Out of all four years of high school, junior year is notoriously known as the hardest year. It is the year that everyone warns you for and now starting the first semester of junior year, the hardship of the year is starting to approach. Junior year is known to be difficult for multiple reasons such as the academic rigor and emphasis on extracurriculars such as sports or an instrument. 

While freshman and sophomore year may have seemed like a breeze for many, with easy classes, few tests and quizzes, and barely any homework each night, junior year is often the harsh reality check that puts much stress and pressure on juniors. One of the main reasons why students decide to take academically challenging courses junior year in preparation for college level academics. Due to this, many students decide to take Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors classes which are considered to be more difficult and fast paced courses. On the other hand, College Prep (CP) classes should not be underlooked. These college prep courses can provide adequate preparation for college level classes and also have their own plethora of difficulties and challenges. 

Another reason why junior year is often seen as overwhelming and difficult is because many

 students participate in various extracurriculars as well as trying to maintain their grades. At YLHS, a plethora of extracurriculars are offered. For example, in the leadership category there is PTSA, NHS, and various other clubs. For the arts, dance company, the theater program, and video production is popular. Finally, the most common extracurricular activity is sports. Especially by junior year, many students take up the position of a varsity spot. This can be a big transition that adds to the increased pressure and stress that already comes with the academic challenges. 

Hearing from the perspective of a student who is involved in varsity cheer, NHS, and is enrolled in several AP and honors classes, Abby Reddick (11) shares that, “Junior year is definitely the hardest year of school that I have gone through. With my AP classes, I have hours and hours of homework each night and oftentimes I don’t get home until late at night because of my practice. I think that although this year is hard, it will all be worth it in the end

To conclude, junior year may come off as stressful, but there are many resources that you can use to decompress. For example, you can take time to meditate or write in a journal, talk to a friend, or simply take a day off.