“Junior year is always the hardest.”

As a high schooler, you’re likely to hear that phrase, or something along the lines of that. With my junior year coming to an end, I can say that that was actually true for me – junior year has definitely been the hardest so far. Trying to manage extracurricular activities, volunteering, and having a social life can already be hard enough for some people; however, it’s a lot harder when you’re trying your best to keep your grades up AND you’re trying to get enough sleep. As a junior, you’re most likely going to be taking SAT and ACT tests for college and dealing with this academic stress outside of school will be very new to many students. Although most people feel like junior year has been their hardest, there are also others who feel that it was just another year closer to graduation. We asked around some other juniors to give their thoughts on this year.

Sinclair Worrell-Oliver: Like many juniors, Sinclair felt that this year was definitely his hardest year, especially because he took the most AP classes and was more involved in clubs and outside activities. Most juniors decide to get involved in extracurricular activities and get their volunteering done during 11th grade because it’s the year before they start applying to colleges. Although this was one of the reasons why Sinclair got involved in outside activities, he also joined because of interest. When asked if he had any advice for incoming juniors, he merely responded with, “Be ready.”

J.A.: Even though many people feel like their junior year is the hardest, J.A. felt otherwise. He said that even though this year was stressful, his sophomore year has been the most stressful for him. J.A. stated, “Junior year would’ve been a lot more stressful if I had been constantly thinking about college.”

Minasdine Rene: Minasdine felt that this year was the most challenging for her. Like Sinclair, she decided to take AP classes and on top of that she had to deal with extracurricular activities. Unlike freshman and sophomore year, Minasdine stated that junior year is the year that “I had to start thinking about what colleges I want to apply to, which standardized tests I want to take, college recommendations, and scholarships…”

Advice from Minasdine to freshmen and juniors: “…try not to procrastinate…Hard work pays off.” Although colleges will look at your grades from every year, junior year is always the most important, so make sure that you stay on top of your game!

Qjared Barrientos: When asked about his junior year, Qjared started off by saying, “There were so many times where I simply would not sleep.” He blamed his lack of sleep on the fact that he decided to take five AP’s. Unlike previous years, Qjared had to take more than usual days off just to do work.

Although junior year is most likely going to be stressful, it’s over before you know it. When you have tons of work to keep you busy, deadlines approach quickly, so make sure that you’re always doing your work so that you don’t fall behind. Also, although AP classes can be tough, don’t be afraid to take them and challenge yourself. Good luck to all incoming juniors!