There’s no feeling more satisfying than entering your fourteenth and final year at Parker, and redeeming the title “senior” after spending countless years waiting your turn to be the oldest in the school. And there’s no feeling less satisfying than entering your fourteenth and final at Parker, but not feeling like much of a senior at all.

Upon studying abroad last year in Zaragoza, Spain with “School Year Abroad” and missing out on the formal junior year experience of drowning in homework from United States History, American Lit, and Physics—all while studying for the ACT—I’ve had to make up for the things I couldn’t do while I was away. I’ve had to sacrifice parts of my senior year as well, all during a transition back to the Parker environment—one that has not been easy.

On a normal day, I find myself travelling from classes that consist of only juniors to classes of only seniors. Though I am indeed a senior and will graduate in the spring, my senior year experience feels much more like a chaotic hybrid between both years. Other seniors, such as Olivia Garg and Abby Smith, went abroad during their junior year and share similar experiences returning to Parker.

To better capture my current academic situation, I’ve adopted the title “Jenior”, which I define as one who is burdened by both the responsibilities of being a senior and being a junior. What is it like being a Jenior?

In some ways, I am undeniably a senior. I participate in senior year requirements such as “Senior Seminar.” I’m a regular in the College Counseling office. And speaking of college, the application process has woven it’s way into my free time, totally consuming it.

I am of the oldest students at Parker (given my senior status and my September birthday), which by default makes me of the scariest. I have the ability to take naps in the fourth floor chairs as I please. I take senior elective classes, like Lit and Censorship and Poetry. Most importantly, I am experiencing the beginning stages of a common sickness called “Senioritis,” in which a senior’s motivation is at an all time low.

Although the preceding features of my year very much qualify me to be a senior, there are also features of my year are the same as that of most junior students. The most notable aspect is that I take Physics and U.S. history. These are two infamously difficult junior classes that are particularly designed for students who are not yet occupied with completing college applications.

When discussing my workload with my senior friends, I’ll often receive responses such as “oh, I remember that assignment,” or “that brings back bad memories.” Likewise, I find myself conversing with other juniors about the classes I share with them more often than my senior classes.

Additionally, I spend about half of my day in classes with other juniors. I’ve built relationships with students that began through group projects and assigned seating arrangements that have developed into friendships outside of the classroom. These new connections have made my transition to Parker more manageable. Seeing familiar faces around the school makes Parker feel like an inviting, non-intimidating atmosphere.

Furthermore, it’s not easy being a Jenior, and one of the only Jeniors. At times I feel like no one can relate to my experiences. During my time abroad, I attended a school that was almost entirely composed of juniors, given that every class attends the school for only one year.

This meant there weren’t very many younger or older students to compare my own experiences to. Thus, my year abroad never felt like much of a junior year, but rather a year away from home, or a quick intermission between my four years of high school at Parker.

Though a sacrifice, leaving Parker for a year gave me perspective on my life in Chicago and helped me clarify who I am as a student and young woman.

I’ve also learned that everyone has their own academic path, which is driven by their curiosity and interests and leads them to unique opportunities that will cause them to develop as individuals. Despite the difficulties that come with this year, it was my choice to go abroad and take the path that I have. I wouldn’t have chosen it to be any other way.