As my first semester of college comes to a close, I find myself reflecting upon the things I learned in high school that have contributed to my success. I am especially grateful for my two year experience in the IB Diploma Programme -- a course of study that emphasized global issues, critical thinking and experiential learning. Although the requirements of the program -- ranging from independent research projects to oral presentations to written exams -- caused a great deal of stress at times, I graduated from a community of fellow learners equipped with the skills to overcome similar challenges in college. Here are 11 things that I have found to be particularly helpful as I have navigated this new chapter in my life.
1. Time management and study skills.
Effective time management and study habits are essential to success in the IB Programme, much like they are in college. Although I sometimes attempted to play the "let's start this eight page research paper the night before it's due" or "let's just glance over our notes for 30 minutes before the test" game, I eventually found that my life was much easier when I broke up major assignments/studying for major tests into more manageable increments. I figured out what kinds of work environments (hipster coffee shops) and study techniques (colorful flash cards) worked best for me, and this has saved me a lot of undue stress thus far in college. I know how to juggle assignments and tests with other responsibilities and obligations, and I usually even have ample time to sleep at the end of the day!
2. Creativity and critical thinking.
IB assignments often require far more than a simple answer. It's hard to give a 30-minute oral presentation exploring the meaning of beauty or produce a skit reflecting the process of DNA replication without thinking outside the box. On any given day, IB students were lugging around art projects required for English class, dressing up in obscure costumes for presentations, or debating moral issues in the middle of the hallway. I feel that this has allowed me to bring a unique approach to learning that has enabled me to adapt to the level of thinking many professors require in their classes.
3. Perfection really isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Prior to my experience in IB, I had a tendency to get shaken up about anything less than a perfect grade. Although the standard of perfection I set for myself was trivial and unrealistic to begin with, it became even more difficult to achieve when I was a junior in high school taking seven college-level classes at once along with other activities and commitments. I quickly realized that as long as I was giving my best, I had no reason to be upset with myself when I conjugated a verb incorrectly on a Spanish quiz, or God forbid, forgot the name of one of the 600 enzymes that regulates the process of anaerobic respiration in yeast cells. Now that I'm in college, accepting my own limits enables me to strive for my own personal best without micromanaging every aspect of my personal and academic life.
4. Some of the most meaningful learning opportunities happen outside the classroom.
An important component of the IB experience is experiential learning. All students are encouraged to participate in activities outside the classroom that are interesting and meaningful to them. This encouraged me to look at my extracurricular activities as opportunities for learning and insight rather than mere resume builders. In the spring of my senior year, I even had the incredible opportunity to travel to Guatemala on a service learning trip led by once of my IB teachers. This experience taught me more about who I am and what I value more than any classroom assignment or discussion ever has. As I seek to further my education, I continue to view the world as a classroom of its own, and I look for opportunities that will anchor what I'm learning in class in real-life experience.
5. There's nothing quite like respectful and open-minded discussion on difficult issues.
Often times, class discussions in IB lent themselves to controversy and disagreement. While this was difficult at first, our teachers encouraged us to cultivate our speaking and listening skills so that we could learn to appreciate different points of view. I now find myself less likely to shy away from difficult topics in class discussion; I'm confident in my ability to listen critically to others while still articulating my own views clearly and thoughtfully.
6. Learning can be a reward in and of itself.
Like most educational tracks, the IB Program does not end in monetary compensation or any other tangible reward other than the paper diploma or certificate you might receive based on your performance on exams and other assessments. In fact, many colleges are less likely to give credit for scores achieved on IB exams than AP exams, making it difficult for most students to start college with lots of credit hours already under their belts. Nonetheless, the depth of learning encouraged by the program through an array of requirements such as the self-directed Extended Essay taught me the value of learning for the sake of knowledge and understanding. This important lesson has encouraged me to find creative ways to challenge myself academically, even when I might not be directly rewarded for my efforts.
7. Becoming close with your classmates makes the stress of school far more enjoyable.
After spending seven hours a day with one another for two years and bonding over the struggle of difficult assignments, IB students really have no choice but to become a family. My IB class quickly became not only an academic community where knowledge was nurtured, but also a personal community where relationships were fostered. From griping about projects we hadn't started to panicking about exams, we knew that we could turn to each other with nearly anything. Although the college classroom environment isn't always conducive to these types of relationships, I do my best to get to know those with whom I share classes; I would hate to miss out on a great friendship!
8. Books that you might normally never touch often hold great surprises.
The global learning component of the IB Program exposes students to a wide repertoire of world literature. While I was originally a little shaky about studying works originally written in Spanish and Vietnamese, I found myself falling in love with their stories and messages about the common humanity we all share. As an avid lover of the written word, I try to keep this in mind on my frequent trips to the local bookstore.
9. A good teacher can make any subject worth learning.
As someone who has pretty much had plans of majoring in English since the womb, math and science classes have never really been my favorite. Luckily, I was blessed with absolutely incredible teachers in these subjects who enabled me to see the value in all areas of knowledge. I even found myself liking math a little bit by the end of my senior year. Now, when I find myself faced with a class or a topic that isn't all that enthralling, I try to focus on the professor's expertise and enthusiasm for what he or she is teaching, and it makes learning a lot more enjoyable.
10. Question everything.
A lot of the time, IB expects students to ask questions rather than give answers. This expectation challenged me to delve beyond the surface of familiar issues and broaden my perspective. Ultimately, I learned to make suprising connections between subjects and uncover exciting new truths about the world around me. This skill has been essential to my success in college classes, where professors welcome and encourage critical questions that lead to meaningful discussion.
11. No matter the outcome, hard work is always worth it in the end.
The hectic days and long nights of my IB years seemed overwhelming at the time, but looking back, my experience enriched me as a student, person, and lifelong learner. I am grateful for every opportunity I had to learn and grow, even when these opportunities required intense effort on my part. I now know that I will never regret giving 100 percent to my studies and extracurricular obligations because I am confident that my endeavors will be immensely rewarding when it's all said and done.
