Congratulations! You’re already halfway through your passage to high school graduation! It may not feel like much of a leap entering into a new grade full of seemingly new – yet endless – struggle, but I can assure you that everything will be fine. Just take a breath. Everything will work itself out. But, just in case you are overwhelmed with everything that may come with upperclassman life, I’ve curated a list of favorites from my own personal guide to success.
First off, be thankful for what you have (and don’t have). No one says this enough. Sure, you may feel overwhelmed with all of the math homework that you have, but maybe you just got a good test score back! And you may be in Precalculus (precalc) without any of your friends, but maybe you could make some new ones! Oh, and see your classmate sitting in a corner worrying about their Common App essay? Yeah, be thankful that you don’t actually have to deal with that—yet. Junior year is like any other thing in life: it’s all about balance.
Now. Please. This isn’t as much of advice as it is a demand. Stay organized. If you haven’t already, take some time to get acquainted with your new best friend: Google calendar. I know, I know, you’ve probably heard this one twenty times over. But I can promise that it works. As a freshman, I used to rely solely on my notes app and perhaps an unhealthy dose of hope to manage all of my meetings. Which, in theory, sounds fine. It wasn’t. Did you know that Google Calendar even has a feature to send meeting invitations to teachers for reassessments and the like? Now you have no reason to put off those physics reassessments that you need to bump your grade up. Okay, okay, I promised myself this wouldn’t turn into a sponsorship for Google calendar. A planner works all the same. Regardless, get organized. Find a tool that works for you and stick with it.
Find time for yourself. There is no need for you to overwork yourself to the ground. You are sixteen, not thirty, and you will have time to get everything done. I promise. Find a hobby or two that brings you actual happiness. Not everything needs to go onto your Common App page. Do you like swimming? That’s great. Spend some time soaking up the sun and winning a handful of junior competitions. Hopefully you’re good and have some bragging rights to use against your friends. But if you’re terrible, that’s fine, too! Personally, I love archery, but I am absolutely pathetic. And that’s perfectly okay. I have accepted the fact that it is merely a hobby to fill my time and not the skill that will ultimately get me into Harvard.
Speaking of Harvard, let’s face the facts: you may get in, you may not get in. Regardless, it’s okay. Don’t worry about what your classmates are doing or saying or lying about. Focus on yourself. And trust me, I know it’s hard. Ignoring their opinions may be one of the hardest things you’ve done. You’ve probably spent your whole life learning to appreciate what others have to say. But when it comes to college and your future, don’t. No one else has a magic 8 ball that can predict your life. So, continue to work on yourself. Learn to grow and to cherish moments and to relax.
One last thing: learn. You’re going to make mistakes. Small ones. Big ones. And there’s no shame in that. Everybody’s spoken out of line or ruined their share of a group project. But it’s what you do with those mistakes that counts. Continue to push through. And, look, I know it’s hard. There are no words to describe the litany of roadblocks that will soon come your way. But, just this once, you’ve got to trust me. I’ve been there. I have had good days and bad days just like everyone else. But I think what separates me has been my determination to beat failure. Which, I know, isn’t really a thing, but to me it is the capacity to turn your weaknesses into strengths and to defy expectations set on you. Pick yourself back up and keep going: junior year halts for no one. You’re going to be great.
With so much love,
a former junior