Blog Entry 2: IB Retakes!! - How they work and how I feel about them

So.

Retakes are one of those Big Scary Things™ that everyone in IB treats like some kind of morbid fate. Everyone talks about retaking but no one actually explains it properly until you actually need it.

But don't worry, I'll give you the rundown on how they work. After all, I said in the last blog post that I'd talk about them!

Basically, an IB retake (or just a retake in general) is where, if your grades weren't what you wanted, or you failed, or couldn't sit for the exam, or aliens stole your examiner, you can just sit for the tests again in the next session, which could be May or November depending on where you're from. You don't have to redo the whole course or your IAs (internal assessment, it's like an essay on steroids, I'm redoing my Economics one), you just redo the exams for the subjects you choose. Sounds simple enough, right?

But mentally? Emotionally??? It is NOT that simple.

I suppose on one hand, retakes are kind of comforting. Like yeah, okay, if shit hits the fan, it's not the end of the world. Just pick yourself back up and do it again. There's a way to fix it.

But on the other hand, there's the whole slew of emotions and deadlines and all sorts of crap that you have to deal with before you retake. Like, I'm still going back to school ffs. And I was a November session taker, so I'm doing my exams in MAY (IN TWO WEEKS YALL, HELP.)

I have to see all these faces that I was hoping I'd never see again. Like my ex-girlfriend. Or my maths teacher. But oh well, you can't really be picky when you have a 26 and your parents want you to overachieve.

And also... the idea of having just finished your exams, and then having to redo them all over again? It genuinely sucks.

I think what I hate the most about these retakes is not knowing if I actually need them or not. I just got accepted into one of my choice universities. I don't know, guys. I'm conflicted. Right now it's kind of sitting in the back of my mind like "what if?" Then again, I'm Overthinker Supreme over here.

At the same time, however, I'm trying to see them in a new light. I suppose retakes, unlike what everyone thinks, aren't some sort of critical failure, like you absolutely fucked up. I suppose... they're kind of like you're trying again, and better than before. And to be fair, that's kind of better than just settling for what you got.

So yeah. Mixed feelings.

- A