Junior year

Sahil Tanna

With exams and college applications approaching, Naperville North juniors are currently reaching the climax of second semester. This means piles of homework, standardized tests, and pressure to plan for the future. Many feel buried beneath mountains of stress and are counting down the days to summer.

Junior year 一 the illustrious third year of high school 一 is infamously known for its rigorous school work and for being the most crucial year of high school. After all, junior year marks a teen’s transition into the responsibility that comes with being an upperclassman.

Many students enter their junior year with pre-set expectations. Luke Zhang, a Naperville North sophomore, elaborates on how many underclassmen fear the year due to the massive stigma around it.

“I have heard that junior year is the most important but rigorous year, where you become involved in a myriad of activities, and it’s a time to be thinking about colleges and your future,” Zhang said.

According to The Princeton Review, junior year is the last full year high school students get to shine before colleges begin to assess them. This fact alone is the drive for many students to load up on AP and honors classes as a way to show those schools that they are ready for college-level work. Many juniors at Naperville North immerse themselves in these classes and extracurriculars with hopes of demonstrating that they are the ideal college candidate.

Naperville North junior Irene Chao feels the year requires critical time management skills in order to complete a long list of criteria to impress colleges.

“There are so many factors that you have to consider, [such as] extracurriculars, future majors, thinking about which colleges you're applying to, your social life, college prep tests, homework, and sleep,” Chao said.

Chao finds herself struggling to get eight hours of sleep and admits she only gets four to five hours of sleep each night. She attributes her lack of sleep to the heavy load of homework from her accelerated classes.

If a student’s schoolwork gets to a point where it greatly interferes with their personal health, that should be the flashing red sign that a change should be made. Although trying to impress colleges might be the only thing on a student’s mind, it should not be prioritized over their well-being. Just because colleges like to see rigor in a junior’s class schedule does not mean every class has to be weighted. It is all about finding that balance 一 sometimes taking an unweighted elective such as a Fine Arts or CTE course based on personal interest can show more to colleges about who that student really is.

Another problem juniors face is procrastination. The art of brushing work aside for a more entertaining alternative is a struggle for many students. Kayla Anderson is another Naperville North junior who finds herself struggling with the issue more often then she would like.

“I feel a lack of motivation to do my homework and easily become distracted with other things. I make excuses and then the workload becomes too much to handle,” Anderson said.

However, once students finally decide to work on their assignments, the race to submit by an impending deadline causes even more stress, with students staying up in the late hours of the night, overloading on caffeine-laden drinks and turning in sloppy, rushed work. The only way to be successful is to make use of each and every hour of the day. Create a schedule or to-do-list and incorporate a few breaks that allow the mind to soak in new information. Make use of school time by working during lunch in the silent study room or opt to take a study hall.

Juggling numerous elements on a small plate can be quite a challenge, and the only way to ensure a successful and prosperous year is by finding a balance. This key to success is certainly not going to look the same for every student, but everyone can benefit from making healthy changes. Juniors need to know their limits and understand that their own well-being is more important than any college acceptance.

Senior year

Tia Arcot

It is the end of an era. With my senior year of high school ending in about a month and a half, I am shocked at how fast time flew by. From applying to college to participating in senior activities, this year has definitely been a rollercoaster; there were many things that went well, yet I made mistakes along the way that added stress to my senior year. Here are some tips, based on my experience, that might help future seniors.

College

The summer before your senior year, start researching colleges, compiling your college list, filling out the basic information on the Common Application and starting on the Common Application essay during this free time.

When researching and creating your list, don’t simply base your choice off U.S. World & News rankings. While rankings can be helpful and should not be disregarded, they do not determine whether a school is a good fit for you. Take time to thoroughly research multiple factors, including college type, financial aid, academics, student life and location. Along with that, make sure your list is balanced in admission difficulty. I aimed to apply to mostly “target” schools whose average credentials matched mine, with a couple of “reaches” (I was below average) and “safeties” (I was above average).

For the Common Application essay, start brainstorming ideas and pick the prompt that you will write your essay on. You don’t need an extravagant experience to craft a compelling essay; some truly incredible essays come from ordinary yet meaningful experiences in students’ lives. Think of an important moment in your life, an activity you’re passionate about, or an event that you grew from. Try to finish a rough draft of your essay by the summer. I spent a good chunk of time in August brainstorming, and it prevented me from having to scramble for ideas in the midst of the busy school year.

During the school year, aim to finish your Common Application essay by September, fully edited and ready to go. This gives you a lot of time in October to finish individual college supplemental essays. If you can, try to apply by colleges’ early action deadlines, which are usually Nov. 1, to have early access to scholarships and other opportunities. If you’re applying regular decision (typically Jan. 1) only, you have a bit more time to finish your essays and application. Spend a little bit of time each day working on your applications, so that you don’t have to cram over winter break.

As you wait for the decision, focus on your schoolwork and spend time applying to outside scholarships. Scholarships.com and Cappex are free resources that can help you find scholarships quickly.

Once you get your decisions back, you may be faced with unfortunate rejections. However, your capability as a student and your worth has not been diminished. College admissions are truly unpredictable at times, and you can succeed and be happy at any one of your other acceptances.

Make sure to check your email frequently throughout the year, and be aware of scholarship and special program applications offered by the schools you are accepted to. I made the mistake of missing important emails since I failed to check my inbox, and I also missed out on scholarship and program opportunities since I put those application deadlines on the backburner.

Academics

Yes, senioritis is real. It hit me hard this semester, as I am really aching to graduate and simply don’t care as much about my schoolwork. However, you have to stay on top of your game the whole year, because colleges can rescind admission post-acceptance.

During first semester, balancing college applications with my schoolwork, a part-time job and extracurricular activities proved to be difficult. I procrastinated on my homework and sometimes didn’t even do it, which I do not recommend. Make sure to find time in the day when you can do your homework. For me, this entailed going to Starbucks or shutting my phone off completely when doing my homework. I also tried to get my homework done in school when I had the time, as it prevented me from having to do more when I got home.

Social and personal life

Ultimately, this year was very stressful for me, and I truly regret not taking better care of my health. I typically got about five hours of sleep per night, and even though it may seem like coffee could do the trick, I could barely concentrate in class due to my exhaustion. Remember to go to sleep at a reasonable time, and monitor your mental and physical health as a whole. In the midst of all of the stress that comes with senior year, take time to yourself on weekends to do activities you enjoy and spend time with your friends and family.

Most importantly, enjoy senior year! Participate in senior activities, such as prom and Senior Celebration. I regret not participating in multiple senior activities, as they truly are memorable experiences and only come around once.

It’s your last year of high school, so make the most of it! Because once you go to college, you’re back to being a freshman.