Studying in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is no easy feat. Whether you’re studying for it in your home country or one of the many International Schools in China, it requires plenty of hard work and discipline if you don’t want to fall behind and see your grades suffer as a result. Here are our top 5 tips to help you stay organized.
#1 Get enough rest
Getting proper sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your body. If you go to bed late, you’ll find that the following day is much more difficult than usual — lessons feel as if they are dragging on, you can’t concentrate on what the teacher is saying, your notes are poor or incomplete, and when you get home you have no energy for homework. The average teenager needs 9-10 hours of sleep. Go to bed early enough so you can achieve this.
If you find it difficult to fall asleep at night, it’s most likely because you need to change your night-time habits. At least one hour before bed, avoid using any screen devices (TV, laptop, phone, etc.). These keep you up at night because they emit blue light. Instead, read a book or listen to a calming podcast.
#2 Make a schedule
Draw up a weekly schedule that includes all your lessons, after-school clubs, practices, and any other responsibilities. See what time you have left in the week and on weekends. Now allocate enough time for homework and studying. Be sure to add in some contingency periods (extra time you can use for any subject), just in case something unexpected happens or you need more time to finish something.
If you know you always get homework on a specific day, be sure to give yourself time to complete it as soon as possible — it’s always best to do homework when the material is fresh in your mind. When it gets closer to exam time, draw up a new schedule that includes allocated times to revise for each subject.
#3 Use a voice recorder
If the teacher permits you, using a voice recorder is a great way never to miss anything in class. Sometimes, taking really detailed notes during class can be distracting because you’re not fully engaged with the class.
Depending on your individual learning style, it could be an idea to take more concise notes during the class and fill in more details later.
#4 Be VERY organized with your notes
You should have at least one folder for each class. Be sure to be super diligent about keeping your notes organized in their folders — these notes will be invaluable to you during revision time. Some students like to re-write their notes when they get home — this both refreshes the memory of material covered during the class and makes for neater, more organized notes.
When it gets closer to revision time, it’s a good idea to condense your notes and make flashcards that you can use to help you study key items. Read some tips on how to make great flashcards here.
#5 Ask for help
This goes for during lesson times and outside of class. If there’s something you don’t understand in class, it’s more important than ever to ask the teacher a question.
If you’re struggling with the workload in any subject, it’s imperative that you don’t bury your head in the sand, get custom essay writing help. Let the teacher know as soon as possible so that there’s time to remedy the situation.
Studying in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme can seem like a daunting prospect, but you can give yourself the best start by following these tips. While the program can be tough and seems scary, you’ll probably find it’s not as difficult as you imagined as long as you stay disciplined and put in the hard work.
