Remember your junior year of high school? College applications, SAT's, scholarship applications, extracurricular activities, state exams... and you were still expected to get good grades! From eighth grade on, students across the nation hear how important your junior year of high school is, but has anyone ever warned you about junior year of college? Well let me tell you, it will be one of the most emotionally draining, stressful, hectic and fun years of your life.
1. Your professors aren't messing around anymore.
This is now (at least) your third year in college. This means that you have made it halfway through (CONGRATS!) However, your professors know this too. This means that as a junior, you're expected to do everything on your own. Don't expect emails from professors reminding you about exams, or extensions on deadlines, because by now you're expected to know how to manage your time and complete everything on time.
2. It's a little too late to get off track.
Most of us plan to graduate in about four years. By the time you're a junior you should be well into the curriculum for your major. What if you decide you don't like your major during your junior year? Well, you could stay in school longer, or pick up a minor! A minor is a great way to stay on track to graduate on time, but it can also help you expand your interests and skills, which will make you a better professional in the long run.
3. Looking for, applying to and interviewing for an internship/job is a job in itself!
Word to the wise: DON'T WAIT! It's never too early to start looking for job experience, but you can be too late. As a junior, you should really start taking your future seriously. Make your resume professional, your social media clean and your interviewing skills sharp, because the earlier you start to prepare the better! If you're looking for a paid position or a paid internship, I recommend starting to search for a company sooner rather than later because paid positions are hard to come by and get filled quickly.
4. You're actually really sad because a lot of your friends are graduating this year.
Just because you're a junior doesn't mean that all of your friends are. Many of your friends are preparing to graduate, which means that next year won't be the same. Keep your head up though, you still have time to have fun and that's all seniors want to do anyway because the real world is approaching fast.
5. The fact that your friends are graduating will make you think about graduation... a lot.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. You still have plenty of time to enjoy college, and you also have a lot to look forward to after college. The thing to keep in mind is perspective and attitude. If you're going to be stressed, scared or anxious over the future you will not be able to enjoy the present. Nothing in life is permanent, so live it up while you're here and get excited about your future!
6. You have a lot of decisions to make soon.
Soon you'll have to decide what you want to do with your life–really. Will you go right to graduate school? Travel? Move to a different state? Move back home? Get a job? There are so many possibilities the world will offer us after we finish college. It's time to get excited and start exploring these wonderful paths we can take.
So fellow juniors, we're halfway done. We've made life-long friends, learned how to do things without helping hands, made it through the tough classes and we still have a year and a half to go! So here's to us, Class of 2017! May the end of your junior year be both educational and memorable.
