May brings more than warm weather to IB students: multiple exams become the subject of much dread and discussion.

Some of this discussion stems from disgruntled teachers of regular classes upset that their students are missing their class to prepare for IB exams.

However, it is smart for IB students to prioritize this studying over class attendance, and teachers ought to support them in making this choice.

Although the idea of missing class may be considered inherently bad, it is a necessary evil for IB students because their IB exam scores will have a much larger impact on their future than their presence in a regular class.

The concept of IB students missing school to study is not an obscure one, either. Annandale High School has recently released a policy allowing IB Diploma Candidates to take two days off for study time.

Students who toil through two years of the IB program are able to include their hard-earned diploma on applications for graduate school or real world jobs.

As utterly thrilling as an additional period of learning logarithms may be, it does not compare the importance of an IB exam.

Although keeping track of absentees may create additional work for teachers, they ought to understand how much effort IB students have put in to reach this point.

They should accept that IB students are missing their class for a worthy cause, rather than mere senioritis.

Of course, IB students must communicate with their teachers frequently, so the teacher is aware of their necessity to take an occasional day off to study.

If a student comes up to a teacher at random, claiming to be missing their class to study for an exam, the teacher might assume the student is actually missing class to study the menu at McDonald’s instead.

A strong bond between each teacher and student can let the former know when the latter’s absence should be excused.

Because the alternative may involve the student receiving a failing grade for multiple unexcused absences, creating this relationship should be even more of a priority.

Each IB exam is much like a journey to Isengard: time for preparation is necessary, and the process can make a student feel nearly as small as a Hobbit.

By ensuring each teacher is more of a help than a hindrance to their priorities, students can push through their exams and enjoy exploring the incomparable opportunities May has to offer.