Junior year: the infamous year that high schoolers dread. Everyone has heard from older siblings, friends, cousins, parents and more that junior year is a year of stress, anxious thoughts of the future and way too much going on.
But, what if I told you that there are a few ways to make the most of the year, have fun, but also solidify your position as a strong applicant for your dream college?
Let me begin by saying that junior year has been extremely difficult. I have been overwhelmed with balancing grades, extracurriculars, sleep and a social life, but through the ups and downs that this year has brought, it has been worth the hard work as I learned many valuable lessons and really grasped what is important to me.
My first and most valuable piece of advice to students yet to experience junior year is to begin taking the ACT and SAT early during the year. By taking the ACT and SAT in August or September of junior year, you can feel peace by knowing your baseline score and knowing what skills you need to work on.
You can also decide if you are more skilled at the ACT or SAT and can focus on one moving forward during the year. The result of beginning early is that you won’t have to worry about taking the tests again during senior year in college application season.
Also, junior year is the time to lock in on your GPA. If you made the decision to take hard classes, you need to be mentally prepared going into the year that you will have to study more than you have ever studied before.
After all, GPA is the bulk of a college application, so it is vital to put in the hard work necessary to earn top grades even when studying feels like the last thing you want to do. Trust me, I know the feeling.
Taking advantage of tutorial is key as well. With extracurricular activities, work, school and family time on weeknights, there is no time to waste being confused at home. You need to capitalize on the 40 minutes of tutorial time even if it means waking up a little earlier. One-on-one time with a teacher to dig deeper into the material and truly understand the confusing parts will reap huge benefits for your GPA.
As far as extracurricular activities are concerned, choose activities that bring you joy and are something that you look forward to everyday. Do not waste your afternoons and weekends doing something that you do not enjoy just to build your resume.
Find your passion and stick to activities where you have fun. For me, flag football and tennis are extracurriculars that I look forward to everyday, so why not devote myself to getting better at these sports and being a great teammate.
Additionally, with college approaching in just one year, it is helpful to already have a list of possible colleges you want to attend.
My best advice for this is to begin touring colleges at the beginning of junior year, and even freshman and sophomore year if possible, where you have an idea of what you need to work toward.
Also, in my college search, the best tours are the ones during the school year where students are in session. Visiting on a weekday really provides a direct look at what day-to-day life is like on campus. And, in order to also see the fun activities that weekend college life brings, consider staying on a Friday night.
By discovering colleges that make you feel at home, it provides a strong sense of motivation to put in the work required to hopefully be admitted to that college.
When life, especially junior year, gets overwhelming, watching a TV show and scrolling through Instagram might bring temporary relief from all the hard work and stress, but Jesus is the answer to laying down our struggles. Matthew 11:28 is a great reminder that Jesus brings permanent rest when there is a lot on your plate.
It is so important to take time for yourself and find rest during junior year. You do not need to say yes to every sport, job, social activity, hard class and leadership position. Recognize how much you can handle and do not overwhelm yourself with too much going on.
After all, high school is supposed to be fun. You got this!
