Ashtyn Miller | Opinion | May

 As this school year wraps up, I’ve been reflecting on how my junior year has gone. And, to be completely honest, it sucked. This is definitely not a new sentiment. Time and time again I have heard that junior year is the worst part of high school. But, being either overly naive or egotistical (or a bit of both), I believed that I would be spared from the “Junior Year Curse”. Boy was I wrong.

   First of all, every interaction with an adult feels like an interrogation. My entire year has been filled with the same godforsaken questions. “What’s your plans after high school?” “Where are you going to college?” “What are you going to major in?” Not that they come with ill intentions, I’m just tired of hearing the same things over and over again. It takes everything in me not to scream, “I don’t know! Leave me alone!”

   Then there’s the crazy workload. Compared to previous years, Junior year comes with high level classes and even higher expectations. This is the year that colleges look at for grades. So on top of having hard classes, you’re expected to do well in them. I feel like I’m constantly on edge making sure that my grades are where they should be. Every time I go to take a test it’s like I’m gambling with my life.

Oh, and finally, you're expected to balance all of this on top of extracurriculars and volunteering. If you want any chance of getting into a halfway decent university, you’re expected to spend your miniscule amount of free time showing how “well-rounded” you are. While I do think it’s important to be involved in your community, there is absolutely no way a normal person can juggle all these things and remain sane. I should know. 

   I’ve spent the majority of this year burnt out and questioning my future. Every day seems to find a new way to push me ever closer to my limit, and I’m sick of it. I miss the carefree days of Freshmen and Sophomore year. I miss simply going to school and rotting at home. I miss everything feeling easy. But, most of all, I miss being at peace. If you asked me at thirteen what I wanted to do ith my life, I could give you a detailed twenty year plan. If you asked me now, I’d tell you that I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. Isn’t it crazy that you’re supposed to know what to do for the next forty to fifty years in high school?

   That’s not to say it’s been all bad. In the grand scheme of things, all these problems are tiny. There’s definitely perks to being a junior as well. In my experience, at least, teachers tend to be more relaxed, virtual days are more frequent, and you overall have a lot more freedom. And, as much as they stressed me out, I made so many great memories through my extracurriculars. I suppose Junior year is like a lot of things in life; full of the good and bad. A little advice for the upcoming Juniors: appreciate the good and accept the bad.