The best:
1. Finally having a car on campus
After two years of being on campus without your car, as juniors, we can finally bring ours to school. As a freshman and sophomore, there were times where you wished you could drive to a restaurant or store and not have to take a cab. The idea of having a car changes the entire social aspect while at college. Even if you are unable to bring your car to campus as a junior, it is certain that at least one of your friends will have one.
2. Switching from a dorm to an apartment
The past two years in a dorm room were some of the greatest memories we have had. It is convenient having friends with rooms down the hall or right next to yours and really adds to the college experience. Now, whether on campus or off campus, you finally have your own kitchen, living room, and bathroom. The West Campus Apartments at Villanova are one of the nicest parts of the university campus and allows students to have much more room compared to Freshman and Sophomore year.
3. Second 'Storey' and St. Mary's
After freshman year, it was hard as sophomores to no longer have the convenience of the 'Sparket.' Although Late Night Connelly was a great replacement, it just wasn't the same as the Sparket. Freshman year also had the famous stir-fry in the SPIT that you probably ended up eating every night for dinner. As Juniors, we get to relive the freshman days with Second Storey and the St. Mary's Dining Hall. Second Storey offers a wide variety of late night foods as well as a larger convenience store which brings back memories from freshman year. In St. Mary's dining hall, not only is the omelet and pasta line back, but the infamous stir-fry line as well.
4. Early class registration
Class registration is one of the most overwhelming processes that we've had in college. It was always difficult trying to get a certain class and trying to determine whether or not it would be filled before your registration time. As students, we have to ready multiple schedules in order to be prepared. As we register for the Fall Semester of our senior year, we will now have an earlier registration time then we have ever had before. Now we can create the ideal schedule that does not include 8:30s or classes on Fridays. Once we have what seems to be 'the greatest schedule of all time,' we are sure to tell everyone how great it is.
5. Turning 21 (For Most Of Us)
Turning 21 is the one day most college kids have been waiting for in their college years. The constant questions of what Kelly's and Maloney's is like will finally be answered the day we turn 21. Now that we are able to purchase alcohol, we will immediately show the store clerk our IDs because we are so excited to finally be 21.
The worst:
1. You are now halfway through college
It is scary to think that the past two years of college have gone by so fast. As excited as we are to return to campus as juniors, we slowly come to the realization that our time here is almost over. Everyone dreads the day college life is over and we finally graduate, but luckily, we still have another two years to go.
2. Finding a house for senior year
As we return in the fall, the search for the perfect senior house begins. Calling landlords and talking to the current seniors becomes annoying as houses start to fill and our options become limited. Some students have already found a house and signed the lease for their senior house while the other students become concerned that they will be homeless senior year. Although this may seem like a big deal now, it is certain that our senior year will be just as great as the other years.
3. Trying to figure out exactly what you want to do after college
As we continue to go through classes, we still face the question 'What do I want to do with my life?' The process of trying to find an internship as well as a place to live after college starts to become more of a concern as you talk to friends that already have a job lined up after college. Some of us continue to think about what exactly we want to do and still haven't discovered an answer yet. But as we continue through college, we will slowly come to realize what exactly we want to do.
4. You only have one more summer until you start working full time
As sad as it is to think, we only have one summer vacation left in our lives. After next summer we will no longer have approximately 4 months off from classes or work. When we graduate and finally enter the real world, we will then have to plan out our vacation days and have to work every weekday until we retire. As we come to this realization, we then know that next summer needs to be the greatest one yet.
5. Classes continue to get harder
Trying to pay attention in class becomes a lot harder as the workload picks up, the material become more complicated, and the tests, quizzes, and term papers continue to pile up. Although there are times we are so overwhelmed and think there is no possible way to complete everything, it's reassuring to know that we are already halfway there and so close to that college degree.
Despite the few bad things about Junior Year, it will still be a year with opportunity and a year that won't be forgotten.
