expected to balance 150 CAS hours with their studies?) you might regret choosing to be an IB student...but at the same time, you can't help but fondly remember some great memories of your peers. You might even have great memories of cramming for exams with your classmates.
5. You don't know what to do with your free time.
What is this..."free time?" After spending the past two years (summer included) studying, writing essays and earning your CAS hours, it might be weird to suddenly have so much free time. Take advantage of it!
6. You're not sure what to do with your old essays.
Throw them out? Burn them? Lovingly frame them and hang them on your wall? The choice is up to you! (But you should still keep a backup copy--just in case.)
7. You kind of miss TOK...and you kind of don't.
Ahh, good old Theory of Knowledge. It was a class of interesting subjects and intellectual debates. It was also the hub of your dreaded Extended Essay, TOK Essay and the TOK Presentation. You might still have a love hate-relationship with it.
8. You still wonder if certain tasks can count for CAS.
Even a simple kickball game in the park with friends can have you wondering, "Does this count for CAS?" Newsflash: it doesn't matter anymore!
9. You can relate with IB students from other schools.
The "international" part in IB is no lie. Talking to students from other schools (in other countries, even) can feel like talking to your classmates, because you're all dealing with the same struggles. "You procrastinated on your EE too? I totally understand!" (Plus, other IB students will instantly understand the countless acronyms.)
10. You struggle to describe IB to people outside of the program
"Um...it's like AP...but more." Many people don't know what the IB program is, and when asked about it, it can be hard to explain. Even after going through it, it's still hard to describe. Just say that it looks good on college applications!
11. You miss your IB classmates.
After spending two years with the same people, you really get to know them. Amidst study sessions, group projects and similar class schedules, friendships are bound to bloom up. Saying goodbye on the last day was probably hard for you, especially if the program size at your school was small.
Now that the exams are over and school is ending, you can finally sit back and relax without worrying about your IB courses. IB may have been extremely challenging, but at the very least you should feel very prepared for college. IB for the win!
