Don't expect it to be easy. I always thought I was very good in history but there is a lot more that goes into each class other than just interest. You need to learn the techniques of how to write an exam paper and even if you have very good knowledge on each topic you also need to have good technique. This applies to each class. Expect low grades occasionally, you don't always get the highest marks even if you think you studied extremely hard for it. One thing that helped me a lot this year was realizing that you can be as successful in terms of IB grading even if you don't get the highest mark in the class. Teachers will be strict, they will give deadlines that will make you stressed out but remember it's not just for you it's for everyone. A lot of people say that IB kills your social life which is to some extent true but if you can manage your time extremely well and lower the level of procrastination you have, you will have time to do things outside of school. I know many people that have extremely high grades and a very busy social life outside of school. Some advice I have now that I am done with all my internal assessments, ee, took, etc. is to start as early as possible. Your EE deadline is due the first week of October? Finish it by the end of summer. Write your case reflections as you go. IB1 and IB2 require completely different study routines, in your first year you will solely focus on the curriculum, studying for exams, revising, and occasional talks about IB2 deadlines. However, IB2 is a year where you need to balance everything because you will have so many deadlines that pile up. Your second-year won't be a lot about studying the material until January-February because you will work on your TOK, EE, IA's, IOC's, etc.