In a month, I will be starting 10th grade as a partial IB student.

My courses

This year, I will be taking 8 courses. These include:

• English, Grade 10
• Mathematics (IB), Grade 10
• Science (IB), Grade 10
• History: Canada, Grade 10
• Financial Accounting, Grade 11
• Launching and Leading a Business, Grade 10
• Exploring Health Care, Grade 11
• Functions (IB), Grade 11

Now if you're Canadian and you know the grade 10 curriculum, you might ask where Civics and Careers are. Well, I took those courses in the summer (July 2026) so I have a free elective course this year.

My plans for the year

As you can probably tell by my courses, this year serves as an exploration year for me. I am taking a lot of courses that can help narrow down my future career path, and I am curious to see what I like and what I don't like. I plan to use this opportunity to narrow down my future grade 11 and 12 courses to the ones that best support my goals. I also plan to use this year to lock down on my time management and study habits, as I know that these skills will be crucial for my success in the future.

What I'm scared about

This year, almost half (3/8) of my classes are actually 11th grade classes. This means that I will be taking classes that are designed for students who are a year older than me. I am scared about the workload, the difficulty of the material, and the expectations that come with taking these classes. I also have three IB classes this year which means that I will have to start learning how to manage my time and study habits better than I have in the past.

Since it's an exploration year for me, I'm scared about the possibility of not being able to figure out what I actually want to do in the future. I know that some uncertainty is normal, but I'm worried about not having a decision to be uncertain about. Universities and colleges are competitive. Some need courses to be taken in high school to actually have a chance. Without having a clear direction, I might not be able to meet these requirements and be unable to get into the programs that I might want to get into in grade 12.

I know it's too early to judge right now, this year hasn't even started yet, but I have a feeling that it'll be great.

What I'm excited about

For this year, I'm excited about the opportunity to try the things I missed last year. Things like HOSA, school events, and other extracurriculars. I am also excited about the opportunity to take more challenging classes and to learn new things. I look forward to meeting new people and to make new friends. This year will help me grow as both a person and student.

Conclusion

Overall, I am excited about the challenge that this year will bring. I know that it will be a lot of work, but I am ready to put in the effort to succeed. I am also excited about the opportunity to learn new things, to grow as a student, and to figure out what I want to do in the future.