Freshman year was an adjustment that turned out to be one of the best years of your life. Sophomore year got better for some people, or just fell a little flat. Now, you are a junior, and while you cannot comprehend how you got to the second half of your college career so quickly, there is a lot to look forward to.
1. You Can Study Abroad
Not everyone studies abroad, but if you do, it is typical to go during your fall or spring semester of junior year. This is obviously something to look forward to because you can choose in which exotic location you want to study, whether you are working on your Portuguese in Brazil, seeing breathtaking landscapes in New Zealand, or truly getting to know the continent of Europe. Studying abroad is an experience like no other because you can live in a foreign country, make new friends, and attend a university that is unlike any you have ever attended.
2. You Are Mostly Done With Core/Distribution Requirements
Most schools have a certain set of classes or categories of classes that are required for all students to take in order to discover new interests and get a well-rounded education. If you started freshman year undecided on your major, you spent a lot of time during your first semesters taking these required classes. By junior year, you are done with these classes, so you can finally focus on classes in which you are 100% interested in the subject matter. It is a lot easier to look forward to getting your schoolwork when you are excited about each course that you are going to take.
3. You Love Where You Live
As an upperclassmen, it is common to live in an off campus house or apartment with your best friends. This gives you more of a feeling of independence and is downright more fun. You are constantly surrounded by people who you want to be with and there are no rules (time to get a kitten) or gross communal bathrooms (say goodbye to shower shoes).
4. You Have College Life Figured Out
It is sad to think about this, but you have done it all. You have been through both sides of sorority/fraternity recruitment, had four first days of classes, taken upper level courses in you major, probably saw the start and end of a romantic relationship, joined all of the clubs in which you are going to be involved, and know the campus and dining halls like the back of your hand. You may not have everything figured out, but when it comes to your college, you know what you are doing.
5. You Are Not A Senior
You get all of these benefits of learning about what you want to learn, living with your friends, and feeling comfortable at your school, without having to worry about graduating yet. You may not understand how you are already in your third year of college, but at least it is not your last. So, enjoy being a junior, because you may just find that it is the best thing to be!
