For most teenagers, a week means school, homework, maybe a club or two. But for an IB senior, a week often feels like an Olympic triathlon—one that mixes academics, deadlines, existential crises, and unexpected bursts of productivity powered by questionable amounts of caffeine.
This is the story of a typical week in the life of an International Baccalaureate senior: part chaos, part ambition – all determination.
Monday – Starting Strong (or Trying to)
The week kicks off with a Pre-Calculus test on trinomials, quickly followed by a revision session for auxilia in Latin, because the “matura” exams are approaching like a storm cloud no one can ignore. Between these classes, students whisper about university application deadlines and international portals that simply won’t cooperate.
After school, the day doesn’t end—there’s driving school at 17:00. Parallel parking becomes the new CAS activity: stressful, character-building, and definitely affecting one’s personal growth.
Tuesday – College Dreams and Email Nightmares
The morning starts with TOK presentations and English commentary practice. Lunchtime becomes the unofficial “CommonApp Café” as students huddle around their laptops, discussing personal statements, teacher recommendations, and what on earth “holistic admissions” actually means.
By 16:00, it’s off to SAT prep. Students cycle through reading passages, grammar rules, and math drills that blur with IB content until no one is sure if they’re solving an IA problem or an SAT one.
Homework waits patiently until late in the evening.
Wednesday – Extracurricular Marathon
Midweek offers no break. Students work on the school newspaper layout, rehearse for dance[LFF4] lessons, or prepare for debate competitions. CAS reflections pile up silently in the background, each begging to be uploaded onto ManageBac.
In Biology, someone inevitably asks whether mitochondria will be on the “matura” exam; in History, students debate whether their EE will ever actually be finished.
Driving school continues, this time featuring a roundabout that seems designed specifically for psychological testing.
Thursday – Academic Avalanche
Thursday is the day when everything happens at once: math quizzes, literature analyses, and language orals. The Chemistry lab becomes a battleground of titrations and lab reports, sprinkled with existential dread.
During breaks, IB seniors exchange battle stories:
● “My SAT score went up—barely.”
● “Did anyone finish their CAS reflections?”
Silence.
Friday – The Countdown Begins
· The week ends with a DP assembly and more reminders about upcoming deadlines. Teachers gently—but persistently—ask about IAs, the EE, college essays, and whether students are sleeping. (They are not.)
· After school, driving lessons continue or students head to their extracurriculars: sports practice, tutoring younger students, volunteering at a library, or school clubs that keep them surprisingly sane.
· In the evening, an attempt is made to study for the “matura” exams, but Netflix and a nap often win.
Weekend – Recharging and Catching Up
Saturday mornings are for SAT practice tests or private lessons. Afternoons are dedicated to studying at Auxilia or Trinom and reviewing notes for the Croatian matura.
Sundays are a blend of:
● Catching up on homework
● Writing CAS reflections
● Updating college portals
● Freaking out
● Pretending not to freak out
