Donald Mahan, ranked #3 in his class, is someone who thinks that being a Junior is tough, but with enough effort, believes he can succeed at this stage of life. “All my classes, especially [Advanced Placement], put a lot of pressure on me and take time, but it is definitely doable if I put in a lot of hard work.”
Mahan, who was fidgeting and not staying still, and the fast talking is a clear sign of the nervousness that comes with the stress of his school situation.
For students like Mahan, being a Junior can be pretty challenging; there is a lot of stress to take in and a lot of things to do. Things such as AP and SBAC testing, getting a job, getting a driver’s license, and starting to think about moving out and going to college can add up.
How can they manage it, and what are some struggles they go through?
Specifically for juniors, SBAC has started this month. This test, held through the month of April, determines students’ performance in English, Math, and Science skills. for California. This test assesses students’ readiness for college.
“With SBAC testing coming up it’s a big pressure on me because of all the other things I have to do,” said Mahan.
For juniors like him, this adds stress because it disrupts the flow of certain classes, making juniors have to do work at home, which adds more stress and less time to rest. This makes juniors need to have great time management.
Nareth Bin agrees with this saying, ”Having good time management is hard but necessary for being a good student.”
And Padilla adds to this saying, “Having to go between studying for the SBAC and studying for the driver’s test is very hard.”
In addition to stress from school, Mahan faces pressure from his parents for big milestones regarding driving. “My mom is adamant about me getting my driver’s permit and doing the test; it’s really stressful because of the classes and situation that I have.”
This is a struggle that many juniors face. Juniors are reaching that age where they have to get their permit and get their license because they are expected to help with things outside the house now.
Junior Issac Bun said,“My mom and my dad ask me to go out and get groceries about once a week whenever they are tired from work.”
And this takes a toll on Mahan because he is now stressed due to all the studying he has to do, on top of trying to get his Permit and license.
But Mahan, despite all these struggles and stress, is in the top 3 in the valedictorian race for Juniors. “Even though it’s pretty hard, I am taking time to do all my work and get good grades in class.”
Juniors need resilience and dedication even in these trying times. “ It is important to take things day-by-day, especially because of all the tests and classes coming up,’’ said Padilla concerning what is needed to be a good Junior in these times.
Juniors have a lot of stress in their lives, but” If you just manage your time well and make sure to pay attention, upcoming Juniors will be fine.”
