When mentioning that you are an I.B. student or take the program, nobody knows what it is. You would think that it is some foreign and unknown program, but it is international! Many people will ask "What does the I.B. stand for?" or simply, "What is the I.B.?" Well, for those who don't know (most people), I will clarify the answer; the I.B. stands for International Baccalaureate. The I.B. program prepares high school students for higher education in a supportive learning environment. The I.B. is known for the rigor of their education and part of that education is two different levels of classes: Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL). They definitely forgot to add in an "EL" in the middle of HL, because that is how most describe it.
Most "normal" people in other high schools tend to ask the reoccurring (and extremely irritating) question that gets an I.B. student absolutely heated; "Are the classes similar to AP classes?" No. Don't get me wrong; there is no debate on whether AP classes are hard or not because they most certainly are; however, the I.B. courses and the whole program, in general, are set up to be one of the most rigorous programs internationally (hence the International Baccalaureate). SL classes are around the same intensity as college classes, with HL having even more rigor.
Yes, it is true; most of us don't have a social life. The I.B. teaches us how to prioritize our time, but it's hard to find enough time in the day to not stress about school with the amount of schoolwork you receive! Paper after dreadful paper of different assignments for each of our classes has trained our brains how to run on very limited sleep and a ton of coffee. Coffee is our best friend; we worship coffee (or caffeine in general).
Next, what is the deal with so many abbreviations? For instance, to graduate, we need to complete an IA for most (if not all) of our classes, an EE (for students doing the full I.B. program), an IOC, and an IOP. Also, there is T.O.K. (theory of knowledge), C.A.S. (creativity, action, service), and of course the I.B. itself.
Think senior year is supposed to be a breeze? Think again. Being in the I.B. program senior year makes students want to continuously cry until graduation day. In the end of senior year, your knowledge gets put to the test (literally). I.B. exams! This is considered "Hell week(s)."
Being in the I.B. program has challenged my learning and way of thinking, but it is absolutely worth it. Colleges love seeing a student who has come from a rigorous high school curriculum! The best part of the I.B. is knowing that we are all in it together. Yes, the I.B. is hard, but it will prepare you better for the following years after high school. Knowing that we got through the I.B., in the end, is an accomplishment, and we should all be proud.
We survived.
