I studied at WAB for 12 years, starting in Grade 1 in 2002. I think the main thing that WAB has instilled in me is my love of learning. I liked all of my teachers because they like what they do, and that attitude is contagious. Many of my classmates studied hard and I enjoyed working and being around them. I have developed some great friendships at WAB and those can never be replaced.

While it may sound strange, perhaps the thing I am most proud of is that I did not stay up past 11:30 pm on any school night over the two years of IB Diploma (DP), and still received great grades. I was involved as the leader of the Student Ambassadors, played sports year round, and even then I was able to manage my time well to get enough sleep.

I enrolled in the IB DP in High School. I did not find the DP as difficult as everyone says. I have good study habits. I take notes in class, I plan out my homework time and I do my work effectively and efficiently. The main thing I do when I study is that I focus on learning, rather than memorizing. I need to understand why, not just how, a process takes place and know how to apply it to other situations.

I love the international school education, and I feel that it is more rigorous and more applicable than the average High School education. I would recommend the IB DP to anyone I could, because I think that it prepares you for college and work life. To do well in IB you must learn effective study and work skills as well as how to think critically and write well.

My advice for fellow students at WAB:

My first piece of advice is - don't stress too much. If you are overburdened by work, spare ten minutes to write out a study plan for the next few days that incorporates both studying and exercise/relaxation time, then follow your plan. If you have a mental plan, you will get your work done effectively.

My second piece of advice is - go to your teachers for help. Teachers will be more passionate to teach you if they know you are working hard to do well. When I first started IB DP, I went to my teachers a lot for help after I receiving my grades on assignments, so that I would know what do to to improve next time. This helped me a lot as I improved with each coming assignment.

This article was first published in Little Star Magazine, July 2014.