By Oliver Hirschheimer
Junior year has become somewhat of a legend. When people talk about it, it’s always “You’ve just got to hunker down and power through it,” as if this one year of school is enough to do someone in.
While the reality of the situation is not that grim, junior year certainly isn’t easy. School work piles up higher and higher. ACT and SAT tests will cause enough stress to cause an aneurysm. School sports pick up in intensity, and there’s a good chance that you’ll feel that your friends are handling this all better than you. The truth is, the stress of junior year hits everyone. Others are just better at concealing it. How do I know this? Because I just went through it myself. The year went pretty well for me, but sometimes I wish someone helped me out with some tips going into this pivotal year of school. So, I’ve decided to give you the three most important tips that I wish someone had told me.
Tip #1: Try and do as much as you can within the school day
One of the big stressors of junior year is that students don’t have enough time in their day. If you do a school sport, after getting home, showering, and eating dinner, it might already be 7pm. Having four subjects worth of homework and an entire ACT practice test to do is no easy feat this late at night after working so hard all day. So, to try to minimize the amount of work you have, do what you can during the school day. If you’re in math class, and you get five minutes to start your homework, do your homework for five minutes, don’t talk to your friends instead. If you have a spare moment during a free period, do a few questions of whatever homework you have that day. These little moments and minutes of time can add up quickly, and help make junior year’s large workload a little bit more manageable.
Tip #2: Don’t use your phone during class time
While this one might sound like a no-brainer, you’d be surprised how many students are on their phone during key moments in class. All of a sudden, those people are studying more than they have to because they need to find out this key information on their own. I get that everyone checks Snapchat in class, but don’t do it when the teacher is explaining the whole point of the unit you’re learning. You can resist temptation by putting your phone in your backpack, leaving it in your locker, or giving it to a trusted friend. By avoiding using your phone in class you’ll save time, reduce stress, and improve your grade.
Tip #3: Don’t compare yourself to others and focus on self-improvement
During my junior year, I felt that everyone around me was doing so well, and that I was falling behind. Everyone around me was getting 90s and 100s with ease on every test, while I was trying my best to not get below a 85 (which I did not always succeed in doing). However, after December break, I shifted my thinking. Instead of being disappointed that I got an 87 because my friends were getting 95s, I decided to be happy with my 87, and continue to improve in school. When I started to focus on just myself, I noticed that my grades slowly increased from 80s to 90s, my stress levels decreased dramatically, and I was a generally more happy version of myself. It’s not about how good you are in comparison to those around you. It’s about how much you can improve in comparison to yourself.
Tip #4: Have fun outside of school
The school year is from September to June. That’s nearly 10 months of school. During junior year, that means 10 months of hard work, difficult classes, and so many tests your head may just pop off. So, during this time, it’s important to have fun. Not every Saturday night should be spent preparing for your APUSH test. Some Saturday nights should be for hanging out with friends, laughing, partying, and shaking off some of those nerves and anxieties. Just because junior year is important doesn’t mean you should give up any of the things you genuinely enjoy. By having fun and reducing your stress, you may even end up helping yourself out academically. Taking a test with less nerves can actually help you improve your score. I’m not encouraging constant social activity. However, in doses, putting off studying and having a good time is very important to thriving in junior year.
Junior year is make or break. It’s the year that out of all four years of high school is the most impactful for colleges. Tests, friends, ACTs, SATs, and more make this year harder and more stressful than any other year at this point in your life. However, if you implement some of these tips and tricks into your daily routine next year, it can make this stressful year just a little bit easier.
