IB Biology….. the one subject I HATED the most during my two-year stint in the IB. Every time during IB Biology Class, I vividly remember dragging the soles of my feet as my languid spirit entered the class.

Apart from heavy memory work, it was a subject I really disliked to its core. Not just because I had a teacher who really made me have momentous “WTH” moments, but it was subject that was really boring like a dry, arid desert left in the wilderness of Sahara.

I mean, heavy memory work is a must. But without a proper guidebook? An “IB-established” Study Guide that gives us a chunk of texts, interlaced with diagrams, and complex words without definitions which made it painful to read. Furthermore, must I really deal with this Nature of Science complex bullshit? I mean, it was learning more of history rather than science to me.

You see, while I studied Biology, I referred to BioNinja (a page dedicated for IB Biology resources) as if it was gospel truth. It was a great online resource tool because it was a pretty reliable source of information. I hated reading textbooks because of the bulk of words plastered over yellow-wrinkled sheets. And with a heavy schedule, and multiple CASes to commit to, attaining a 7 in Biology seemed like an insurmountable task.

Despite treating BioNinja as my Biology Bible, the complexity and demands of the subject continued to block me from reaching the desired 7. Throughout my term-assessments, my grades always ended up with 5s or low 6s, but never a 7.

It then dawned on me that something was severely wrong. It was either my study methods were ineffective, or I just had a memory of a goldfish that seemed to forget all previous content learnt after a topical test.

You see….. I was one of those “last minute” rescue case students.

With four months left to the final examinations, there were two options I could consider:

1. Give up on IB Biology, focus on other subjects, and pray that God grants me a miracle 7.

2. Put my dying ass into cramped back tutorials, bite through the bullet for four months, and work towards a 7, while hoping for a miracle.

Eventually, I was fortunate as I was miraculously saved. A friend of mine referred me to an ex-IB graduate Biology tutor, who gave me crash courses on every single topic of the IB syllabus.

Attending the IB tuition class, I was taken aback by how much I was lacking in. It then dawned on me that it was not my study methods, my work ethic, my determination, but my inability to remember key-points.

I realized my school teacher was not great at delivering the content in a succinct manner towards his students. Rather, what we were learning was out of the syllabus, and by focusing on that, I wasn’t putting my energy and effort into the right thing.

With the notes I obtained from the external tutor I engaged; I finally had some consensus on what I should remember.

Lo and behold, under my tuition teacher, I managed to achieve a 7. To my shock, not just a borderline 7, but a HIGH 7 (88/100). And yep, I thought Biology was the worst paper I done because they tested unconventional topics such as Ecology and Speciation for the essays. (I mean, who even thinks Ecology, Darwinism, and the entire taxonomy is important?)

If you are out there struggling with Biology, I understand. It’s a subject that’s painful if you were like me and had no idea what to take but wanted a double science HL combination to open up all the university options you had.

Sometimes, you might just need some help from someone who has actually been through what you’re facing so he/she can guide you. Someone who has successfully tackled the IB program and who understands the difficulties you’re facing. For IB students, that might just be IB Lounge, an IB specialised tuition service with tutors who are internationally top-scoring IB graduates.

Some Final Words: General Study Tips

After learning from my experience, I realised a way to commit large amounts of information to memory is by referring to the syllabus.

The IB Biology syllabus is detailed and clear about what is required and you will not be tested on things that are not in the syllabus.

An exception is when a question tests your ability to understand the concept and thus make a sound deduction. For instance, in testing your understanding of the “Functions of Life”, you could be asked to identify how a particular bacteria (one entirely unmentioned in the syllabus or textbook) demonstrates the functions of life. Don’t worry though; you will be provided with enough information to make proper deductions as long as you understand the processes.

Sometimes, we just need a person to help us understand as we plough through vast amounts of information. We all need some light amidst the darkness in our lives, and sometimes an external lifeline can pull as through. With little time on our side, it’s best to seek out to external sources as our saving grace. By attending crash courses, or even just reaching out to friends for group studies can save it all!

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