Junior year is full of surprises, and while many of them are good, reality soon slaps you in the face. Yes, it starts back in May of your sophomore

year, when you thought it was a good idea to sign up for all of those challenging classes. Did I mention you should prepare for the ACT?

What is the ACT, you ask? The American College Test is a standardized paper-and-pencil exam that helps colleges evaluate certain candidates for acceptance… But what I really mean is, it defines everything after high school, if you plan on going to college. For all of you over-achievers, good luck. It’s distributed into four portions, which are each timed, (yes, you are allowed to cry.)

So you’re sitting at home after your first day of school, wondering what happened between the time you left your sophomore year  and came back your junior year. Did we suddenly become capable of all this work? How do I finish binge-watching my Netflix series, and study for the four test I have this Friday? There is no trick to it, it’s all about picking and choosing. I will tell you though, the school work is inevitable.

As if you can’t catch catch a break from the constant work, the confusing lessons, and having to wake up every single day at the crack of dawn, you have to start to looking into colleges. Is it just me or do you feel like you’re still 13, too? The thought of having to grow up and make decisions, such as a career path, or even what college I want to go to, makes me want to vomit.

My expectation of high school was like anyone’s (High School Musical, duh), but I was surprised when sophomore year was a little more complicated. As if I thought it would get easier over the years, it was not. Things don’t have to be complicated, it all depends on the classes you take, but there are plenty of courses that are required.

Nowhere have I yet to see warning labels about the stress that comes with your third year of high school. Then, after a solid two weeks of trying to catch up, sports really start picking up, and if you play sports, or just enjoy watching, it’s like a whole other layer of time is gone from your days.

Not to mention, if you have a job, you don’t have as much time to complete your homework. You don’t get home until late at night, so you don’t get us much sleep as you want, before you have to wake up early. In some households, you have to have a job to stay afloat, and the worst part is that most teachers won’t take that into consideration, granted it is not their fault some times.. Yes, there is a curriculum, yes, there are tests, but we do have other things going on outside of your class, and the other six we are required to attend.

In the midst of all this chaos, you seriously find out who your true friends. This is both good and bad, because you find out before you invest too much time, but it also stinks because it creates more stress when you don’t have your best friend(s) with you to struggle throughout the business of high school.

Even though, in my opinion,  junior year is absolutely the hardest year, it will go by fast, just like the past 10+ years of school have. Like me, you just have to keep reminding yourself that you CAN do it, and you will achieve whatever you set your mind to. There are such things as teachers who do care and will help you. Last but not least, it is not the end of the world, and things will be okay.