My junior year has not gone as planned.

I’ll be honest; it’s been the most challenging year of my life. 

My grades aren’t where I expected.

 I’ve worked harder than I ever have before, and to this point there aren’t many accomplishments to show for it. 

It’s frustrating, yeah.

My dad was on the receiving end of several tear-filled phone calls about test scores this year. 

Not joking.

But I can honestly say that I’ve taken on some of the most challenging classes our school has to offer (made it out alive), and benefited from them.

I’m more prepared for college than ever. If I take away the microscope I use in AP Biology and look at the big picture, college readiness is what counts.

If I can do this, anyone can.

Enrollment is here and I would recommend signing up for a few of those tough courses you think will send you over the edge. 

They won’t. 

No matter what that AP class will throw at you, with a good sense of time management and some motivation you’ll be able to work your way through it.

I did it. 

If I was able to, it’s possible.

I can almost guarantee some late nights spent reading a textbook or writing an essay though. 

It’s all part of the job description. 

College classes require college-level reading and college-level application.

More nights than not I fall asleep with a textbook in my hands, the lights on in my room and my glasses perched on my nose. I got used to it.

You’ll probably consume a good amount of coffee, energy drinks, Rooster Boosters, etc., and spend a good portion of your paycheck on them. 

A tough junior schedule isn’t a bad thing — the challenge will make you a more responsible, driven student.

 But the benefits don’t come easily. There’s plenty of work that goes with it. And by plenty, I mean a near overwhelming amount. 

Junior year can teach you a few things:

    1. A 50 percent on a unit exam isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

    2. In order to do well in pretty much any class, you actually have to read the material. This can be harder than it sounds. Textbooks (at least the ones we use) are not written like action novels.

    3. One low semester grade won’t kill your GPA.

It can also teach you a lot about yourself. You’ll become the kind of student who does the homework, reading and test-prep even if it isn’t worth a grade. 

Just start preparing now, though, because speaking from experience, junior year was a wake-up call for me. Kind of like that annoying alarm clock that I wake up to at 5:30 a.m. every day to finish up my physics worksheets and pre-calculus book assignments. 

Freshmen and sophomores need to form good study habits now so that come junior year, five chapter’s worth of material isn’t impossible to study for. 

Try to use your assignment book to designate time increments or page numbers to get a certain amount of reading done every night. 

That way, you don’t end up reading two chapters of history in the early morning hours before a test. Been there, done that. 

For seniors who made it through this year: I applaud you.

For my fellow classmates: we’re halfway done. 

For freshmen and sophomores: junior year isn’t impossible, it just seems like it when you’re there.

by Caitlin Holland