For freshmen and sophomores, thinking about junior year is scary. Seniors are relieved as they look back at junior year and juniors struggle to maintain a balanced year with sports, friends and school work. But in all honesty, if you are able to stay on top of things and manage your time well then junior year isn’t as bad as it sounds. Below are a few things to do and not do to make sure your junior year is as successful as possible.

1. Time Management

I won’t sugar coat it: junior year has been by far the hardest year of high school, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible to do well and have fun too. The simplest piece of advice I can give you is to manage your time well. Do your homework when it’s assigned, don’t wait until the morning of or that day during lunch because all that does is add extra stress. If you have a big project, especially one like your research paper, don’t wait until the week before to do it, because you won’t be able to.

2. Exceed

If I could go back and do one thing my junior year it would be to take it more seriously. At times this year I put my social life before schooling and that is something I wish I could take back. Don’t just be an average student or do the minimum amount. Don’t just slide by and pass, but instead push yourself and work hard to get the best grades you can.

3. SAT/ College Prep

The worst mistake I made junior year was saving my SAT and college prep for the last minute. Take prep classes, work hard to get good grades for college and don’t save your SAT until the very last minute. Junior year is very important for college and if you are on top of things you can make the college application process much easier by working hard your junior year.

4. Friends

By the time junior year comes around people already have their set group of friends, but this doesn’t mean you can’t reach out and make new friends. The perfect place to make these new friends is at Journey, which if you haven’t gone to you need to! Don’t be afraid to talk to people you didn’t hang out with in the first few years of high school.  However, while branching out, be sure to stay close with old friends.

5. Have Fun

While junior year is stressful and hard, it can be very fun and adventurous as well. All freshman and sophomores look forward to the day they get to drive themselves to games and out to dinner with their friends after. Don’t look forward to senior year and graduating too much because time flies by so fast and before you know it you will all be going your separate ways. So you need to cherish every moment and have an amazing year with your friends.

6. Be open to change

A lot of unexpected things can occur your junior year. Like a change in friends, relationships and grades. In a time where so much is changing and going on around you, you have to be open to change. You have to be able to find a good balance between going with the flow but also staying true to yourself.

***

I didn’t mean to scare any of you freshman or sophomores but I just want to prepare you for the hard year coming. I hope that by reading this article you have become a little more prepared for your junior year.

Hey upperclassmen, do you have any advice not listed here? Let us know in the comments below!

Creative Commons photo source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/scubasteveo/296747958/