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Things I`m Glad I Knew Before Starting The Ib
Having recently completed the IB with 38/45, I’ve put together the things I’m most glad I knew before starting - from staying organised and getting IAs done early to keeping a healthy work-life balance, learning passively and completing CAS early.
Date : 22/08/2026
Author Information
Uploaded by : Ethan
Uploaded on : 22/08/2026
Subject : IB Diploma
Having just finished the IB with 38/45, there are a few things I wish I`d known before I started. None of them are complicated, but they made a big difference to how manageable the two years felt.Here are the things I`m most grateful to have learnt from family, teachers, and peers.
1. Stay organised from the beginningThe IB gives you a lot to keep track of, and it`s very easy to lose track of what needs doing.I found it really helpful to keep my files organised, have a clear timetable and use trackers for deadlines and bigger pieces of work. It might seem unnecessary at first, but when you have multiple subjects all giving you work at the same time, being able to see exactly what you need to do makes everything much less stressful.Don`t wait until you`re overwhelmed to get organised. Set up a system early and stick with it.
2. Create a clear divide between work and leisureThis is something I think is really underrated.If you do all your work in your bedroom, it can become difficult to properly switch off. Your room starts feeling like both your workspace and somewhere you`re supposed to relax and sleep.If you`re working at a desk in your room, I`d recommend having your desk face away from your bed if possible. It creates a much clearer separation between where you work and where you sleep, and I found it made it easier to switch off at night.When you`re finished working, actually stop working. Having some time where you`re not thinking about school is important.
3. Do homework and IAs as soon as they comeOne of the easiest ways to make the IB harder than it needs to be is to constantly put things off.If a teacher gives you homework that will take 30 minutes, doing it straight away is often much better than leaving it for three days and having it hanging over you.The same applies to IAs. Even if the deadline is weeks away (or days if you`re my teacher setting a deadline for an essay), doing a little bit when you have the time means you`re not suddenly trying to complete everything at once.Future you will thank you.
4. Start thinking about IAs and your EE earlyYou don`t need to start writing your IAs or Extended Essay months before your teachers ask you to.But you should start thinking about them early.If you`re interested in a particular topic, keep it in the back of your mind. Read around it, make notes and think about possible questions.When you eventually have to choose your topic, you`ll already have some ideas rather than starting completely from scratch.
5. Learn passively as well as activelyNot all learning has to happen sitting at a desk with a textbook open.If you enjoy a subject, take advantage of that. Watch documentaries and YouTube videos (Historians reacting to historical films, perhaps...), listen to podcasts, read books or articles, and generally surround yourself with the subject outside of lessons.I found this particularly useful for subjects I was interested in. You can pick up background knowledge without it feeling like revision, and that knowledge can become really useful when you eventually have to write essays or answer exam questions.Obviously, this shouldn`t replace proper revision - but it can make learning much more interesting (and enjoyable as I found!).
6. Get CAS done earlyCAS can seem like something you have loads of time to complete.Then suddenly you`re near the end of the IB and realise you still have things to finish.My advice is simple: get as much of it done as you can early.If you`re already involved in sport, music, volunteering, clubs or other activities, use those. You don`t need to completely redesign your life around CAS.Getting the requirements out of the way early means you can focus much more on your subjects and exams when things get busy later on.
The biggest lessonThe IB is obviously a lot of work, but being organised makes a huge difference. If I could go back to the start, I`d tell myself to stay organised, start things early, keep school separate from my downtime and make the most of learning outside the classroom. You don`t have to be perfect from day one, just building good habits early can make the next two years considerably easier.
1. Stay organised from the beginningThe IB gives you a lot to keep track of, and it`s very easy to lose track of what needs doing.I found it really helpful to keep my files organised, have a clear timetable and use trackers for deadlines and bigger pieces of work. It might seem unnecessary at first, but when you have multiple subjects all giving you work at the same time, being able to see exactly what you need to do makes everything much less stressful.Don`t wait until you`re overwhelmed to get organised. Set up a system early and stick with it.
2. Create a clear divide between work and leisureThis is something I think is really underrated.If you do all your work in your bedroom, it can become difficult to properly switch off. Your room starts feeling like both your workspace and somewhere you`re supposed to relax and sleep.If you`re working at a desk in your room, I`d recommend having your desk face away from your bed if possible. It creates a much clearer separation between where you work and where you sleep, and I found it made it easier to switch off at night.When you`re finished working, actually stop working. Having some time where you`re not thinking about school is important.
3. Do homework and IAs as soon as they comeOne of the easiest ways to make the IB harder than it needs to be is to constantly put things off.If a teacher gives you homework that will take 30 minutes, doing it straight away is often much better than leaving it for three days and having it hanging over you.The same applies to IAs. Even if the deadline is weeks away (or days if you`re my teacher setting a deadline for an essay), doing a little bit when you have the time means you`re not suddenly trying to complete everything at once.Future you will thank you.
4. Start thinking about IAs and your EE earlyYou don`t need to start writing your IAs or Extended Essay months before your teachers ask you to.But you should start thinking about them early.If you`re interested in a particular topic, keep it in the back of your mind. Read around it, make notes and think about possible questions.When you eventually have to choose your topic, you`ll already have some ideas rather than starting completely from scratch.
5. Learn passively as well as activelyNot all learning has to happen sitting at a desk with a textbook open.If you enjoy a subject, take advantage of that. Watch documentaries and YouTube videos (Historians reacting to historical films, perhaps...), listen to podcasts, read books or articles, and generally surround yourself with the subject outside of lessons.I found this particularly useful for subjects I was interested in. You can pick up background knowledge without it feeling like revision, and that knowledge can become really useful when you eventually have to write essays or answer exam questions.Obviously, this shouldn`t replace proper revision - but it can make learning much more interesting (and enjoyable as I found!).
6. Get CAS done earlyCAS can seem like something you have loads of time to complete.Then suddenly you`re near the end of the IB and realise you still have things to finish.My advice is simple: get as much of it done as you can early.If you`re already involved in sport, music, volunteering, clubs or other activities, use those. You don`t need to completely redesign your life around CAS.Getting the requirements out of the way early means you can focus much more on your subjects and exams when things get busy later on.
The biggest lessonThe IB is obviously a lot of work, but being organised makes a huge difference. If I could go back to the start, I`d tell myself to stay organised, start things early, keep school separate from my downtime and make the most of learning outside the classroom. You don`t have to be perfect from day one, just building good habits early can make the next two years considerably easier.
This resource was uploaded by: Ethan