Today, on September 25th, it has been exactly a month since @StevenOh and I started the IBDP programme, and we thought it'll be fun to share our experiences with everyone.
The one thing @StevenOh and I can both agree on is, oh, just how easy was MYP. I think that's enough to summarise how we feel right now.
There are some things that are so obvious for seasoned IB students that are quite new and surprising for incoming students like us.
Whether or not you're already a prolific note taker or a professional procrastinator, you are going to need to find the perfect note taking system for you. Whether that means taking notes on an iPad, a notebook or loose leaf, we got you covered!
I have the iPad 7th generation
Chances are, if you're like me, you don't own an iPad. There are a number of ways you can effectively take notes with the good ol' pen and paper - below are my favourites!
For the humanities and the sciences, you can try taking notes on a standard notebook during class, and when you get home, you can compile your notes into more organised, concise notes on either loose leaf or a separate notebook which you can later use to review for your final exam. Oh, and here is when you can "prettify" your notes, if you're into that sort of thing (I tried, but it's just not for me).
For the languages, our classes are structured as socratic discussions so I tend to prefer typing on my computer so I can quickly take notes, but I also sometimes take notes on a notebook as well. For these classes, I find loose leaf to be not so useful as the humanities and the sciences.
The general philosophy is - don't expect to take perfect notes on your first exposure to the material. Note-taking is laborious in the sense that you have to first absorb all the important information and then worry about making them concise and easy to understand. In general, I found out the hard way that I do not like taking notes on loose leaf paper initially. But that might not be the case for you. The best thing you can do, if you haven't already, is to go experiment with different systems - try using a notebook, a loose leaf, see what works best for you.
You know you should review the class material when you get home. Perhaps for some of you this situation is all too familiar: you're dead tired in class and you tell yourself, "I'll review today's class once I get home, I'm too sleepy right now." Then you get home, and you realise that you don't understand what the textbook is even talking about.
But did you know that you should preview your lessons as well? For the most part, when you preview your next day's worth of lectures, you are able to get a stronger understanding of the material and ask any questions you had whilst previewing.
As an IB DP student, you're taking two language courses, and chances are, you are going to read some famous classics. Why not try to find an audiobook version? For instance, we are reading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien in our English Language and Literature course, and I find the audiobook videos on YouTube extremely helpful. Even if you're not able to fully grasp the book from just the audio, what's so powerful about audiobooks is that you can read the physical book as you listen to the audiobook. This helps you stay focused on the book and stick to a certain reading speed so you know how long it will take you. This last part is very important - when you read from an audiobook, you know exactly how much time it'll take you to read a certain amount, which is very useful for planning your schedule ahead.
If you have an Apple device, the built-in Books app features some FREE classics like Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and more. They are available in both book and audiobook versions, so you can read, listen and take notes simultaneously. To take notes, simply right click a passage (or long press if you're on an iPad/iPhone) and highlight the text or click "Add Notes". Below is my notes for Pride and Prejudice on the Books app.
Tip: If you find some of the audiobooks to be too slow, you can adjust the speed to your liking!
Study hall is a privilege gained only by DP students, but it's easy to just waste your time. The most effective method to make the most out of your study halls is, as cliche as it sounds, to plan ahead. When you plan what you will do during your study halls ahead of time, you no longer waste time thinking about what to do, and actually get to do your work during your study halls. It doesn't have to be such a burden either - it could be when you're walking to school, or riding the bus, and you can just think to yourself, "What will I do during my study hall today?" and I guarantee that your time will be spent more effectively and productively. And in a rigorous programme like the IBDP, time is your biggest enemy.
That's it for now! We'll be sure to keep you updated with our latest thoughts and tips as we go along with the Diploma Programme.
