I never thought I would find myself admitting to the importance of Biology in my life, let alone use it in my existence (outside of school of course). But after taking the International Baccalaureate (IB) Biology Higher Level 1 course, I have learned otherwise.

In my junior year, while I was choosing classes for senior year, I was faced with the choice between IB Biology and IB Dance. Honestly, I was hesitant to choose either class. I cannot, for the life of me, dance. But then again, I’ve heard that IB Biology is one of the most difficult classes. Ultimately, I chose Biology.

As someone who learns at a slower pace, the class was difficult to accustom myself to as a result of the large amount of material that needed to be learned in just two semesters. However, in retrospect, the class allowed me to become a better student by forcing me to time-manage my work and develop better study habits, something I have always struggled with.

In only half a semester I’ve learned so much on the topic of Biology. Plant germination and growth depend on so much more than just photosynthesis and water. In reality, the process of growing is a lot more complicated than we think, beginning with light dependent processes.

I never thought that I would constantly be thinking about how biological processes can work in our day-to-day lives. From the moment I wake up in the morning, to the moment I eat lunch, or even sleep, my body is constantly working to support me in completing daily tasks, like writing a column. Crazy, right?! Really, the subject is inevitable; whether people like it or not, biology will always be a part of life (literally).

As someone who envisions herself becoming a veterinarian, the Biology course is also an additional benefit to me in the sense that much of the material I learn in class, I will utilize in my career. Beyond that, though, the class allows me, as a student, to inquire about the daily phenomena that occurs around me.

While IB Biology is much more challenging than Accelerated or Regular Biology, I encourage those at Bonita Vista High who have the opportunity to, to take the course. For some now, Biology is just another course to survive until the end of the year. But being a Biology student provides many opportunities and positive learning experiences like understanding how the natural world around us works.