Is there a big difference between the first year and the second year of IB ?

[pennywise256]

I will start my second year of IB in August 2012. I think it's almost a year away. But I have heard of some guys who just sleep and enjoy of life during their first year and they receive a fist on the face when they start the second one. They say they should have studied and prepared themselves for some subjects, completed their CAS, planned their EE, and all that stuff. Is it really a big change ?

Edited September 17, 2011 by pennywise256

[santiago_abreu94]

hehehe I don't know , actually in venezuela you only have one year to do ALL, thats really awfull.

good luck with your second year!!!

Edited September 17, 2011 by Summer Glau
please don't use text speak. thanks!

[dessskris]

@santiago_abreu94 that's really awful!

well I think it depends on your work ethic. if in IB1 you're already hardworking and not procrastinating then you'll see not much of a difference, but if in IB1 you're very lazy, always procrastinate, always slack off, then of course you will struggle in IB2.

but objectively, yes there is quite a difference in the two. why? because everything is due in the second year. plus you will have to apply to universities, which adds the stress and workload (resume and personal statement!). unless you have finished some IAs in your first year (like in my school we have done some IAs in IB1) then it wouldn't be too crazy.

but in some American and Canadian schools where you anticipated two exams, I think it's good so in the second year you won't be to stressed and you'll have relatively less work in IB2.

[Guest KAPOWW!!]

I will start my second year of IB in August 2012. I think it's almost a year away. But I have heard of some guys who just sleep and enjoy of life during their first year and they receive a fist on the face when they start the second one. They say they should have studied and prepared themselves for some subjects, completed their CAS, planned their EE, and all that stuff. Is it really a big change ?

Yeas There is huge change for procrastinators quite frankly, if you don't finish CAS and perhaps try to finish one other IA in year 1 then you're going to buckle under the pressure of year 2 IB prep and IA submission, I suggest you finish 3/4 of your lab submission in year 1 and maybe a WL(world Lit) or your EE and CAS is a must. That way you're second WL(if your English HL) will be easy to do. You'll be under less pressure, you can that way continue with a life out side IB >.> too!!

But all that say, hear me out, I'm repenting for bad planning, you don't want to be in my shoes man. All the best! Hope I helped!

[Hexa]

Quote by one of my friends:

"Sophomore year (IB Year 1) is time consuming, Senior year (IB Year 2) is both time consuming and difficult. And these things multiply each other."

[The Filipino Limner]

First year of IB is a time of adjusting, getting into the spirit, learning the ropes, and the likes, but when year 2 comes, all hell breaks loose, though the good thing is, you've prepared yourself, supposedly, properly in the first year. So the 1st year of coping should be harder, and the 2nd will also come as hard, but since you're used to it, it becomes easy!

[thesunsetglow]

THERE IS DEFINITELY A DIFFERENCE! I feel like everything is 100% geared towards my exams now and the regulations are being drilled into us.

If anyone would like a day-by-day look into the life of a second year full IB diploma candidate, check out my blog! It'll keep you company on those long EE binge nights! ; )

www.ibthereforeiam.wordpress.com

I would also like to say;

1. YES finish your CAS hours ***AS SOON AS POSSIBLE***. I finished last year and I think I would have a heart attack if I were trying to get them all this year.

2. Plan your E.E. over the summer. You'll hate yourself for sitting in the library for hours during the summer, but you'll love yourself when you're a thousand steps ahead of everyone else in August (or whenever you go back to write it).

3. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW over the summer months. You're going to need everything from IB1 to write the papers, so don't let it ooze out your ears while you veg this summer!

4. Learn to love black coffee.

5. Don't get discouraged. Theres a sort of "IB block" that happens. Its like writers block. You hit this wall where you feel like this entire process is worthless. Don't let it freak you out, and DONT LISTEN TO IT. Its temporary and you just need to push through it. Its the end result you're looking for!

6. After school, give yourself an hour to nap, watch TV, go on the computer. Anything but homework. But as soon as its up, get down to work or else you'll never finish.

7. Learn how to plan ahead. Buy yourself a calendar and an agenda. You're going to need it! you'll have exams coming out of your butt and your head will blow up if you try to memorize it all!

If I think of anything else, i'll come back and repost. But in the meantime, you can find useful tips on my blog : )

Edited September 25, 2011 by thesunsetglow

[kiwi.at.heart]

I think the difference is in IB2 you can no longer get away with slacking. In IB1 all i really had to complete that would really affect my grades if i didnt put the effort in was my WL and my IOP, the rest of the work i did, but if i slacked a little off it then in the scheme of things it didnt really matter. However in IB2 you start to realise you cant slack off with all your IAs being due and i think its just the added pressure that makes IB2 so much harder than IB1. You start to stress about the fact you cant slack off and that i think is the thing that gets people.

I look at people in my classes this year, and those that never really slacked off and got everything done long before it was due have had hardly any stress at all and are just breezing through, however those that didnt were the ones that started to freak out and everything seemed to get harder than it really was. So just keep on top of everything and dont worry about it, just get on and get everything done.