Emma B

Where are you these days?
I am currently living in Nyborg where I attend 2i in Nyborg Gymnasium, the first year of the IB diploma. Even though I am not 100% set on what I would like to study once I finish high school, I chose a variety of subjects. My high-level subjects are Psychology, Film, Danish B, and English Language and Literature.
Film is a subject that you don’t get to study in many schools so I was quite surprised when I could pick it as one of my subjects.

Why did you decide to do that this year?
I decided to go straight to 2i and skip pre-IB because I felt like ISB had prepared me enough to be able to start the IB diploma course directly. I heard the school in Nyborg was really good so I decided to apply there and I am very glad I did.

What was it like to make the transition from ISB into a new environment?
It was not as difficult as I expected actually. ISB prepared me for the IB diploma in many ways, however socially, I had already made some friends before entering the school which made it easier to start a new adventure. There are also a lot of people from the international school of Aarhus that attend the Nyborg Gymnasium and whom I met at the PP exhibition in ISB. Overall, Nyborg Gymnasium itself is a lot larger than ISB with approximately a total of 1300+. The academic school year is almost over and I somehow still manage to see people walking in the corridors of the school that I have never once seen before, which is a very weird sensation.

What part of the transition have you found the most challenging?
Living by myself requires paying for everything myself so spending money is definitely the most challenging part. I never knew that it required spending so much, even just on food and essentials. Schoolwise, trying to manage all the school work and balancing extracurricular activities is a bit of a challenge but it just takes some planning and dedication to figure out the perfect balance.

What did you carry with you from ISB that’s been the most valuable?
I carried my academic knowledge with me (especially English) and the skills to work and study individually. This is something that we practiced during the M5 exam period and I am grateful to be able to apply these skills in my new school as well. I have also carried my cultural appreciation with me since at ISB everyone came from or lived in a different country and I am able to see even more of that in my new school. I find it very special because I get to learn about different cultures and learn a bit of history.

What do you miss the most from ISB?
The things I miss the most from ISB are my closest friends and teachers. I hope to see them all again someday.