Figuring out how the Reagan administration affected Cold War tensions after the Soviet Union intervened in Afghanistan is slightly intimidating. Knowing 16 other people are struggling alongside you makes it seem like a breeze.

For two years, my IB History class has covered topics ranging from Abraham Lincoln to Kim Jong-un, and everything in between. We’ve completed countless essays, papers and projects, some where we needed to creatively portray less than desirable Nazi leaders of Germany.

For any other class it would seem like a chore, but my fellow classmates helped make it anything but.

For example, we spent countless early mornings at Caribou Coffee before a test, outlining essays and sipping coffee. While it sounds like a painful way to spend time, it actually turned out to be one of our best ideas.

We eventually got to a point where we just assumed we would meet up for special events. When the movie “Lincoln” debuted we were there, taking up two rows in The Lagoon movie theater and brimming with excitement to see how history was portrayed compared to what we learned in class. Technically speaking, celebrating Thanksgiving is a remembrance of the Pilgrims’ historical debut in America, but we turned it into an opportunity to eat food, color  paper turkeys and watch the movie “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.”

However, it’s not just in IB History  I feel a strong connection with my classmates. With Facebook groups for other classes, we’re able to joke about assignments and ask questions we weren’t able to during the hour. This allowed us to release tension, stress over assignments or prepare for an upcoming test with peers.

As I sat in the IB history testing room about to puke from nervousness, I looked around to my friends and realized this class would have been much more difficult without them. Without our Caribou mornings or our season finale party for “The Office,” IB History may not have become one of my favorite high school classes.

The people you choose to bond with and surround yourself intellectually can turn a difficult class into a great experience. So, instead of looking at a challenge and wondering how it’s possible to do well, find strength from people around you who are going through the exact same thing. Although it may sometimes feel like it, you’re never alone in high school.