Junior year is considered the hardest year of high school by many. Grades matter the most, all while classes are harder than ever before. This year has definitely been the busiest I’ve been in all my schooling. Besides managing more school work this year, there is more pressure on extracurriculars, especially running, and responsibilities in general. I am someone that has interests in a wide area of subjects so instead of focusing on a couple of things, I usually attempt to do them all. Because I find it challenging to prioritize the different aspects of my life, it has been extra hard this year to balance school, running, piano, hobbies, and friends and family relationships.
The biggest change from last year is that my workload is a lot higher and harder with more advanced classes. Last year the only AP class I had was AP Computer Science Principles which is considered one of the much easier APs. This year though, I am taking AP Calculus BC, AP Lang, and AP Environmental Science. The workload in each of my classes fluctuates but on a given day I usually have enough work to last me through doing it on my morning commute to school and at least an hour at home.
Of my time commitments, running is the biggest. During the cross country season, August to November, and track season, February to May, we have practice 5 days a week, and most days I get home after 7pm. I have piano lessons on Tuesdays, so during the onseason I have to do long runs and workouts once I get back home, meaning I’ve sometimes had to miss dinner with my family. While running is year round, at least off season is less busy with no races on weekends or afterschool and few workouts.
Piano is another commitment which I have been doing since elementary school. Besides lessons, I also spend time practicing throughout the week, half an hour to an hour a day. On top of extracurriculars and being a student-athlete, this year I’ve taken on new projects such as painting my room, getting into film photography, and getting my drivers permit.
A less obvious timetaker is commuting to school. I spend at least 11 hours commuting a week. My parents are separated and I switch places during the week so my route each day varies, but on average it takes me around 45 minutes each way. Because I spend so much time on the bus, I do a majority of my school work on it. I have spent many mornings doing homework that would be due before that day’s class period and studying for a test on that day. Other than school work, I use my time on the bus to catch up on sleep, listen to music, or just look out the window to give my brain a break. While I don’t love spending so much time on the bus, it is also helpful for me because it gives me a designated time to do work without distractions like things in my room or my sister.
I think putting pressure on myself to do a lot is beneficial in some ways, but I have also found it negatively impacting me. I feel a lot more stressed which tends to make me more prone to procrastination, digging myself deeper in the vicious cycle of stress. By getting less sleep in general, It gets really hard to wake up early enough to get to school on time (I wake up at 7, and should leave around 7:30). Rarely getting to school on time has definitely affected my grade in 1st period which has tardy penalties, but also simply my learning in that class.
One of the biggest things I’ve found a problem with committing to too much is that I end up doing bare minimum in many of my classes and feeling unsatisfied with my work. It turns my mindset from getting the most out of school into how I can do the least possible to make time for everything else, which makes me feel unhappy and see work as a chore. In addition, when I feel overwhelmed with school work, practicing piano regularly is often one of the first things to go. I also have been hanging out with my friends over the weekend less this year because I need that time to do homework and projects, and I am tired from the week.
Even though trying to do maybe just too much is having a negative effect on me, I also know that this is also just the experience of being a junior. This year has been giving me good preparation for college and I have noticed that having more to do has forced me to learn how to use my time better and more efficiently.
