With the class of 2026 fast approaching graduation, another group of students moves into position to take their place at the top of the school. This year’s juniors – the class of 2027 – are almost done with what many consider to be the hardest year of high school. So, how are these “rising seniors” feeling about their junior year and the challenges that it brought?
Regarding whether or not junior year was as hard as people made it out to be, PB junior Ruth Bekele says, “Yeah, I think for a lot of people, junior year is kind of a big deal. Like, there’s a ton of pressure with college stuff, AP classes, and just trying to keep up with everything. For me, I think it was really hard because of all the balancing between school and a social life, but I guess it depends on your classes and how much you’re juggling.”
Fellow junior Gwyn shares a similar perspective, saying, “My junior year was pretty difficult, but I wouldn’t say it’s as hard as people said it would be because I learned enough from my sophomore year to be prepared.” Junior Miles Mackel also acknowledges the increase in difficulty compared to previous years. He says that this year was “definitely a lot harder than sophomore year, but not unmanageable.”
While a number of students agreed that junior year came with pressure, they also highlight the different challenges faced throughout the year. Regarding the most difficult part of junior year, Ruth explains, “Balancing all the schoolwork with my extracurriculars. There’s just a lot of pressure from all my sides, and it can be tough to stay on top of everything, but I’m proud of myself on how everything is working out so far.” Miles also shares a similar experience in having to balance everything: “I’d say balancing sports along with AP classes on top of friends and wanting free time.” Gwyn also discussed the academic adjustment that came with new classes, explaining that “the hardest part of this year was having to adapt to new classes and ways of thinking.”
Other juniors reflect on how much they have changed or grown. Swati explains, “Since freshman year, I’ve definitely developed a sense of maturity that wasn’t entirely there during my first year here. The sudden increase of responsibilities and even the change of my own friends and the people I talk to on a day-to-day basis changed and helped shape me as a person.” Gwyn also reflects on personal growth, saying, “When I was a freshman, I was really quiet, so I definitely feel like I’ve grown more comfortable in the school since then.”
So, as the class of 2026 prepares to graduate, the class of 2027 begins to step into a new role as the school’s rising seniors. Despite some of the stress, challenges, and pressure that can come with junior year, many students feel that the experience helped them grow academically and personally while also helping to prepare them for the next year.
