All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. However, all play and no work will prevent Jack from getting into college. The balance between working too hard and hardly working is tough to find, but it’s very important this year.
Going into junior year, I found myself concerned with taking a lot of honors classes and being involved with many clubs. Students tend to be advised to take harder classes and participate in school more because this is a time when colleges are paying close attention to the workload students take on. However, I found taking so many difficult classes was overwhelming. Rather than load yourself up on honors classes, take courses that will help you in the field you’d like to study.
The same thing goes for extracurriculars. College Board recommends participating in activities you’re passionate about. This way you look better to admissions counselors because you enjoy what you’re doing. I focused on newspaper and speech and debate and now have leadership roles in each. I got to do what I loved and made myself more appealing to colleges at the same time. It’s about balancing having fun and doing what you want with working hard and challenging yourself.
Don’t let junior year overwhelm you. Find the balance between work and play. Be the Jack that graduates with good grades and fun memories.