There often is a lot of stigma around junior year. Whenever asked what grade I am in and I tell people that I am a junior, they precede with “good luck”. I was never able to quite understand why it is considered one of the most challenging years of high school, and going into the year, I tried not to let this negativity that was associated with the upcoming year affect my outlook on the future. Even though I am currently only a quarter of the year through, I propose a different type of stigma around the year. So far, junior year has been one of the best years in high school, but it has also been one the most demanding thus far. 

Since this is the year when many students take AP classes for the first time, there is definitely more rigor in classes –at least for me. This was the first year I took any AP classes, and I definitely felt the shift from honors classes to AP. But, I would not say that it is a bad shift, but instead a positive one. Yes, there is a lot more work and the concepts are not only harder but are taught at a faster pace, but I believe that this allows people to truly thrive in school. As a runner, I usually use running analogies throughout my life to help describe situations that I face on a daily basis. Consider the following: you are a runner, and not only a runner, but a good one. Without training consistently or even running that often, you can still run at a decent pace. And although you are good at running, since you are not training or exploring different plans, you will never get better than you are without training. I think of rigorous classes as such. Yes, just like with running, you often think to yourself why did you choose to do that to yourself? But with hard work and determination, even if you do not get the result you want (because let’s be honest life usually doesn’t end with all rainbows and butterflies), you still know that you gave it your all, and at the end of it, you have a sense of accomplishment. There are often times when I want to just give up while studying for a big upcoming test, but I know that if I just get through the hard stuff, the good part will be so much sweeter. 

Besides being a writer for the school newspaper (at least trying my best to be), I also hold a leadership position in two clubs along with being part of seven other clubs on top of being a full-season athlete. I’m not complaining about all the stuff that I do, but instead, I’m trying to help you understand how involved I am in the school. Like I said before, another common theme seen throughout the negativity surrounding junior year is how busy you are, so much so that you barely have any free time. While this is true, as I just showed you by listing my involvement, I think that this idea discounts how a lot of the responsibilities and reasons why one is busy is not because you are doing things you don’t like. It’s the opposite, in fact. All the clubs that I am in, including Patriot Press, I am in because I genuinely enjoy doing it. It is not exactly free time to be writing an article, but I still do it because I enjoy it. If I didn’t enjoy it, then there’s no point in actually being part of the club. So, while the schedule might be hectic, it’s hectic because I am engulfing myself in things that I enjoy doing such as writing, running, teaching others how to be more tolerant, and even learning more about science. 

A fun fact about me is that I am one of the oldest people in my grade. I got my license in September, and it has been both a freedom and a blessing to be able to drive. Guess when this liberty is given to teenagers in New Jersey? Junior year (at least usually)! Such a fun and exciting accomplishment that is often forgotten in what some call the “hell year”. Being able to plan with my friends, not having to wait for my mom to pick me up, and simply being able to go on a Starbucks run, are all things I have gained this year so far.

There is no doubt that this year has been the most “normal” year of my high school life. While COVID-19 is still prevalent, it is no longer impacting my day-to-day life. This year, I have been able to experience things that I had only heard about in movies. Homecoming dance, tailgates, no masks in school, large lunches, and a better overall experience have occurred in this post-COVID-19 era. Although we had football games and BOTC last year, this year it has been so much better, due to the fear of getting sick and being eliminated. While this might not apply to future nor prior junior classes, I think that just as COVID-19 has made its impact in history, it has made its impact on my life and everyone around me to where it has its due diligence to be mentioned. 

To future me, I hope that you continue to work hard and don’t let small defeats impact your overall goal. It is important to remember at the end of the day that one bad race, one bad grade, or even a bad day does not define who you are and what you have accomplished. To future junior classes entering their first marking period, I leave you with the following. Expect the classes to be hard, but also expect to have a good time celebrating with your friend that you guys passed a test. Expect to have fun at different school events. Expect to be nervous for your drivers’ test, and then feel that joy when the instructor tells you that you passed. And most of all, expect the junior year to challenge you – but do not let it defeat you.