Applications, GPAs and test scores, oh my! Juniors have it hard, without a doubt. Junior year is arguably the most important, stressful and demanding time in any high school student’s academic career. Junior year is THE year in any teenager’s life. Before my junior year began, I always looked at the transition from sophomore year to junior year as this huge jump that changes everything. And sure enough, what I have experienced so far this year has confirmed my observation.
The workload of junior year is not to be taken lightly. I often find myself stuck in a seemingly-endless abyss of work or things that I need to do to prepare for college as it gets closer and closer every day. I always ask my parents, “When is this going to end?”
There is a constant workload, where every time you do anything on your to-do list, more tasks pop up. Between standardized test prep, school, homework and extracurricular activities, it’s easy to feel like I have no time for me, or to do things that I actually want to do. It’s easy to forget that I’m not just a student, but I’m also a person.
Now, that being said, I recognize that I am a very busy person. Aside from school, I am in two clubs, a part of the Staples girls’ volleyball team and play club volleyball from November to April, so it’s safe to say I’m pretty booked. On top of all that, I just applied for and was hired for a job, so I’m going to be on the clock before I know it. There is always so much to do. And it’s not just me, every junior is in the same boat, struggling to keep up with all of these expectations.
My sophomore year feels like so long ago. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. So much has changed. My friends and I have our licenses and do the treacherous Wakeman walk that people would always warn us about. I’ve been engaging in much more serious, and sometimes stressful, conversations about college. It’s just so different from what I experienced last year.
The main difference I noticed between then and now is the fact that school felt more manageable before, with occasional challenges and bumps in the road, but nothing concerning. Compared to this year, it’s like the academic weight I was carrying last year has been multiplied by three and shoved upon me with no warning.
So what makes the jump from sophomore to junior year so intense and significant? I think it’s a number of things. To start off, a lot of juniors, including myself, are taking our first AP courses this year. We are also preparing for and taking standardized tests. And instead of going on a trip during break to Turks and Caicos or the Bahamas, you have to spend your vacation going on college tours.
While the whole college thing was something that was definitely on my mind throughout my freshman and sophomore years, it has gone from something that I “have so much time until” and “is so far away” to basically knocking on my door. I have been configuring a list of target, safeties and reach schools with college counselors, and I’m already basing my self worth and intelligence on what schools I think I’m going to get into.
On top of that, I hear constant talk of what schools my peers want to go to, what GPAs they have and what they got on their standardized tests. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this stuff isn’t important. In fact, I think quite the opposite. It is important. It’s so important that it seems to swallow you whole until you finally hit that submit button on your very last college application.
From what I have experienced throughout my junior year, this transition can be compared to suddenly having the training wheels taken off your bike, and having to learn how to ride without them while making mistakes along the way. While the process is, without a doubt, stressful and demanding, it is a crucial experience for all students. Through trial and error, this year has positively reshaped my work ethic, my time management skills and my patience with myself as I navigate through this transformative period of my life.
