.jpg?h=3648&iar=0&w=5472&rev=db1214d9abbf4d408432e5aef1f2d79a&hash=CC6C47871ABC9A2A697D7DF50D798106)
You might have seen the trend going around - “If I could tell my younger self one thing…” - a moment to reflect, to offer advice we wish we’d heard earlier, or to remind ourselves of what truly matters.
As students prepare to cross some of the biggest milestones in school life, it feels like the perfect time to pause and join in that conversation. But it’s not just our students who are preparing — so are we, as parents. These milestones don’t just belong to them. We’re living every part of it too: the anticipation, the pride, the nerves, and the quiet hopes. Sometimes, it’s the hardest thing in the world — to watch them take these big steps, to stay strong when they wobble, to let go just a little more. It’s a milestone for us as much as it is for them — and we’re walking it together.
So, if we could speak to our younger selves — or even just to our current selves in moments of doubt — here’s what we might say:
"You don’t need to have it all figured out."
"You don’t need to know exactly where you’re going, or what comes next. What matters more is how you show up along the way — with kindness, curiosity, and courage."
"Mistakes? They won’t break you — they’ll shape you. The hard moments will pass, and the lessons will stay. Comparison steals joy, so walk your path proudly — it is yours, and it is enough."
We’d remind ourselves (and each other) to celebrate the small wins. To laugh more. To worry less. To trust that, even when things feel uncertain, we are still becoming exactly who we’re meant to be.
And maybe most importantly: "You are more capable than you realise. You always have been."
If your future self could speak to you now — whether you’re a student or a parent — they’d probably say this:
"Keep going. You’ve got this.
You always have!"
Aine McGlue
Head of Secondary
As exam season unfolds, there's a special kind of stillness that settles over the school. In the quiet hum of the examination hall, behind the rustle of papers and the soft clicking of keyboards, is a profound truth: we are witnessing a moment that our students will carry with them forever. It is the culmination of years of learning, growth, and perseverance, a chapter closing and a new one ready to be written.
A few weeks ago, as part of our IB DP Language programme, Year 12 students in the French Ab Initio and French B classes united to celebrate Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday). Originally a catholic event welcoming the ritual fasting of Lent, Mardi Gras is celebrated in France with festive parades and sumptuous public celebrations.
At BIS Abu Dhabi, students came together to not only recognize the festivity but rejoice at the opportunity to share and learn about the international traditions fostered within our community. With the help of Monsieur Depose and Mademoiselle Merchadier, the French DP classes baked tasty treats, including crepes, waffles, brownies, and traditional beignets!
As a teacher at BIS Abu Dhabi, I have the privilege of watching students grow — not just academically, but as young people finding their path in a complex world. One thing I’ve learned time and again is this: success doesn’t come from rare moments of brilliance — it comes from the quiet power of habits.
Research tells us that up to 40% of what we do each day is driven by habit, not active decision-making. That means the routines our students form — the way they begin their morning, how they handle a setback, whether they choose to read or scroll — are shaping who they become.
.jpg?h=2953&iar=0&w=4430&rev=1639baab60684355860a6031bd2f4274&hash=BFFA420FEFF4CB88D98A155541FB02EE)
.jpg?h=3723&iar=0&w=5584&rev=8eac03bc3fbb4516b0c80a2618ee5eb8&hash=CD74C9E72284B395151C53385E14FEE4)
.png?rev=1619813b30a347d9bc71977e2cfe09d2&hash=66B98CDC659BBF07EB36660B4381E1E7)
