Dear sophomores,
As we approach the end of the school year, you may be thinking about eleventh grade. With increased rigor in classes and pressure to begin the college process, junior year can seem daunting. Going into the year, I was especially concerned about academics, extracurriculars, standardized testing and my social life. Despite the difficult nature of the year, I have still found moments of growth and happiness.
Junior year was my first time taking both extended and upper-level classes. I was nervous about how I would be able to manage the increased workload. I felt an intense pressure from my family to be successful in all my classes, especially with the college process coming up. They told me that to get into a good college, I would need to get good grades during my junior year.
While I have noticed a considerable jump in rigor in my classes, I am learning skills that have allowed me to stay on top of my work. In the fall, I had particular trouble with my math class. Despite spending hours outside class studying for assessments, I was not achieving the success I had hoped for. My attitude toward math was becoming increasingly negative—I felt like no matter how hard I tried, I could not perform well. However, my teacher suggested that I meet with him on a weekly basis even when there wasn’t a test or assessment coming up. I was not used to meeting with teachers during my freshman and sophomore year because I often felt scared to reach out, but I decided to meet with him anyway. Despite the increase in class rigor, meeting with my teachers consistently has helped me perform better because I can form connections with my teachers and reinforce class material.
At the beginning of the year, I was worried about whether I would have enough time to participate in extracurriculars while balancing academic work. I had joined many activities and clubs my freshman and sophomore year while trying to find what I was interested in. I wanted to stay engaged in all of those activities but didn’t know how. However, I soon realized that being involved in so many activities wasn’t sustainable.
Over the past couple of months, I have been able to pinpoint certain activities I feel especially passionate about. During my first two years of high school, I was in the cast of many different plays and musicals. This year, I felt that the time commitment (five or six days of rehearsals every week) would limit my availability to be involved in other activities. I decided not to audition for the fall and spring shows even though I wanted to spend time with friends in the theater community. Instead, I chose to participate in shows that required less of a time commitment, so I could still be engaged in the theater community while allowing myself time to participate in other extracurriculars. The extra time allowed me to pursue activities I am deeply passionate about.
I originally viewed studying for standardized tests as a nuisance. I didn’t think I was going to be able to commit to studying for them on top of my work and extracurriculars. However, I have managed to make the process a part of my schedule. Although I do not have a lot of time during the week, I made sure to carve out a few hours each weekend to prepare. Studying for the SAT has now become a part of my body clock. The studying process is also fulfilling because I enjoy seeing improvement in scores—it reminds me that if I put in the effort, I can find success.
I also worried about my social life during junior year. I felt nervous about how I was going to maintain my friendships and have fun when I had so many other responsibilities. However, I have found I am still able to spend time with my friends by going out to lunch on weekdays and studying with them on the weekends. It is important to prioritize friendships because there needs to be a balance between academics and social life. I have even made new friends this year through study groups with peers I don’t usually interact with.
Although eleventh grade can seem intimidating, there are so many opportunities for connection and growth. Going into this next year, I encourage you all to have an open mind in order to make the most of your experience. Embrace the difficulties, learning moments and successes of junior year.
Sincerely,
Aymaan