Cas

For most people who find themselves at the beginning of their IB journey, CAS appears to be a daunting task. Though they have not yet experienced it, most assume the mandatory IB core component to be a tedious and challenging program. To be fair, this is a justified assumption. Having our seniors constantly warn us of the burdens of CAS reflections and workloads of activities/projects is more than enough to raise a little concern at least. However, as I reach my second and final IB year, I realize how easily manageable it all was. True, it did add some stress to the IBDP which was pretty stressful by itself, but the CAS being a menace is ostensible, to say the least. If done right, one can easily address the demands of CAS in a timely manner.

An essential step in doing this is realizing the significance of starting early. Start thinking about possible services or activities early, start organizing your CAS project early, and start communicating with your CAS coordinator early. Starting these tasks early gives you a greatly beneficial head start that allows you to organize your CAS goals as well as spare time for other IB components such as the EE, TOK, or studying in general. In my case, I had completed around 4 CAS activities and the CAS Project by my Grade 11 Winter Break. Crossing out parts of the CAS earlier proved to be very advantageous in the long run. Although there isn’t any formula for approaching CAS, the ideal methodology would include completing the CAS Project and at least 3 activities by the end of the first year.

Yet another issue is choosing and deciding on the CAS activities in general. It is important to remember that a CAS activity is one that is purposeful and one or more of the learning outcomes while being a personal challenge. However, you don’t need to necessarily overcomplicate your activities. In actuality, the simpler the project, the better. For instance, you can pick up running as a CAS activity or join a particular ASA to count as your CAS Service. As long as it invokes thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting, and is evidence of personal learning, it counts as a CAS activity. It is also important to run your CAS ideas by your Coordinator before you fully commit to them. Regularly adding reflections on ManageBac is also an excellent way to ensure that you remain engaged with the project and also to the timeline/agenda that you assign yourself to.

Although planning and organization are key elements in approaching CAS, your success is largely dependent on your discipline. Be mindful of your CAS goals and objectives and keep yourself accountable to complete them. Such an approach to the matter can make CAS an opportunity for personal and interpersonal growth.