English HL

I am going to pursue 11th and 12th grade in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). I have opted for english hl as one of my subjects. A lot of my friends have told me that english hl is extremely difficult. Can anyone give me any tips regarding how to go about the subject and how to score well?
Thank you

Is English your first language? How is your writing and reading?