My Class: Reflections, Challenges and Dreams

9-IG: The Debut    

High School. It’s a stage of life most of you have survived. If you didn’t, do not try to describe the dread of drama that takes place in the span of these 4 years to class 9-IG (Vivek High School, Chandigarh). I’ve just entered high school as a part of 9-IG, a class with a separate pedagogy, a separate syllabus, and maybe even a separate vision. This class comprises me (Srishti),  my best friend, and 16 other students who I’ve bonded with more than I’d imagined in just 1 month!

As the session began, was sure that the transition from being in a CBSE classroom of 30 students to an IGCSE section of 18 students would be rigorous…

And it was! But I’ve surely grown to love the peace it brings, making learning more effective than ever. I won’t deny the fact that the decision to engage in this shift of schooling was hesitant. Can you really blame me though? 9^th grade is when the serious years of life start, at least for me; a 9^th grader. This is the year I have to truly start excelling at practically everything. Don’t get me wrong, as a scholar, I’ve always been a person who is passionate about learning and developing skills or niches. I am thrilled about getting the chance to write research papers, work for internships, and enhance my soft skills on the way this year. Nevertheless, the pressure gets to you, and I’m sure my classmates feel the same.

The decision to switch to the IGCSE curriculum was about bettering myself with a challenge: adjusting to the rigor.

 Subjects: A Means to Devote Yourself

Arguably, one of the best parts of being in 9-IG is getting to choose what subjects you want to study! I had determined my aim for the long term at the age of 12, and I was more certain than ever about the subjects I wanted to choose.

Aside from the two compulsory subjects, English and Math, I’ve primarily taken up STEM-oriented subjects, i.e. Pure Physics, Pure Chemistry, and Computer Science. In addition, knowing that it’s important to understand the finances of the world, Business, and Economics are two more subjects I’ve chosen.

I truly believe that the pure sciences deserve more love, especially Physics, which only has a total of .7 students, including me! As you must’ve guessed, Physics is my favorite subject.

And I’ve been loyal to it for the past 3 years.  

Even though my classmates question me about this preference, all of us are at a consensus when it comes to Economics; a subject selected by the majority of 9-IG. I think this inclination is completely justified. Economics is useful, efficient, interesting, relevant…and the list goes on. Still, despite its popularity, it doesn’t beat physics for me!

Another interesting subject this year has been Computer Science. Although it has only been taken up by 6 students, learning about the in-depth world of binary and programming is concerningly fascinating.

 The IG Experience

As I’ve mentioned earlier, the journey to getting accustomed to 9-IG wasn’t effortless. I was quite apprehensive about the short number of classmates I would have. For a week or two, the classroom felt sort of empty. Our class was almost too peaceful for my liking at the time but I can’t really be blamed for that because the group of people in my class during 8^th grade were more than chaotic.

Having said that, I’ve come to appreciate the tranquil environment of our class. I can now say that I’m grateful for this peace as it truly allows me to retain the syllabus much better than I was able to in my previous session. I overcame this familiarity with clutter by looking at how I’ve grown further academically since 9^th grade began and how learning has become structured in this manner.

It was also a challenge to get acclimatized to the strenuous workload that IGCSE offered.

And it’s surely a challenge that I’ve started to get over by being more mindful. I make sure to utilize free periods in school to complete any pending assignments…at least most of the time, or else it becomes another long night of homework. I’ve particularly begun incorporating to-do lists, in not only work but life in general. I totally suggest you make lists like these. It somehow makes me finish assignments of all sorts efficiently. 

Additionally, I think a minor issue we faced together as a class at the beginning of the session was forgetting the different classrooms allocated for different subjects as they used to change quite frequently but are fixed now.

Nonetheless, I still believe that the full experience of 9-IG couldn’t have been facilitated without us making these adjustments.

 Indulging In Your Future Purpose 

Did I mention that I love physics? 

Well, not only am I passionate about physics itself but also the study of the universe and the aerospace sector of science in general.

My dream for me isn’t just the means for an income; I believe it to be my purpose. 

I wish to devote my life to it. This might seem like a mere phase to some that I’ll probably get over in a year or two, but it’s not. This dream is something I’m genuinely ready to strive for and forge a path for.

This aspiration initially stemmed from a fascination with outer space and a fondness for 
physics. Now, I actively dedicate my time to gaining more knowledge about aerospace science and engineering and to learning other useful skills such as programming and coding. Entering 9^th grade, I’m prepared to amplify this pursuit into becoming a part of my daily routine.

I’d like to think that everyone in our class believes in a purpose and they’re willing to work towards it. We’re all in need of the reassurance that we’ll make it through these 4 years as better, more productive people.

If you’re about to enter 9^th grade, I completely understand what you’re feeling and how this transition may seem overwhelming. But we’ll get through, won’t we? I know for sure we won’t be able to if we think otherwise.

 Learning Essentials? We've Got Them

IG’s learning environment is systematic and prestigious but nevertheless rigorous.

Whether it be the advanced syllabus, the analytical projects, or class interactions as a whole, being in this class has made me more efficient with the way I get things done. The credit for this goes not only to the pedagogy but also to my classmates, who ignite the classroom amidst the process of learning with their presence, and to our educators this year who have
made this transition significantly smoother.

As I enter 9-IG in the morning, I genuinely feel invigorated. I automatically get motivated to accomplish as much as I can in the day.

Furthermore, my focus has been better than ever! The tasks that usually took me 2-3 days to get over with now get completed in one sitting. I remember being given the entire summer break last year to complete a 5-page project in my 2^nd language; Hindi.

I started on the evening before school commenced again.

Contrastingly, we were given a 20-page Economics project some time ago and a whole month to complete it. To my surprise, I’d started working on it consistently, gathering research regularly, and ended up submitting this project even before the due date itself!

Doesn’t our class clearly have the essentials for a healthy learning environment? No unnecessary scandals, strong bonding, and a wonderful pedagogy.

 A Survival Guide 

If the shift from 8^th grade to high school feels like a leap, trust me, you’re not alone or wrong for feeling that way…because it kind of is a big leap; at least from the perspective of figuring things out. It really is the time to start narrowing down your niches and interests to fit the big picture of your future.

Yes, the future does matter now.

That’s scary, isn’t it? Having to even start figuring out a path for your life at the age of 14 seems unreasonable if you look at it as a 14-year old.

Personally, to overcome this fear, I try to remind myself that in the grander scheme of things, any effort I put into myself at this stage of life is only going to add to my character and the person I become. To me that’s important. It’s important for me to become the person I have envisioned myself to be; my highest self.

I would recommend my classmates and every high schooler out there do the same thing I’m 
planning to do: 

-dabble into every opportunity you see

-learn as much as you can

-explore everything that is available to you

 The first step to figuring things out is knowing what to figure out. 

Don’t overwhelm yourself, though; exploration isn’t necessarily deep-diving. Learn to prioritise what you devote your energy to.

Although I’m conveying these tips effortlessly, I too struggle with indulging in these practices. I guess that’s okay, right? I can struggle and so can you. We’re all bound to do that.

But I do agree that it is at this transitional phase that becoming certain about anything, let alone our future plan, seems this strenuous.

 To All Readers...

Trust me, adjusting to the rigor that your education offers will make you much more efficient. 

That's why I like to see adopting IGCSE as an opportunity to maximise learning in the sphere of academics as well as emotional or social behaviour. Wherever you’re reading this from, I know that you have it in you to adapt to the rigor of what you’re learning. As for 9-IG, of course, we’ll make it through!