Dealing with the most demanding time of your life: junior year 2nd semester

Much like the last few seconds before the buzzer goes off in a basketball game, the second half of a tied soccer game, or the last 12 inches to the other side of the pool, the second semester of junior year is the most important time of your high school career. It is a time for you to place the cherry on your transcript before you send it off to colleges. It is a time for you to test everything you have acquired through ten years of schooling. It is a time for you to grow as an active member of your community, a good friend, and an independent young adult. I would kill myself if I had to re-live that semester; I would kill for a chance to re-do it.
Maintaining a decent GPA is easier said than done, but there are a couple simple tricks to help you win those extra points. First, let your teachers know you care. Go in for extra help after school hours. Notice the different likes and dislikes of your teachers and do your best to be a docile student. They hold the power to make or break your GPA.
You’re going to get a lot of homework. I mean a lot. You need to do all of it. I mean all of it! There is no room for slacking here. Teachers will expect the very best from all their students and they will demand essays and projects to add to your final grades.
The second most important thing to keep track of is the SAT. Don’t push studying for these tests until the last minute. Start studying your vocabulary and looking at practice tests from the beginning of the year. Make little flashcards you can carry around with you to look at while you are on the bus or waiting for a friend. Every minute and every word counts!
The third most important, and in my opinion, the easiest to keep track of, is making lasting memories in your school and community. You are almost done with high school! Although you will be challenged endlessly within the school classroom, the freedoms and privileges you will enjoy make it worth while. Take part in school activities, promote school spirit, and be the catalyst to changes within the school. Don’t let this precious year slip through your fingers. Take hold of it and grow to be the best you can.
I can guarantee that you will discover so much more about yourself. You will get a better understanding of who you are, what is important to you, and how you control what happens in your life. Junior year is definitely challenging but when well maintained, it is remarkably enjoyable as well. In the words of the most over used cliché ever: “with no pain comes no gain.”