My best takeaways from the IBDP:

It has been 6 years since I had graduated from the IBDP. Time flies and much has happened since then. I started my own business, joined a big firm as an intern and I am also studying in university.

My perspectives towards the IB have changed vastly. It really is different when you are in the programme and once you have graduated from it. It’s hard to see the big picture while you are grinding every day, completing assignment after assignment and pushing towards the final exam. It seems like all you are focusing on is the coveted column of 7s that you hope you will see on your report card.

And that’s obviously important – it opens many doors when you score well. You can pick the university that you want (well, to a large extent). You can pick the course that you want. Most importantly, you can apply to be a tutor at ib lounge! (Just joking, somewhat.)

But 6 years later, as I think back to my best takeaways from my IBDP experience, my grades aren’t the first thing that pops to my head. They’re probably not even the 5th best takeaway.

I hope dear IB student, that this article will help you find out what is most important during your IB journey. It is without a doubt that 80 of your peers will be only focusing on achieving the best grades possible. But there will also be 20% of your peers who not only focus on grades, but also on having the best experience that the programme offers. Let’s help you find that today.

So, let’s get in to MY best takeaways so you may see what else you have to gain, besides grades.

1.     The “other” academic skills.

If you ever find yourself cursing at your endless assignments like IAs, EEs and other reports, it may be because you don’t see the longer-term benefits yet.

            Besides constituting approximately a fifth of your individual subject grades, completing these assignments also equip you with skills that will help during university and working life.  

            For example, report writing is something that is going to be really common in university. Of course, this depends on the course you are pursuing but generally, most degrees require writing a report of some sorts. In university, you will find yourself writing reports more frequently and to a greater level of detail.

            Developing a foundation during the IBDP will surely give you an edge over your peers in other educational programmes especially if they have limited exposure to such academic skills.

            You will, in the years to come, find that the nights burning the midnight oil and the endless task of your extended essay will come in handy.

                 And maybe then, it will be less tempting to curse when your teacher remarks that your assignments are “not good enough!”

                 Or perhaps not.

2.     Friendships

                 Truth to be told, I don’t keep in contact with many friends that I made in high school. But the ones that I have kept, I am pretty close to them, 6 years later.

                 At your age, you are at the stage whereby your personality is more or less set. You find out a lot about yourself in those two years, including the type of friends you want to have and the type of friends that… you don’t really want to have.

                 Knowing this helps you to prioritise where you spend your time. And spending time with those who are more in line with you also gives you time to build deeper friendships.

                 I’ve made excellent friends who I still keep in contact with till today. I mean think about it. How many of you still keep in contact with friends you knew 6 years ago?

                 But wait, what does this have to do with the IB program in any way?

                 For starters, the IB programme provides many chances to interact with your peers and find the ones who click with you on a diverse level.

                 You can meet friends while completing CAS, while doing lab work, while on global immersion trips and the usual, in class. This allows you to interact with the same people through multiple diverse experiences. To get to know their true characters in different settings and to see how well you gel well together.

                 You will also experience common tasks which will help you to forge bonds. Being empathetic to each other’s situations (or struggles) helps to create friendships. While going through the rigours of the IAs and EEs, you will find friends who are there for you. And you may find solace in them.

                 And with this being your toughest challenge yet, building that sense of camaraderie and friendship will create lasting friendships in the next few years to come.

3.     Overseas Programmes (not in this COVID climate though!)

                 Man, it’s really a shame how these few batches couldn’t experience the overseas trips that many IB schools offer. These trips form many of the fond memories that my ex schoolmates still talk about till today and to me, form a strong impression when I think about my IB days.

                 I attended two such overseas trips whilst participating in the IB program.

                 The first one was a trip to Chiangmai. The purpose of this excursion was to conduct our IAs in a different environment so that we would be able to apply what we had learnt to a broader context. It was an extremely fun trip, especially because I am from Singapore and had not much exposure to padi fields, outfield streams and hilly terrains. Being able to apply what I had learnt in class to a myriad of environments was an immersive experience.

                 The next trip was to Cambodia. This was for an Overseas Community Involvement Program (OCIP). The aim of this trip was different – we headed there to help build a playground for a local school. I believe the intent of this trip was also to give us an eye- opening experience as to the conditions people faced around the world. Apart from that, we also visited different cultural sites which was both fun and enriching.

                 Overall, the overseas trips cemented the idea that IB students should have a global perspective. We were able to apply what we had learnt in class to a global perspective and see the world through a different lens. But of course, we had fun too!

4.     Final Thoughts

As you can tell by now, none of my best takeaways were really about the syllabus or what I had learnt in class. I definitely did learn very useful academic skills and mindsets but they were not my BEST takeaways nor anything that I would bring up when recounting memories with my friends.

                 So, if you’re in the IB program now, try to think of the IB as a broader experience rather than just about attaining the diploma. It really is more than that and my hope is that your experience will be that of more than a mere academic option.