Things I Wish I Knew Before My Junior Year

Now that I am a senior, I feel overly qualified to tell you tips and little advice that you should know before you stumble into your junior year of high school. Disclaimer: These will not apply to everybody because we all work in weird ways, so if these don’t apply/work for you. Do not fret, trust your gut instincts and your mother.

1.) Plan Ahead: Standardized Tests, as much as I abhor these tests, please do study for them. I, for some reason that I am not able to explain, took my first and last SAT in June and then a week later took my second ACT. On top of all that, I just started my summer physics course, not a smart idea. Know when you are ready to take the tests and plan them apart with your schedule! Everything looks fine two weeks before but then when that dreaded AP/state testing week comes by, you'll forget anything and everything. 

2.) Here lie your true friends: After all the stress and exhaustion junior year places on your inner circle of friends, you really find who your friends are because of how your friendships went over the year. If you didn’t reach out or didn’t reply back after I reached out, you were canceled. I found out the people I can trust to have my back when I’m in a dizzy space and those that are there for other reasons than friendship.

3.) Know when you’re at the brink of exhaustion: I had so many mental break downs because I was giving 70% to a sport, and 50% to academics and then 30% to ACT prep, I stretched myself out thin and then tried to keep myself together. So know when you’re struggling and reach out or just calm yourself. College and the future won’t be there if you’re not taking care of yourself now, your future self is counting on you.

4.) Focus on me: Stop comparing yourself to others, just because someone got a 97% on their math test, doesn’t mean that your 86% is a failing. If you are giving 100% of yourself to something, then that’s all I want from you. That stress and anxiety will not help you in the long run and definitely is not worth the time. Remember that progress looks different to everyone, so do what you can do and stop focusing on others.

5.) Time Management: I literally hated waking up early in the mornings to do some little bit of homework that I left the last night because I didn’t feel like doing. Know your priority and prioritize, because junior year begins in full swing and ends with a 180-degree drop from your school to the underworld. Know what you have to do and stop procrastinating.

So everyone will experience a different junior year, but be nice to everyone and have a good time! My junior year was hectic but I made it one of the best years of my life with my friends and family. So don’t stress but don’t slack off either! Just take every day as it goes and enjoy your high school years!