Why is it that no matter what age you are, the dreaded junior year is going to come and haunt you? Now, I am just warning you, I may be using frightening words since the Halloween month of October is looming. However, that does not make junior year any scarier than it already is. I really could go on and on with an endless list of reasons as to why junior year in college is difficult. Didn’t we already go through this in high school? Now we have an entirely new list of tortures.

See, it goes like this. Yes, freshman year is tricky (see what I did there) because you do not know many people, you are still transitioning, and you are away from home for what feels like forever. However, you can always pull the freshman card as your excuse. Like if you’re late to class, you can just say I forgot where it was or I went to the wrong building. P.S. I still do that now (actually) and I am a junior, obviously. So, it really isn’t that bad once you are in your second month. Then we have sophomore year, which seriously is the best one because by now, you have a handle on college, you know who your friends are and you know what your body does and does not like at Ray. Gross, but true. Sophomore year seriously is a breeze, come on. Plus, you are ending Development of Western Civilization (CIV). That in itself is motivation enough to get you through it. You’ve got the CIV Scream to think about! Okay, now I am not even trying to put in those Halloween references, they just keep coming to me.

Now, I am going to skip junior year and talk about senior year. Although I cannot say that being a senior is easy, as I have not experienced my last year yet, I can imagine it is pretty great. By this time, you know what you want to do with your life, usually, like graduate school and what kind of job you hope to get soon. You also have Senior Ring Weekend and most seniors I have talked to also have a pretty light schedule since most of their credits are already fulfilled. The hardest part about it seems like it is coping with the sadness and stress of becoming an adult soon. Now, let’s rewind to junior year. I have come up with five reasons why junior year can seriously haunt you at night and during the day, too.

1. The Core Curriculum

Okay, now is the time where you start worrying about fulfilling all of your credits, especially the feared core curriculum. Let’s face it, no one enjoys taking core classes. And if you do, I would love to meet you because I have never met a single student who does. Yes, CIV is over for most, but you still cannot shake off theology, philosophy, ethics, logic, etc. Guess what, you have to fit them all in NOW. Unless you want to spend your celebrated senior year taking them. Plus, if you are a procrastinator, you probably put majority of your core classes off until now. Well, here is a wake up call. There is a lot of them and they are due soon, very soon.

2. Study Abroad

So, you are either studying abroad and feeling extremely stressed since you are in a completely different environment with barely anyone you know, surrounded by people speaking a differently language and using money that you may have never even heard of. Yes, it is an amazing experience, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t absolutely exhausting. Or, you are not studying abroad and wondering to yourself constantly why you chose to stay on campus when everyone else is living their lives to the fullest. So, you have infinite exhaustion or depression. Your pick.

3. Relationships

Is it just me or is practically everyone in relationships? Now, I am not complaining since I have a boyfriend, but all of my friends are. Ha, ha. It seems like junior year is the year to “couple up” and find that person you plan on coming back and marrying in the PC chapel. Good luck. No pressure.

4. Money

I am literally broke. Why? Junior year is the year where practically every single junior lives in an apartment. So, you have plenty of extra expenses like GROCERIES. You can’t live with them because your wallet will be empty, cannot live without them because well it’s food- pretty self- explanatory. Not to mention extra furniture, decorations, supplies and a whole crap more of stuff you need to get yourself through the day.

5. Work

Last but not least, work. I am not just talking about schoolwork, but an actual job. By this year, most students are trying to get a job or already have one and are drowning in it, like me. This is when you are supposed to be making a living for yourself as much as you can to keep up with everything else. Not to mention how much homework we have junior year, flashback to high school. And is it just me or did midterms come early this year? Let me know.

Well, thank you for listening, or really reading, to my rant about junior year. I felt as though I had to write this or I might have exploded. If you are a junior, you feel my pain or may be slightly more optimistic. If you aren’t, get ready for it. And for seniors, happy last year!